Eye: How it Works

With Sheila Keenan. Macaulay places a discussion of the biology of the eye and the physics of sight in the context of a game of soccer. As a girl uses her eyes to play, concepts including the eye's structure, how light enters the eye and travels through the lens, and how images are interpreted are covered. The illustrations use creative perspectives to showcase the science. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

David Macaulay uses his signature combination of humor and scientific precision to create an information-packed, kid-friendly explanation of how light, the eye, and the brain work together. A youth soccer match provides the framework for this ophthalmology lesson and adds the excitement of flying soccer balls and game-changing plays. The eyes’ functions are described in relation to what is happening on the field, such as the six muscles that move eyes up, down, left, and right, as well as “keep your eyeballs from popping out” if you get hit on the head with a ball. Amusing illustrations, which often include labeled details, work with the text to explain and entertain. One flowchart-like image shows the process of the brain as it uses the dots, lines, and colors sent from the eyes to recognize the face of a teammate: “Face of a dog? No. . . . Face with a beard? No. . . . Aunt Agnes? No. Wait a minute . . . It’s Roger!” To clarify the more complicated descriptions, Macaulay reviews information in a half-time huddle and includes a glossary defining the terms covered.