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MEET EDIE A. GLASER
by Bonnie O'Brian

Please tell us about your background and how you decided to write ALL CHILDREN HAVE DIFFERENT EYES.

Edie A. Glaser

I didn’t know it at the time, but when I attended elementary school back in the 70s, I was legally blind (I could read my books but couldn’t see the board from the first row). I loved all of my subjects and compensated fairly well for my limitations, but no one really knew what my vision issues were so other students just thought I was really strange for seeing things so differently. As a child, I started to believe the things other kids thought about me. Even today with IDEA and IEPs a reality, the social interaction issues of visually-impaired children inside the mainstream classroom and on the playground are often ignored. With my co-author’s expertise in Developmental Psychology, we wrote a story that models solid social competency skills for visually-impaired children ages 4-8. Now teachers, parents, and all children will understand the unique challenges of living with limited vision so that fully-inclusive mainstreaming of these children can take a giant leap forward. By the way, as an adult, I am no longer legally blind and my vision is fairly good.

What was the most challenging part of writing this book?

Dr. Burgio and I spent many months making sure the language was appropriate for the age range and that the text and illustrations presented the issues in a way that truly model healthy social development. We tackled a complex subject for the K-3 grade level and we are very proud of the result.

What was the most enjoyable part of writing the book?

Seeing the book in its final form was a joy, but the greatest delight still comes from watching children with and without visual impairment change their thinking and understanding, even in some small way.

What is significant about the Teacher Guide offered with this book?

The Teacher Guide merges the social development goals of the California Department of Education’s Health Framework with state education standards. So while students are engaged in activities, such as comparing and contrasting, writing poetry, making art mobiles, and other tasks, these students become aware of physical differences/limitations and consider ways to treat others as they wish to be treated.

What do you do during school visits?

School librarians usually request that I speak about how the book was made. I show kids our very first handwritten story with penciled stick figure drawings. And because I worked very closely with the illustrator, I have all of her sketches and color illustrations, so I can take the children through the entire development and even give them copies of the sketches suitable as coloring pages. I can also speak briefly about being a child who grew up with the same conditions that the stars of the book, Tommy and Wendy, have. I can be contacted about school visits through the book’s website at www.lowvisionkids.com.

What else do you write?

Non-fiction for adults is the specialization of my Master’s degree in Professional Writing (expected 2008) and what I love to write. I especially delight in researching complex subjects and presenting them in clear and useful ways so that all readers, young and old, have access to ideas and information that can potentially change their lives in positive ways. I am somewhat of an idealist in that way.

What advice do you have for child writers?

I encourage young writers who show promise, dedication, and love for the writing craft to pursue their calling and not be pressured into careers that only offer high financial rewards. As students enter high-school and then college, they should know that degrees in English, Creative Writing, or Journalism can be the start of a fulfilling and economically viable vocation that can last a lifetime.

What is your best tip for aspiring children's book authors?

Write what you are passionate about because you are the best—and sometimes only—spokesperson for your creation. Not only that, but your waking hours are going to be consumed with writing the book, shopping your proposal, and promoting your published work. You will need to persevere in the face of certain disappointment and even rejection. All of this is easier to do when you are passionate about what you write.