Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Disability, impairments and special needs

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Book SynopsisOscar is a perfectionist with an anxiety problem.He puts pressure on himself to excel in everything he does. That''s why he earns good grades, wins awards, plays sports, performs in the band and makes friends easily. But all his accomplishments come at a price.Oscar is wracked with anxiety.He''s so afraid of falling short of expectations or disappointing his parents, his teachers and his pals, he can''t sleep. He tosses and turns every night. The more sleep he loses, the moodier and more irritable he becomes. Exhausted and stressed, Oscar lashes out at his best buddies. Now his anxiety is topped with feelings of guilt and shame.When a caring teacher notices Oscar''s distress, she invites him to join a school support group for students who struggle with anxiety. What will he do? Is Oscar too embarrassed to seek help, or is he so tired of being tired, he''ll try anything for some sleep and relief?MY ANXIETY IS MESSING THINGS UP is a fast-paced chapter book that examines the emotional and physical toll anxiety has on kids, as well as the empowering strategies they can use to calm their worries. Engaging discussion questions and creative activities at the end of each chapter help readers understand the content more deeply and can guide classroom conversations about anxiety, stress and trying your best.

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Book SynopsisThirteen-year-old David Salmon is getting over his mom''s sudden decision to pick up and leave. He seems to be adjusting fairly well, but then a strange thing happens. He meets a middle-aged Englishman named Winston outside his house. David suspects that Winston may not be real, but he seems harmless enough, as hallucinations go, and the two of them become friends. If nothing else, Winston is a welcome distraction from the mess at home; David''s dad cannot seem to cope with his wife''s decision move out. Winston also proves a valuable advisor in navigating the trials of middle school-best friend problems and a budding romance. Eventually, however, Winston confesses the real reason he showed up: he needs David to deliver a message. It''s a journey David desperately doesn''t want to make...because it takes him somewhere he desperately doesn''t want to go. Might As Well Be Dead is a story about a boy in crisis. Be ready to laugh. Be ready to cry. Be advised: all you need is love.

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Book SynopsisDiagnosis is not destiny. Autism. ADHD. Learning difficulties. Epilepsy. Cerebral palsy. Traumatic brain injury. From the moment your child is diagnosed with a special needs condition, you are plunged into a world of doctors, specialists, and therapists. But the most important person on your child's care team is you. In Healing Your Child's Brain, child development experts Matthew and Carol Newell arm parents with the knowledge, confidence, and tools they need to help their special-needs child flourish. The Newells have treated more than 20,000 children and are the parents of two special needs children. They know firsthand, as both parents and practitioners, what works—and what doesn't. Most treatments focus on managing symptoms but don't address underlying neurological issues. This book guides readers through the stages of brain development and how they affect functioning, showing what wellness looks like at each level and how to identify—and tackle—problems. In these pages, parents will learn: • The seven key developmental areas that contribute to how well your child functions in daily life. • How to evaluate your child's capabilities and challenges. • How to create an environment tailored to your unique child, meeting them where they are, rather than where they are "supposed" to be. With insight into how your child's unique brain functions, you can move beyond managing symptoms to establishing a home regimen that fosters neurological growth. It is possible to transform the structure of your child's brain—from the cells themselves to the connections between them. By harnessing the brain's ability to grow and change slowly and steadily over time, your child can and will make progress.Trade Review"If you're the parent of a special needs child, please read this book. You will find an empowering and refreshing way of viewing your child's condition. The information presented here will help you to understand what is happening, to get to the root cause of the problem and give you a road map for helping your child to heal." —Linda Baker, MD, CCH, Portland, OR "It is thrilling to see the decades of dedication spearheaded by Matthew and Carol Newell and their diverse team at the Family Hope Center encapsulated in this book. In it, their philosophy, approach, and results in overcoming neurological injuries—even the most severe cases—are made accessible to professionals and families alike . . . This book provides a broad picture of previously unsuspected possibilities in neurological recovery and effective parenting." —Nancy Werner, MD ‘This book is so rich in enlightenment and knowledge of how parents or other close relatives can bring hope and development to children and adults suffering from neurological disorders." —Mira Helena Bergkvist, MD, Sonderborg, Denmark "As a medical professional, I've heard countless lectures in neurology and read numerous textbooks for courses. As a parent, I've had conversations with neurologists and neurosurgeons from the best hospitals this area has to offer. None of them can explain the brain like Matthew Newell does . . . The information I've learned from him has changed how I think, how I treat my patients, and how I raise my children. His book will be a game-changer for those who take the time to read it and let it change how they think!" —Dr. Stephanie Ale, DPT, Certified MDT, CSCS, Woodstown, NJ "This is essential reading for anyone who works with someone with any type of brain injury, therapists and parents alike . . . Parents will understand how to help their children and therapists will have the tools to work in a logical and methodical way to reach the potential in every individual they meet. This book should be a staple in every university level education that teaches about brain injuries in both children and adults." —Dr. Jörgen Sandell, PhD, Clinical Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden "With this book, Mathew can now share the wealth of knowledge he has accumulated over the years working with countless numbers of children with a wider audience and succeed in his mission to educate others beyond his program. I, for one, am grateful that Mathew has decided to offer us all his insight and experience by writing this book, and I know it will be an incredibly helpful resource for everyone who works with this special group of children." —Dr. Kerry D'Ambrogio, senior practitioner and instructor for BodyTalk Table of ContentsContents Foreword by Dr. George GoodwinIntroduction: Shifting the Special-Needs LandscapeChapter 1 Setting the Foundation for HealingChapter 2 Beyond Labels: Your Child Is More Than a DiagnosisChapter 3 Moving Forward Together with My ChildChapter 4 The Amazing Brain: How It Functions and GrowsChapter 5 Evaluating and Understanding Your Child’s CapabilitiesChapter 6 How Sensory Stimulation and Basic Movement Can Develop and Improve Brain FunctionChapter 7 Care and Nourishment of Your ChildChapter 8 Growing and Caring for YourselfChapter 9 Growing Together as a FamilyChapter 10 Building a Support TeamConclusionAcknowledgmentsAbout the NewellsAbout The Family Hope CenterIndex

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Book SynopsisLove, Always is a beautifully illustrated children's book about the journey of a mom and her child with special needs. It is a simple, heartfelt story that follows the life of a child with autism through his imaginative journey as he seeks to be accepted, loved and celebrated for his strengths and abilities. In addition to the qualities that make children on the autism spectrum exceptional, they have the hopes, dreams and the desire to belong that all children do. The book is a powerful reminder that with a little help from each of us, children with autism can fulfill their potential. Although raising a child with special needs is hard, learning to let them go out into the world and hope that they will do well is even tougher. The author, a gifted special needs educator notes: "Love Always is a heartfelt thank you to all the parents and parent figures out there—may you continue to be the shining light in all our lives."Table of Contents Cover Dedication Illustrated Content

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Book SynopsisIn this heartfelt and powerfully affecting coming of age story, a neurodivergent 7th grader is determined to find her missing best friend before it's too late.Things never seem to go as easily for thirteen-year-old Frankie as they do for her sister, Tess. Unlike Tess, Frankie is neurodivergent. In her case, that means she can't stand to be touched, loud noises bother her, she's easily distracted, she hates changes in her routine, and she has to go see a therapist while other kids get to hang out at the beach. It also means Frankie has trouble making friends. She did have one--Colette--but they're not friends anymore. It's complicated.Then, just weeks before the end of seventh grade, Colette unexpectedly shows up at Frankie's door. The next morning, Colette vanishes. Now, after losing Colette yet again, Frankie's convinced that her former best friend left clues behind that only she can decipher, so she persuades her reluctant sister to help her unravel the mystery of Colette's disappearance before it's too late.A powerful story of friendship, sisters, and forgiveness, Tornado Brain is an achingly honest portrait of a young girl trying to find space to be herself.Trade ReviewPraise for Tornado Brain:A 2022-2023 Truman Readers Book Award Nominee (MO)A 2021 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the YearA 2021 Texas Lone Star Reading List PickA 2021 Washington State Book Award for Young Readers FinalistA Summer 2020 Kids Indie Next List Pick A Spring 2020 Apple Most Anticipated Book A Junior Library Guild Pick★ “Frankie’s first-person narration is spot-on as she describes her feelings about her attention-deficit and sensory-processing disorders and her Asperger’s syndrome as well as her distaste for the medications that impair her thinking. . . This moving account of Frankie’s emerging maturity—with extra challenges—is perfect. . . An intriguing mystery embedded within a richly insightful coming-of-age story.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review★ “Patrick...has done a remarkable job of creating an unforgettable character in Frankie, who tells the story in her own idiosyncratic first person voice, which takes readers inside her head as she struggles with her many challenges. The result is a tour de force that readers will remember long after they have finished the book.” —Booklist, starred review “Much of this upper middle grade novel’s success is thanks not just to Frankie’s nuanced portrayal, but to all the characters, who are written to be both beautiful and flawed, doing the best that they can under difficult circumstances. Author Patrick is adept at developing a seamless blend of genres, and this title is at once a coming-of-age tale, a family drama, and a mystery. . . Elementary and middle school librarians should recommend this title to fans of Rain Reign, John Green, and anyone who might see themselves reflected in Frankie.” —School Library Connection, recommended review “Frankie’s narration is solid and plausible, remaining credibly and creditably unyielding as she deals with the world in her own way rather than mapping onto neurotypical emotions . . . A brisk yet moving story that will satisfy lovers of friendship tales and hard-won growth.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books“A clever and suspenseful mystery where, in time-honored tradition, kids defy authority and solve the puzzle themselves. . . Frankie joins other memorable protagonists who are not neurologically typical, such as Willow in Counting by 7s and Rose in Rain Reign. . . The detailed setting and a strong cast of supporting characters, including the twins’ exhausted mother and a kindly boy who like likes Frankie, make this a satisfying reading experience.” —The Horn Book“The characters are a strength in this story . . . The different ways in which people can experience anger, hope, fear, and loss are beautifully explored. This is an important book.” —School Library Journal

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Book SynopsisIn this heartfelt and powerfully affecting coming of age story, a neurodivergent 7th grader is determined to find her missing best friend before it's too late. Now in paperback.Things never seem to go as easily for thirteen-year-old Frankie as they do for her sister, Tess. Unlike Tess, Frankie is neurodivergent. In her case, that means she can't stand to be touched, loud noises bother her, she's easily distracted, she hates changes in her routine, and she has to go see a therapist while other kids get to hang out at the beach. It also means Frankie has trouble making friends. She did have one--Colette--but they're not friends anymore. It's complicated.Then, just weeks before the end of seventh grade, Colette unexpectedly shows up at Frankie's door. The next morning, Colette vanishes. Now, after losing Colette yet again, Frankie's convinced that her former best friend left clues behind that only she can decipher, so she persuades her reluctant sister to help her unravel the mystery of Colette's disappearance before it's too late.A powerful story of friendship, sisters, and forgiveness, Tornado Brain is an achingly honest portrait of a young girl trying to find space to be herself. Inspired by her own neurodiverse child, Cat Patrick writes with authenticity and sincerity in her depiction of Frankie in what is ultimately a love letter to neurodiverse children everywhere.Trade ReviewPraise for Tornado Brain:A 2022-2023 Truman Readers Book Award Nominee (MO)A 2021 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the YearA 2021 Texas Lone Star Reading List PickA 2021 Washington State Book Award for Young Readers FinalistA Summer 2020 Kids Indie Next List Pick A Spring 2020 Apple Most Anticipated Book A Junior Library Guild Pick★ “Frankie’s first-person narration is spot-on as she describes her feelings about her attention-deficit and sensory-processing disorders and her Asperger’s syndrome as well as her distaste for the medications that impair her thinking. . . This moving account of Frankie’s emerging maturity—with extra challenges—is perfect. . . An intriguing mystery embedded within a richly insightful coming-of-age story.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review★ “Patrick...has done a remarkable job of creating an unforgettable character in Frankie, who tells the story in her own idiosyncratic first person voice, which takes readers inside her head as she struggles with her many challenges. The result is a tour de force that readers will remember long after they have finished the book.” —Booklist, starred review “Much of this upper middle grade novel’s success is thanks not just to Frankie’s nuanced portrayal, but to all the characters, who are written to be both beautiful and flawed, doing the best that they can under difficult circumstances. Author Patrick is adept at developing a seamless blend of genres, and this title is at once a coming-of-age tale, a family drama, and a mystery. . . Elementary and middle school librarians should recommend this title to fans of Rain Reign, John Green, and anyone who might see themselves reflected in Frankie.” —School Library Connection, recommended review “Frankie’s narration is solid and plausible, remaining credibly and creditably unyielding as she deals with the world in her own way rather than mapping onto neurotypical emotions . . . A brisk yet moving story that will satisfy lovers of friendship tales and hard-won growth.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books“A clever and suspenseful mystery where, in time-honored tradition, kids defy authority and solve the puzzle themselves. . . Frankie joins other memorable protagonists who are not neurologically typical, such as Willow in Counting by 7s and Rose in Rain Reign. . . The detailed setting and a strong cast of supporting characters, including the twins’ exhausted mother and a kindly boy who like likes Frankie, make this a satisfying reading experience.” —The Horn Book“The characters are a strength in this story . . . The different ways in which people can experience anger, hope, fear, and loss are beautifully explored. This is an important book.” —School Library Journal

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