Fans of books by Jennifer Smith
like The Geography of You and Me and of Nicola Yoon’s Everything,
Everything will also enjoy Not if I See You First by Eric
Lindstrom.
The main character, Parker
Grant, was involved in an accident and blinded at age seven and Lindstrom does
an excellent job of evoking what it must be like to be blind. Parker has learned to cope through a variety
of rules and reliance on friends, but this story does shake some of the “truths”
to which she adheres.
Not if I See You First is full of drama and angst – the teenage angst of realizing
that there are other people with problems, too. This story details her efforts over a
few months to grow-up and to step outside her comfort zone. In many ways, Parker is as
blind emotionally as she is physically. However, I
personally thought that Not if I See You First was too repetitive
when focusing on romance and on Parker’s attempts to work out feelings for her “ex”
while dating someone else. I was more
engaged when she considers trying out for the school track team, learns to
trust and makes some new friends as the year progresses. Although I wished that Parker was an even stronger
person, she was not bitter and often insisted on being independent.
If you are a younger teen and
looking for a book about teenage relationships and friendships, Not if I See You First is one to try – I will be including this title in a
booktalk on characters with disabilities and look forward to hearing your reaction.
Not if I See You First by Eric Lindstrom received a starred
review from Kirkus.
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