Saving Eyesight: Adventures of Seva Around the World

Gr 3–8—This title raises awareness about Seva Canada, an international charity that works with local organizations in 13 developing countries to restore sight and prevent blindness. While the tone is reminiscent of that of an infomercial, the content is truly eye-opening. Pruessen begins by explaining the anatomy of the eye and how sight works. An informative time line of eye-care advancements throughout the ages is followed by an explanation of some of the most common and treatable eye problems, such as cataracts, refractive errors, and trachoma. Although many vision problems are treatable, people living in developing nations who have limited access to eye-care clinics rarely get the assistance they need and often lose their sight. Poverty is a major contributor to vision problems, and vision problems in turn make it difficult to escape a life of poverty. This is where Seva comes in. With visually stunning photographs, Pruessen highlights Seva's contributions in India, Nepal, Cambodia, Guatemala, and Egypt (to name a few countries). "Sight Story" sidebars, which focus on the accounts of individuals who have regained sight through Seva's intervention, underscore the impact of the organization's work. A "How to Help" section encourages kids to get involved and offers suggestions for ways to raise money for Seva.