Mrs. Gorski, I Think I Have the Wiggle Fidgets by Barbara Esham

Illustrated by Mike Gordon and Carl Gordon. 30 p., Mainstream Connections, 2008.

Children who have ADHD may struggle with controlling their impulses. Such is the case with David, who explains that he upsets his teacher, Mrs. Gorski, every day, even though he doesn't want to. Finally Mrs. Gorski sends a note to his parents. His father dismisses her concerns: "'David just has the wiggle fidgets. I had the wiggle fidgets when I was a kid.'" But Mrs. Gorski wants to meet with the family. Before then, David decides to think of a cure for the "wiggle fidgets." He brings four cures to the meeting. First, he makes cards to put on his desk that say things like "FOCUS and LISTEN" and "What are the CONSEQUENCES?" He also brings a timer because he if he knows how long it's necessary to pay attention, he doesn't have to wonder about that, which presumably would distract him. Third, he brings a stress ball to fidget with, which helps him pay attention. Finally, he proposes that he be allowed to do things that involve physical activity, such as erasing the blackboard. Mrs. Gorski approves of these ideas and plans to implement them. In fact, it turns out that as a child, she had the "wiggle fidgets" too! As the story ends, she tells David, "many great minds come with the wiggle fidgets." This story supplies empathy for children who really do want to do what they're expected to. Not only does it present some helpful strategies for coping with ADHD, but also, it shows kids that kids who have ADHD may do an excellent job taking initiative and solving problems. These attributes make this story an excellent resource to support children in coping with ADHD.

Ages: 6-10
Cultural Context: multicultural