My Whirling Twirling Motor

PreS-Gr 2–A young boy describes a day with the “whirling, twirling motor,” which is how he describes his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Bright illustrations show Charlie in perpetual motion. He is too distracted to listen, acts impulsively, and is forgetful, creating difficulties with friends at school. At home, he has to be reminded multiple times to do things and then has trouble winding down at the end of the day. Worried that his mother is keeping track of all the things he does wrong, Charlie is surprised when she shares her “wonderful list” of everything he did well that day. The story reinforces that his being overactive and impulsive is not intentional and does not make him bad. The young narrator eventually internalizes his parents’ focus on his accomplishments, rather than his challenges, and he wonders what positive things he will do tomorrow. A note to parents, teachers, and caregivers offers advice on behavior reinforcement using rewards and consequences that focus on positivity and self-esteem.