MY WANDERING DREAMING MIND

Saunders and Lyon, who previously focused on hyperactivity common to boys with ADHD in My Whirling Twirling Motor (2019), now turn to a female protagonist.

Sadie has a mind that loves to wander and dream, from ponies and monkeys to the depths of the sea. She wishes she could keep it pinned down, especially when her rich fantasy world causes trouble at home and at school. Like many young people with attention and executive-function deficits, Sadie is plagued by low self-esteem as a result of her symptoms. Fortunately, her parents help her to see how her struggles can sometimes be great gifts. For instance, she daydreams because she is imaginative and gets easily distracted because she is curious. Though this reframing does not make her issues magically disappear, the positive scaffold provides a hopeful launch pad for progress. A note to parents and caregivers at the end of the story includes information on executive-function issues, especially how ADHD often manifests in girls, along with information on how to individualize an approach to positive psychology for ADHD brains. This fills a needed bibliotherapy niche for families, therapists, and school counselors. Sadie and her family are white, and her classmates are fairly diverse.

A positive spin for all those who struggle with executive function and those who love them.