My Whirling Twirling Motor

by Merriam Sarcia Saunders, Tammie Lyon (Illustrator)

Overview

Charlie feels like he has a whirling, twirling motor running inside him . . . all the time! He doesn't WANT to have so much energy, but sometimes he just can't settle down.

When his mom wants to talk to him, he figures he's in trouble . . . but she has a surprise for him instead. Included is a Note to Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers with more information on hyperactivity, ADHD, behavior management, and helping children focus on the positives.

"The story reinforces that his being overactive and impulsive is not intentional and does not make him bad. The young narrator eventually internalizes his parents' focus on his accomplishments, rather than his challenges, and he wonders what positive things he will do tomorrow...A must-have for young readers with any type of behavior difficulty and their caregivers." —School Library Journal (Starred Review)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433829369
Publisher:	Magination Press, American Psychological Association
Publication date:	03/05/2019
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	8 - 9 Years

About the Author

Merriam Sarcia Saunders, LMFT, is a licensed family therapist and child custody mediator specializing in helping neurodivergent families and children, specifically with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and learning disorders.

Tammie Lyon is best known for illustrating the Katie Woo series. She also illustrated the Makers Make It Work book, Double or Nothing. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and dogs.

Editorial Reviews

"The story reinforces that his being overactive and impulsive is not intentional and does not make him bad. The young narrator eventually internalizes his parents' focus on his accomplishments, rather than his challenges, and he wonders what positive things he will do tomorrow. . . . A must-have for young readers with any type of behavior difficulty and their caregivers."—starred, School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2019-01-28

A practical, sensitive depiction of a child with ADHD facing challenges and receiving affirmation.

Charlie goes through his days feeling as though he can never measure up to others' expectations because of "a spinning motor inside [him] that buzzes and whirls and hums." The term ADHD is never used in the book proper, but extensive backmatter notes intended for teachers, parents, and other caregivers specifically name the disorder and offer practical tips for supporting kids with ADHD. Charlie displays by turns distracted, hyperfocused, and hyperactive behaviors at home and at school, and both text and illustrations depict his classmates', parents', and teacher's negative reactions. At the day's end, Charlie hides under his blanket when his mom says she needs to talk with him. "Will she tell me all the things I did because of my buzzing motor?…I wish I could turn off the motor!" Happily, his mother's approach is compassionate. She cuddles her son and reads from a "Wonderful List" that notes things that went right that day at home and at school, too. This loving affirmation calms Charlie and allows him to settle in to go to sleep, optimistic about tomorrow. The line-and-color illustrations depict Charlie and his family as white, though he does have some classmates of color; swift, sketched lines indicate his nearly constant motion.

Compassionate, helpful, and wise. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews