My Whirling, Twirling Motor

My Whirling, Twirling Motor written by Merriam Sarcia Saunders and illustrated by Tammie Lyon tells the story of a young boy with ADHD who is “driven by a motor”. During the book, the author takes the reader on a typical day with Charlie. His “twirling and humming” makes him forget snack, lunch and his homework. He also fidgets and talks out of turn which affects his ability to make friends at school.

However, at the end of the book, his mom reassures her son of his wonderful qualities and all of things he did right during the day. His mom makes a “wonderful list” and writes down all of the things that Charlie did right such as sitting still during spelling, sharing markers with his classmates and brushing his teeth the first time his mom asked him to. Although there are challenges with ADHD, it is crucial to also focus on what your child/student is doing right! Included in the book are helpful tips for parents, caregivers and educators! This book is one of my favorite picture books about children with ADHD because it ends on such a positive message and accurately describes the challenges of ADHD.

Merriam Sarcia Saunders, LMFT, is a psychotherapist who specializes in helping families of children with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and learning disabilities. To learn more about Merriam, visit her website here.