Sparky's Excellent Misadventures: My A.D.D. Journal, By Me

by Phyllis Carpenter, Marti Ford, Peter Horjus (Illustrator)

Told in a first person diary format, Sparky's week-in-the-life tale is optimistic and fun, and includes many valuable insights and ideas that can help kids with ADD and ADHD gain more control of their lives. Spencer Allen Douglass—known as "Sparky" for his red hair—is lively and smart and has a great sense of humor. He also has ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), which can make life exciting, or a real pain! With a little help from his family and school, and by writing about his ups and downs in his journal, he's figuring out how to "manage his wiggles and keep all of his giggles." The authors have extensive personal and professional experience in the field. Sparky will appeal to both children and adults and offer comfort, humor, and solid advice.

32 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1999

Reviews

[Tamya Crenshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book. The book is enjoyable for so many reasons. The journaling theme of the book really drew me into reading it. I really like the composition book cover and the inside carries out the composition book vibe. I also enjoyed the fact that the book is written in a position for someone with ADD. This could be used as an outlet for students with ADD to not feel alone. There is someone else out there with a mind like theirs. I also enjoyed how supportive the grandmother was and how encouraging she was to try to keep the author's mind on track. Even though they are opposites, the grandmother enjoyed the company of her grandchild and you can tell they had a strong connection. Another thing that I enjoyed was the color change in the middle of the book because the journal was lost. Once the journal was found, it went back to the composition-style pages. The book is also good in terms of length and illustrations. Overall, this is a really good book.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told in first person through a week of journal entries (long ones too, as if an unmedicated ADHD kid would actually do this!), Sparky is very upbeat and positive about his situation, his family and his school's attempts to help him. The bit about "I never knew he had a box with rewards in it" regarding a different type of trip to the principal's office is poignant. Could be helpful for a kid recently diagnosed ADHD or going through a bumpy spot.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very empowering book about A.D.D It also helped me understand a little bit about the disorder. This type of books are interesting to me. They have really opened my eyes. It really makes the book stronger since it is coming from Sparky's view.

[Characters With Disabilities]

ADHD