Get Ready for Jetty: My Journal About ADHD and Me

Gr 2–4—Jetty just started fourth grade, and it's not what she expected. She has mountains of homework she can't keep up with, trouble paying attention, is always forgetting stuff, gets angry and upset easily, and has difficulty making friends. When her grades start slipping and she yells at her teacher for not doing something about the boy who always sharpens his pencil during silent reading, the school and Jetty's parents decide to get her tested. Jetty has mixed feelings about being diagnosed with ADHD, and her medicine makes her feel sick to her stomach. Can she, her family, and the adults at her school find a happy solution so that she won't have to go to summer school or, worse, repeat fourth grade? Written in diary form, this is a realistic portrayal of ADHD and how it affects children. Although the text is at times too simple, the narrative is informative and entertaining, and the protagonist is believable and likable. The layout and colorful, fun illustrations do a great job of drawing in readers. Youngsters who like realistic fiction and are interested in learning about ADHD will appreciate this book.—Kira Moody, Whitmore Library, Murray, UT