Thursday 27 June 2013

This Morning Sam Went to Mars by Nancy Carlson

A book about paying attention.

Free Spirit Publishing

Book Review - Children's literature


Poor Sam.  He is so busy enjoying his daydreams that he is late for school, does poorly on tests, and has people yelling – Focus! at him all the time.  He feels so dumb and sad.
His dad knows he isn’t dumb and takes him to a doctor.  A plan is developed to help Sam become organized, eat better etc. and soon Sam hears that word Focus! a lot less.
This is a wonderful little book, both enjoyable and helpful. The author illustrates how easily a child can be distracted and provides realistic measures to help the child cope at home and at school. Even though the emphasis is placed on learning to focus and adaptive behaviors, the creative aspect of daydreaming is given positive acknowledgment, something that is sometimes forgotten. The tips for parents and educators at the end of the book are also helpful.  Nancy Carlson manages to educate and help while creating an enjoyable read.  My six year old granddaughter truly enjoyed this and has requested to reread it several times.

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