Book Recommendations for Children
ADHD:
Putting on the Breaks
Patricia Quinn, MD and Judith Stern, MA
A simple explanation and overview of ADHD for children ages 8-12. Putting on the Breaks explores the feelings and emotions of children with ADHD and offers strategies for overcoming obstacles associated with the disorder. Ages 8-12
The Putting on the Breaks Activity Book
Patricia Quinn, MD and Judith Stern, MA
An activity book to accompany Putting on the Breaks. Ages 8-13
Learning to Slow Down and Pay Attention, 3rd Edition
Kathleen Nadeau and Ellen Dixon
A book that explains ADHD to children ages 6-12. Learning to Slow Down and Pay Attention provides checklists and activities for children with ADHD. Ages 6-12
The Adventures of Phoebe Flower Books
Barbara Roberts
A collection of stories about Phoebe, a young girl with ADHD and her adventures. Children gain self-esteem through Phoebe’s interactions with her peers and her success in dealing with her ADHD and explaining her disorder to others. Ages 4-8
Learning Differences:
The Survival Guide for Kids with LD: Learning Differences
Gary Fisher, PhD, and Rhoda Cummings, EdD
Tips for children 8+ for overcoming the challenges of their learning differences. This book affirms the intelligence and ability of children with LD to learn, while providing helpful strategies for success. Ages 8+
The Don’t-Give-Up Kid and Learning Differences
Jeanne Gehret, MA
The story of a child overcoming the obstacles of his learning differences. This uplifting book speaks compassionately to Elementary School aged children, boosting their egos and sending the message that success is possible. Age: Elementary School
Many Ways to Learn: Young People’s Guide to Learning Disabilities
Judith Stern, MA and Uzi Ben-Ami, PhD
This book provides descriptions of different Learning Disabilities and strategies for coping including how to succeed in school and how to do well on tests. First person accounts give children the reassurance that there are others dealing with the same challenges as theirs. Ages 8-13
All Kinds of Minds: A Young Student’s Book about Learning Abilities and Learning Disorders
Dr. Mel Levine
Using the stories of 5 different children, this book helps Elementary School kids to understand their learning differences. Children gain self-esteem as they learn that there are other children like them. Ages: Elementary School
Eagle Eyes: A Child’s Guide to Paying Attention
Jeanne Gehret, MA
This story of a young boy illustrates the natural gifts of children with learning differences and ADHD, demonstrating strategies for coping with the obstacles that these children might encounter. Ages: Elementary School
Color Me Successful
The Lab School of Washington
Sally L. Smith, Founder/Director
A unique coloring book with each page focusing on a different well-known role model that has had great success despite a learning difference. All Ages.
Keeping A Head in School: A Student's Book about Learning Abilities and Learning Disorders.
Dr. Mel Levine
This book is useful for middle school students, teachers and parents. It teaches strategies for success in school for children with learning disorders.
I’m Somebody Too
Jeanne Gehret, MA
Geared toward the siblings of children with learning differences, this is the story of a young girl overcoming the challenges of having a brother with a learning difference. Her initial worry, guilt and jealousy disappear when she learns to cope with and help her brother. Ages: 4-8
Software Recommendations
Assistive Technology Guide
A download to help parents understand the use of technology for children with special needs.
Kidspiration Software
Kidspiration® uses the principles of visual learning to build literacy and writing skills.
Inspiration® software
For students grades 6 to adult to brainstorm, plan, organize, outline, diagram, and write.
ImaginAction Software
Fun, engaging software to build creative thinking skills in children ages 5-10.
CAST Assistive Technology Products
- AspireREADER 4.0 – “access to digital talking books, Web pages, and word processing through synchronized visual, auditory, and tracking feature functions” www.cast.org
- Thinking Reader – “provides students with instruction and practice key reading strategies [that] enables struggling readers to read the same high-quality books as their peers.” 2005 - Best Education Instructional Solutions for Special Needs Students www.cast.org
- Bobby – “ pioneering desktop tool [that] tests website accessibility. By exposing barriers and suggesting changes, Bobby encourages compliance with U.S. and international accessibility guidelines” – Award from the LD Access Foundation www.cast.org
- WiggleWorks “beginning literacy series, WiggleWorks provides an award-winning blend of technology and literature, and teacher support to help children become successful readers and writers.” www.cast.org
Wild Devine
The Journey to Wild Divine is a computer adventure that integrates an innovative biofeedback interface by means of rings that slip on fingertips and high-end multimedia production giving an “Inner-Active” experience. It is designed to reduce stress and anxiety, give greater awareness of mind and body and increase relaxation and energy.
Living Books series
These talking storybooks have approximately 12 pages with each word in the text highlighted as it is voiced. Each page includes objects that are activated by clicking on them. Examples of stories are Just Grandma and Me, Arthur’s Teacher Troubles. Ages 3-7.
A to Zap
An alphabet book of 26 open-ended activities exploring letters, letter names, words, numbers, counting and other concepts. Ages 4+
The Playroom
Explore numbers, time, the alphabet and other learning concepts. In one particular game, children type words that are shown on the screen and when the word is completed, the program pronounces each phoneme and highlights each letter. Ages 4+
The Treehouse
A program that addresses a number of skill areas. One particular activity is the construction of sentences with characters acting out the sentence upon completion.
Ages 4+
Reader Rabbit 2
Practice in alphabetizing, rhyming, identifying long and short vowel sounds and creating compound words. Ages 4+
AlphaSmart 3000 Keyboard
The AlphaSmart 3000 is lightweight, rugged, compatible with any text application and easy to use. The AlphaSmart connects to any computer for transferring information.
WordSmith v3.0
An additional toolbar for Word 97/2000/XP that combines the functionality of Word with the literacy support. Documents can be scanned in and then read back with text highlighting. Writing is supported with text prediction, spelling/grammar check and can be turned on or off.
Math Blaster
Fun, interactive software to build basic math skills. Children work on speed and accuracy of basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Ages 6-12
Mario Teaches Typing
This software uses the familiar characters from Nintendo to teach young children how to type. Children will practice drills guided by Mario and his friends. Ages 6+
Mavis Beacon Typing
A typing program for older children and teens that improves speed, accuracy and rhythm Customized lessons are developed based on individual difficulties.