John Dickson (text) and Chantel de Sousa (illustrator), Nikki Hind Dressed for Success (Big Visions), Vision Australia, September 2023, 40 pp., RRP $25.99 (hbk), 9780645558401
Nikki Hind Dressed for Success is the third book in the Big Visions series, portraying significant Australians living with blindness or low vision. Reading Time has reviews of the other two books already: Matt Formston and Craig Shanahan.
Meet Nikki Hind, an Australian fashion designer who uses her imagination to dream up beautiful clothing designs. But when those designs are realised, she can’t see them very well, because Nikki is almost completely blind. This inspirational read by John Dickson explores themes of resilience, courage, and determination, informing young readers about diverse Australian voices.
Written based on personal interviews with Nikki Hind, John Dickson’s beautiful junior biography introduces young readers to diverse and inspiration Australian stories. While many young reader biographies exist out there, Big Visions offers an unmatched representation, and chance to develop social and emotional literacy for all readers. Nikki Hind’s story, accompanied by beautifully simple illustrations, dives into an Australian voice young people may be unaware of. Her “blind grit” and determination to reach her dreams is an inspiration for all readers, and alongside this inspiring narrative, Dressed for Success offers a great opportunity for schools and younger readers to start engaging in conversation about diversity and accessibility within their own communities.
Innovatively published, the Big Visions series are printed with spot gloss braille along with the written word. Instead of creating a separate edition for vision impaired readers, the series aims to prompt conversation in readers about the different ways children can read, learn, and grow. Similarly, stories such as Hind’s encourage audiences to pursue their dreams, as the future is limitless regardless of your abilities.
This story, along with Big Vision’s other instalments are a great addition to the class library, recommended for ages 5+.
Reviewed by Jade Breen
