When I received an email by Barbara Esham asking if I would consider writing a book review for her series, “The Adventures of Everyday Geniuses.” Of course, I assumed it was spam mail. But a quick google search and email to Barbara confirmed the request was the real deal! After I emailed Barbara she included a link to her website www.mainstreamconnections.org. The website is filled with resources, expert reviews, and useful information for students, teachers and parents who know a child with different learning styles. I loved the message of the website and couldn’t wait to read her books with my son, who happens to have dyslexia.
I received the following four books in the series:
“If You’re So Smart How Come You Can’t Spell Mississippi?”
“Stacey Coolidge’s Fancy-Smancy Cursive Handwriting”
“Last to Finish A Story about the Smartest Boy in Math Class”
“Mrs. Gorski, I Think I Have the Wiggle Fidgets”
All four books were written by Barbara Esham and illustrated by Mike and Carl Gordon.
This elementary age children series addresses some of the learning differences of school age children. The series
illustrates these differences with humor, factual information and suggestions for solutions in the classroom. In all four books, the main characters takes responsibility for working with their parents and teachers to help find solutions to their learning obstacles.
Barbara Esham has an amazing ability to connect her characters to the child (parent or teacher) reading the books. It is as if the author listened to my son’s fears and struggles first hand. Esham creates a series that is warm, endearing, fact based and written between beautiful illustrations. In each story the characters have a learning difference or struggle, find validation of their learning style and create solutions with teachers and parents.
This series should be required summer reading for all teachers.
The re-occurring theme is there is not a “one size fits all” for learning. These books are engaging, entertaining, and most importantly validating for students and parents. .
p.s. After writing this review last week I realized on Sunday (late) night when I started messing with the html code I inadvertently deleted the review!! I wonder if Barbara could write a book for the technology challenged parents who feel inferior to their tech wired children! Arghhh..
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