Patricia's Vision

This is the story of Dr. Patricia Bath, the inventor of the Laserphaco Probe and a life-long advocate for the blind and seemingly impossible cases. Patricia’s early dreams of becoming a doctor are realized through her hard work and passion for science, along with her parent’s support. When faced with discrimination in the workplace and the doubts of her colleagues, Patricia perseveres in her advocacy of her patients and her hope for the future . . . that the blind will see. This impressively detailed biography follows Dr. Bath from early childhood through to retirement, and its length and level of detail make it best suited for the older picture book audience with a sufficient attention span. Dr. Bath’s determination to solve problems and see possibilities come through as central themes of the book, and the choice of quotes from Dr. Bath herself (“I believe that someday the blind will see . . . ”) and phrasing of dialog in the text (“Other doctors said, ‘It’s impossible,’ Dr. Bath said, ‘I choose miracles.’) emphasize the miraculous nature of her goals and accomplishments. The illustrations are informative and adequately interpret the story in pictorial form but fail to spark joy.