About Your Stories Matter: Based in Kendal, Cumbria Paul Johnson is the founder of Your Stories Matter and the parent publishing company Explainer HQ —which provides creative video, audio, animation and print to the business and education sector. All Your Stories Matters titles are published in paperback and are available to order from online retailers including amazon.co.uk.
For more information please visit: https://www.yourstoriesmatter.org and follow on Twitter @ysm_books
Book Information
- Age Range: 7 - 9 years
- Grade Level: 2 - 3
- Paperback: 186 pages
- Publisher: Your Stories Matter (January 30, 2017)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1909320641
- ISBN-13: 978-1909320642
Synopsis: This book works on several levels. It is a lovely story in itself that most children will relate to, dealing as it does with lack of self-belief, peer pressure and the bullying that goes along with not necessarily being the most popular kid in class. These issues can be readily picked up in school and discussed in circle time and PSHE (citizenship) lessons.
But it goes deeper. Whilst not named in the book explicitly, the three main characters exhibit dyspraxic, dyslexic and autistic (Asperger's Syndrome) tendencies respectively. So the story can be used by parents and teachers as a catalyst for discussing what it is like to have a learning difficulty. In schools, teachers can use the book on a one-to-one, group or class basis to help raise awareness and improve well-being.
Both author and illustrator are keen to raise awareness of specific learning difficulties in a way accessible to children. The illustrator is herself autistic.
But it goes deeper. Whilst not named in the book explicitly, the three main characters exhibit dyspraxic, dyslexic and autistic (Asperger's Syndrome) tendencies respectively. So the story can be used by parents and teachers as a catalyst for discussing what it is like to have a learning difficulty. In schools, teachers can use the book on a one-to-one, group or class basis to help raise awareness and improve well-being.
Both author and illustrator are keen to raise awareness of specific learning difficulties in a way accessible to children. The illustrator is herself autistic.
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Review: This is a fun yet educational story. As someone who has always had "daydreaming" issues, even without being diagnosed with a learning issue, I saw a lot of younger me in Vera. I enjoyed the way it gets across the idea that everyone has their own strengths and struggles. It is also full of examples of accepting and understanding differences. Also, as a huge lover of penguins, there is an added reason to enjoy reading the story and looking at the illustrations. (No spoilers...you have to read it! LOL)
Rating: Five stars
About the author
Jane Evans lives in Edinburgh, UK with her husband, daughter, cat and six fish. Although she has had many different jobs over the years, she keeps coming back to her first love, writing. 'Vera McLuckie and the Daydream Club' is her first book, written with kids in mind who sometimes find things a bit tricky.
About the illustrator
Ruth Mutch is a young artist, living in Glasgow with her rather lazy cat Phoebe. She is autistic and has a post graduate qualification in autism as well as a Primary Educational Studies degree and an HND in interactive media. She has a lot of experience of autistic children. Mutch has done various illustrations for autism awareness including an e-learning course but this is her first venture into illustrating a children's fiction book which she is very excited about!
About the illustrator
Ruth Mutch is a young artist, living in Glasgow with her rather lazy cat Phoebe. She is autistic and has a post graduate qualification in autism as well as a Primary Educational Studies degree and an HND in interactive media. She has a lot of experience of autistic children. Mutch has done various illustrations for autism awareness including an e-learning course but this is her first venture into illustrating a children's fiction book which she is very excited about!
