This past week was the blog tour for My Second Year of Kindergarten. This book has been a project that I have been working on with Mascot Books for about 2 years and is close to my heart in many ways. This book is intended to be an educational tool for parents and educators about […]
Friends Stick Together Blog Tour
I am really excited to kick start this wonderful Penguin Blog Tour for the book, Friends Stick Together. I love books that celebrate friendship and embed a valuable lesson and relationships. Friends Stick Together by Hannah E. Harrison is a unique story about an interesting character named Rupert. Rubert loves reading dictionaries, listening to classical […]
My Second Year of Kindergarten
I am really excited to present my newest children’s book, My Second Year of Kindergarten, which released on April 4th, 2018. This book has been a project that I have been working on with Mascot Books for about 2 years and is close to my heart in many ways. This book is intended to be […]
How Jottings Can Help your Child plus an Author Interview
I recently read an article in The Reading Teacher titled, Jottings: An Approach to Guided Reading in the Elementary Classroom (March/April 2018) written by Jennifer A Knight and Hilary A Justesen that immediately caught my eye. As a parent and a speech language pathologist, I am very interested in discovering new ways to encourage critical thinking for […]
Natsumi!
When I first received Natsumi! in the mail from Penguin, I was immediately drawn the personality of the main character, Natsumi. Natsumi! written by Susan Lendroth and illustrated by Priscilla Burris is a story about a young girl named Natsumi who struggles with being different and doing everything in her own “big way”. Natsumi isn’t […]
Assessment and Intervention for Autism
Do you have a child with Autism? Are you an educator or a therapist that works with children with Autism? I wanted to share two wonderful resources with my readers today available from Future Horizons. Both of these tools can be helpful with regard to assessing a child with Autism and then using a video […]
Rules
Do you have a child with Autism? Do you have a child with complex communication needs? Are you an educator that wants to raise awareness of different types of learners and disabilities? When I was recently teaching a graduate class about AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), one of my students recommended this book, Rules. That […]
Juma the Giraffe
What makes you special and unique? Baby Juma the Giraffe wonders this when looking at his reflection one day. In the heart warming story of Juma the Giraffe written by Monica Bond and illustrated by Kayla Harren, Juma feels ordinary because he thinks he is like all of the other giraffes. His friend, Upendo likes […]
Exploring Feelings Program: Anxiety Training Manual
Do you have a child or client with Autism and anxiety? Exploring Feelings Training Manual is based on Asperger’s expert Dr. Tony Attwood’s Exploring Feelings: Anxiety book. It is a guide for people who want to use the Exploring Feelings materials in group settings with young people who have Autism Spectrum Disorder and high […]
Using The Think Aloud Strategy with Dr. Molly Ness
I wonder…I think…I like that…I feel…. Do you want to help build your child’s language during read alouds? Try the Think Aloud strategy! As a speech language pathologist and parent, I am always searching for any new evidence based strategies that can help a child improve language and literacy skills during read alouds. I recently […]
This is Not The Abby Show
Do you have a child with ADHD? Are you an educator and want to help your students understand different types of learners and disabilities? Is your child an “out of the box” thinker? As an “out of the box” mom, I appreciate and enjoy any books that celebrates children’s differences and empowers them to be […]
How Music Can Help Children with ADHD
I am excited to present this guest post by Charles Carpenter about utilizing music for children with ADHD. As a speech language pathologist, I have seen first hand the benefits of music therapy and how it can change lives. To learn more about music therapy and to learn about how it can benefit many individuals […]
3 Top Books to Read Aloud to an Older Child (that are also movies!)
Happy New Year to my readers! I wanted to start off the new year with some recommendations of wonderful books to read aloud to your older child. All of the books that I am reviewing below are also movies so the experience of reading the book together and watching the movie can be a multi […]
Milestone Tracker App
Do you have a child 5 or younger? Are you concerned that your child is not meeting their milestones? Check out this free and informative app titled the Milestone Tracker App. I learned about this free app in the most recent issue of the ASHA Leader, which is a wonderful resource of information for speech […]
So B. It
Are you looking for a remarkable book to read with your older child? Check out So B. It! When I was at the library the other day with my daughter, I chose one of the most wonderful books right off the shelf. I wanted to share this book titled So B. It by Sarah Weeks […]
Special People, Special Ways
“Some see with a touch or shape fingers to talk. Others sit silent and many can’t walk” Arlene Maguire, 2000. I am thrilled to review this book, Special People, Special Ways for today’s review. During a recent staff training that I was conducting at a public school, a fellow speech language pathologist suggested this book […]
5 Things you need to know about Social Skills Coaching
“In a world that is ever changing, there is one constant. As human beings, we need to communicate with each other. We need to be around others for many many reasons, including support, learning and most importantly a sense of belonging” (Ostovar, R & DiVittore, K. 2017). 5 things you need to know about Social […]
Animated Language Learning
Do you have a child that loves Disney? Do you have a child with Autism or a language and learning disability? About this time last year, I became very interested in learning how Disney can encourage language and communication with children and adults with Autism. After reading the book, Life Animated I decided to try […]
The Difference Between a 504 and an IEP: Key Resources
With school quickly approaching, I wanted to share some important resources about 504 plans and IEPs (Individualized Education Plans). As a speech language pathologist, many people ask me these questions and I wanted to share some valuable information on this topic. Why is this important? If your child is struggling in class and with their […]
I’m Scared
I’m Scared by Jennifer L Holm and Matthew Holm is the newest book in the inventive series My First Comics. Chilly is a scared and fearful snowflake. He is scared of many things including the dark and sometimes he is scared for no reason at all! One day he sees Tizzy Tornado and Grumpy Cloud […]
The Link Between Physical Activity and Better Academic Performance
Recently, I read an article in the newspaper that stated children are better at using technology then tying their shoes. It also said that children know how to use computer games better than riding bikes. Reading these statements, I can easily find them sad, but true. Having children growing up in this world of technology […]
Five Inspirational Picture Books
As a speech language pathologist and parent, I love to use storytelling as an opportunity to initiate meaningful conversations and encourage children to follow their dreams regardless of their disabilities and delays. Children with special needs face many challenges in their lives, and reading inspirational children’s literature can help improve their self-esteem and make them more […]
We’re All Wonders
We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio is a powerful picture book about the beloved character, Auggie from the chapter book, Wonder. Wonder was one of my favorite books because of it’s powerful and valuable lesson for all children to learn. To check out my review of Wonder, click here. When I saw We’re All Wonders […]
Happy Dreamer
Do you have a child that is a dreamer? Are you a dreamer yourself? I recently attended an event with Peter Reynolds at the Jacob Burns Center. He read some of his children’s books including The Dot, Ish and then read his most recent book, Happy Dreamer. Happy Dreamer brought me to tears because it describes a […]
Nutrition Tips for Children with Special Needs
I am happy to present this guest post by Jenny Wise about nutrition tips for children with special needs. Jenny is a mother and blogger who educates her four children at home. Jenny has a child with special needs and shares tips for homeschooling and special needs on her website, Special Home Educator. To contact […]
Reducing Stress with Contimusic
A couple of months ago, I was contacted by Tom and Christine Conti, the founders of Emotion Transitional Music Therapy. As a speech language pathologist who works with children and adults with varying disabilities, I have seen first hand the positive and calming effect of music on my clients, specifically those with Autism. Although Contimusic is […]
Jack’s Worry
Jack’s Worry by Sam Zuppardi is an exceptional picture book about overcoming short-term anxiety and worry. A couple of weeks ago, I was in a waiting room and saw this book lying on the table. I immediately picked it up and read it to my son and instantly loved it. It was a simple story […]
What’s The Big Deal About First Ladies?
In honor of Women’s History Month, I am proud to review the book, What’s The Big Deal About First Ladies? written by Ruby Shamir and illustrated by Matt Faulkner. This book is packed with facts about the first ladies of our nation dating all the way back to our first lady, Martha Washington. What’s The Big Deal […]
Ed Roberts Father of Disability Rights
Ed Roberts: Father of Disability Rights written by Diana Pastora Carson and illustrated by Patrick Wm. Connally tells the inspirational story of Ed Roberts, the man who changed the life of people with disabilities. As a young child, Ed was a typical child that could run and play with all of the other children. He loved organizing […]
Get Ready for Jetty
Get Ready for Jetty written by Jeanne Kraus and illustrated by Sandra Kimbell is a book written in a diary form about a girl named Jetty. Jetty is in 4th grade and has been recently diagnosed with ADHD. Throughout the book she discusses in the first person perspective, her thoughts and feelings about her diagnosis of ADHD and […]
I Don’t Want To Be Big
I Don’t Want To Be Big by Dev Petty illustrated by Mike Boldt is an engaging children’s book about a frog that doesn’t want to grow up! The book begins with a frog refusing to eat his dinner because he doesn’t want to grow big. The story takes you through the dialogue between the frog and […]
Each Kindness
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson is a powerful book about kindness and regret. This story is told in the first person perspective by a young girl named Chloe and her friends who treat the new girl in class with unkindness. Each Kindness begins with the story of a girl named Maya, a new girl that has […]
City Block
City Block written by Christopher Fanceschelli illustrated by Peskimo is an engaging, colorful and interesting book ideal for toddlers and preschool children. The book contains simple language with engaging pictures of various actions that are occurring in a city. The book is also not a standard “lift the flap” type of book. Each page is unique in […]
Gravitybread Presents Kevin Diller and Justin Lowe
I am thrilled to present the interview with Kevin Diller and Justin Lowe, creators of the book, Hello My Name is Octicorn. This book was a huge hit in my house for number of reasons. It was engaging, interesting, funny and can teach an important lesson about being different and accepting others. Hello My Name is Octicorn […]
If You’re So Smart, How Come You Can’t Spell Mississippi?
Do you want to educate your child about Dyslexia? Whether your child has a learning disability or not, this book titled, If You’re So Smart, How Come You Can’t Spell Mississippi? is an excellent book to help children understand what Dyslexia is and how it can affect a child’s reading and writing abilities. As an […]
The Littlest Inventor
The Littlest Inventor by Mandi C. Mathis is the story of a young boy diagnosed with a Sensory Processing Disorder that struggles with sensory overload when on a shopping trip with his parents. The crowds, noises and visual stimulation are just too much to handle. He grows nervous and feels a need to “fight or […]
What Do You Do With a Problem?
What Do You Do With a Problem? by Kobi Yamada is an inspiring book about confronting problems in a child’s life. I find Kobi’s books to be not only inspiring and beautifully illustrated, but so thoughtful in the way that she is able to present complex information (such as having a problem) so that children can […]
Activities That Teach Emotional Cues
Children and adults with varying developmental disabilities and/or social cognitive delays may have difficulty interpreting social and emotional cues. This reduced ability to interpret cues can significantly impact peer relationships and conversation with others. When an individual cannot discern whether a person is upset or happy with their response, their reaction may be considered unexpected, as […]
Social Thinking and Me: Thinksheets and a Kids Guidebook
Social Thinking and Me is a two book set written by Linda K. Murphy and Michelle Garcia Winner that helps introduce older elementary and middle school students to Social Thinking. Whether you are just beginning to learn about Social Thinking or have been exposed to it for many years, this resource is invaluable for older students […]
4 Effective Mini Lessons for Students with ADHD
Photo via Pixabay by geralt I am excited to present this guest post written by Joyce Wilson. Joyce is a retired teacher with decades of experience. Today, she is a proud grandmom and mentor to teachers in her local public school system. She and a fellow retired teacher created TeacherSpark.org to share creative ideas and […]
Parent Resources for Children with ADHD
Do you have a child with ADHD? How about a student with ADHD? I want to share some valuable resources for children with ADHD written by Jim Forgan, PhD, author of the Terrific Teddy Series and Mary Anne Richey, M.Ed. Jim Forgan, PhD is a school psychologist who works with children with varying disabilities, but more specifically […]
Douglas, You Need Glasses and Erik the Red Sees Green
Does your child wear glasses? Is your child colorblind? I wanted to review these two children’s books, Douglas, You Need Glasses and Erik the Red Sees Green this week to help give parents a resource about different vision issues. For many children, getting glasses can be exciting. For others, the process of wearing glasses can […]
Screen Time and how it affects social skills…
Does your child spend too much time on the screen? As a parent, I constantly feel torn with screen time and how to monitor it. What are the effects of too much screen time? I found an interesting study titled Five Days at outdoor education camp without screens improves preteen skills with nonverbal emotion cues […]
Social Thinking Conference…product reviews and tips to use at home
“The concept of being social is a judgement not a test score” (Social Thinking, 2016) This past week, I had the pleasure of attending a one day Social Thinking Conference in Tarrytown, NY. I was excited to hear Michelle Garcia Winner, the founder of Social Thinking discuss Informal Dynamic Social Thinking Assessment and Core Treatment […]
Social Thinking…product reviews plus a link to attend a conference…
As a speech language pathologist, I treat many children and adults with social cognitive learning challenges. Many individuals with varying diagnoses struggle with pragmatic language skills that impact their ability to build strong relationships with their peers and interact with others in their environment. Diagnoses such as Autism, genetic syndromes, ADHD, ODD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), Tourette […]
How Katie Got a Voice
Do you want to introduce your child to disabilities? How about educating your children about individuals who are nonverbal? I bought the book, How Katie Got a Voice by Patricia Mervine, MA, CCC-SLP many months ago and really enjoyed it. I have read it to my own children and recently got an opportunity to speak about […]
Autism and the Extended Family
How does Autism affect an extended family? Many books and articles don’t directly address the issues surrounding a disability and how it affects the child and their extended family. Autism and the Extended Family written by Raun D. Melmed, MD and Maria Bird-West Wheeler is a helpful guide for those outside the immediate family who […]
Out of My Mind
“Just because I can’t talk, doesn’t mean that I have nothing to say”. This is one of my favorite quotes that I often share with my graduate students. As a speech language pathologist who specializes in Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper is a powerful book that teaches the reader many […]
Terrific Teddy’s Focus Friend
Do you have a child with ADHD? Does your child fidget constantly? If so, you may want to consider a focus friend! Terrific Teddy’s Focus Friend is about a young boy named Teddy who struggles to stay attentive to many tasks including schoolwork. Like many children with ADHD, Teddy states “I like running and swimming and […]
Turbo and Scott: Raising Awareness of Tuberous Sclerosis
Do you have a child with Tuberous Sclerosis? What is Tuberous Sclerosis (TSC)? According to the website Tuberous-Sclerosis.com, “TSC presents in the form of noncancerous tumors called hamartomas. In children, these tumors can form in most of the major parts of the body, including the brain, skin, eyes, heart, and kidneys. These tumors in the brain […]
My Mouth is a Volcano!
Do you have a child that constantly interrupts you and/or other family members? How about an excessive talker? Children naturally interrupt parents during daily activities, but when your child has special needs with impulsivity, interrupting conversation can impact their peer relationships with others, including family members. My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook is about […]
Anxiety in Children and Teens
Do you have a child that is anxious? How about a special needs child with anxiety? I love to share important resources on my blog that can help parents, caregivers, teachers and therapists with specific issues at home. With the new school year just beginning, there can be many different types of anxiety that a […]
Stepping Stories..a review plus tips!
Do you want to introduce more stories at mealtime that relate directly to your child? Make your child the star of the book! I was contacted by Stepping Stories a couple of weeks ago regarding their personalized books. When I visited their website, I was able to easily create a personalized book for both of my children […]
It’s Hard To Be A Verb!
Do you have a child that struggles to pay attention and stay on task? Does your child fidget often and have a hard time staying still? It’s Hard To Be A Verb written by Julia Cook is an excellent book about the daily struggles a child can go through with regards to ADHD. The book […]
Gravitybread presents Julia Cook
I am thrilled to present an interview with Julia Cook, a children’s book author that I admire for her great work. I appreciate her dedication and passion for making children’s literature a tool to help children with varying needs and difficult situations including anxiety, ADHD, behavior issues, depression, social communication disorders and many other important topics. […]
Personal Space Camp
Do you have a child that doesn’t understand personal space? Many children who are both typical and have special needs struggle with giving others personal space. Many children who have ADHD or any social communication disorder may have difficulty with this concept of personal space and can struggle to learn why others are reacting negatively […]
You Are a Social Detective Beginner App
Does your child have difficulties with social skills and being socially appropriate? I am a big fan of Michelle Garcia, Social Thinking materials and the therapeutic strategy of video modeling. This app titled You Are a Social Detective Beginner App has 3 different levels with tons of videos and various questions related to the videos. The app […]
Dysgraphia and a Children’s Book Review
Does your child struggle with their writing skills? Do you have a child diagnosed with dysgraphia? According to the website Understand for Learning and Attention Issues, Dysgraphia is a condition that causes trouble with written expression. The term comes from the Greek words dys (“impaired”) and graphia (“making letter forms by hand”). Dysgraphia is a brain-based […]
Terrific Teddy and bd Mix-Up
Do you have a child who struggles with reading and writing? Does your child have Dyslexia or a language based learning disability? Terrific Teddy and the bd Mix-Up is an excellent book written by Jim Forgan, PhD, who also wrote Terrific Teddy’s Excessive Energy. I had the pleasure of interviewing him and got some excellent […]
Gravitybread presents Jim Forgan, PhD
I am happy to present an interview with Jim Forgan, PhD., author of Terrific Teddy’s Excessive Energy. Dr. Jim Forgan is a licensed School Psychologist in Jupiter, Florida which is in Palm Beach County, Florida. Dr. Forgan has two children and he understands giftedness, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADD/ADHD from the parent and professional perspective. He specializes in […]
