Thank you to Chronicle Prism and Netgalley for giving me a digital copy of "The Mini ADHD Coach" by Alice Gendron in exchange for an honest review. ADHD plays a big role in my daily life, so I was excited and curious to hear about The Mini ADHD Coach. It's a big, potentially overwhelming subject and I was eager to see how it was done through illustration.
It provides a very general overview of the condition, including the theoretical causes and how the condition may affect a person in a myriad of ways. However, it is VERY general. If you are brand new to learning about ADHD, this is a good place to start. If you have done any amount of research prior to this, you might not find a lot of new material. The title IS the *Mini* ADHD Coach, so it's telling you up front: this will not be an exhaustive tome.
I liked the illustrations and how it broke down everything into manageable, bite-sized pieces. People with ADHD can get overwhelmed by word density or by too much information at once. Speaking from experience, they may read (or skim) a few chapters with the best intentions to finish the book, put said book down, and.... forget to go back and finish it. The format of the Mini Coach makes it feel very accessible, which I applaud.
Apart from its general take on the subject, it's told largely from the author's personal experience. (Very common and relatable, neurodivergent thing to do!) Thing is, this tended to make it feel a one-sided at times. Specifically, I wasn't thrilled with her information about ADHD and eating habits. She mentions that some people with the condition forget to eat (True.) She talks about the correlation between ADHD and binge-eating. (Also true.) But there is an ADHD-related, inattentive type of grazing that falls between eating nothing and eating large amounts of food in a short amount of time. The author mentioned mindless eating in front of the tv, but that detail was easily missed. I would have preferred a more prominent suggestion of the inattentive eating habit, and why that might happen.
This is not to say there was nothing of value to be learned in the Mini ADHD Coach. I did learn a few things in the life hacks section and I experienced a few moments of validation. As in, "OH, THAT'S WHY?!?!" But the information gaps, like the previously discussed example, made the text feel a bit less accurate. So take the information the author offers and use it as a starting point. There are many other resources to fill in the gaps
On the whole, it's not bad. It's an accessible start for people tackling a big topic, especially if they are feeling fear, shame, or anxiety about a new diagnosis. (All common reactions, as mentioned in the book.) That sounds like damning with faint praise, but I did like the book. It's clearly intended for adults; there is a section on intimacy that, while not graphic, is definitely intended for people who are mature enough for said intimacy. I wish it was suitable for kids. I can think of a number of young people I'd like to recommend the book to.