Trouble with a Tiny t

by Frances Castle (Illustrator)

Twelve-year-old Westin Hopper gets in trouble—a lot. At home, at school, at his grandparents’ house. . . . His ADHD always seems to mess with his brain, making him do impulsive things. So when Westin finds a magic bag that makes his thoughts come alive, he thinks it’s the ticket to fixing his life. Instead, his wandering brain strikes again, conjuring up a mini T. rex, an army of headless plastic men, and a six-inch Thor. Now they all live in his bedroom, eating lunchmeat, wreaking havoc, and growing . And Westin doesn’t know how to make them go away. He enlists his fellow social outcast, Lenora, to help him make things right. Lenora helps Westin realize that his talent for drawing could be the key to solving his problems. If Westin can focus while drawing, maybe he can learn to control the magic and get rid of the creatures in his room. But he’d better learn quickly. Tiny T is growing—and fast.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Adhd, Chapter Books, Realistic Fiction

229 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2021

About the author

Frances Castle is a freelance illustrator who says she is inspired by comic book art and vintage children’s books from the 1950s and 1960s. She lives in north London.

Reviews

[Lisa Riddiough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! It is so well done. 11-year-old Westin Hopper struggles with ADHD and the ongoing effects of "vacation brain." When he finds a magic pouch that belonged to his mysteriously missing uncle, Westin thinks it might be the key to solving all his problems. Unfortunately, the pouch immediately produces a tiny T-rex that now lives in his bedroom. Westin's first person voice will make you laugh and cry. I am impressed by how many layers are woven into this story: family, divorce, loss, grief, friendship, bullying, imagination, art, Vikings, math humor, a T-rex, and, of course, MAGIC! I was lucky enough to get to read an ARC and cannot recommend this book enough!!

[Alysa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Westin has a lot to deal with, his ADHD, bullies, and family. But when toys begin coming to life and then keep growing larger (hello toy T-Rex) Westin has to reach out and get help. What follows is a fun story that handily explores some tough, and important themes such as learning to embrace your differences, divorce and loss. This book would make an important and fun addition to any classroom library.

[Chad Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Westin is such a loveable character, and his story will appeal to kids who don't feel like they fit the mold of school or even their family's expectations. And everyone could use a tiny, hilarious Thor as a sidekick and confidante.

[Louise Gooding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, this book is great.
I'm an adult with ADHD, and my youngest daughter has ADHD. I am always interested in books that have neurodivergent stories, especially as sometimes, they can be done insensitively and or also include negative tropes.
I think Merriam has created the right balance here, addressing the more challenging side of ADHD (vacation brain) but with the repetition that the protagonist shouldn't need to change who they are just to be liked and fit in, they have a lot to offer, especially when supported by the right friend.
I wish there was possibly a little less 'bullying' in this book, as I struggle to find stories that just allow the protagonist to be, without having to have bullies coming in to make the protagonist feel bad about their neurodiversity. But I do fully understand, that with ADHD we do face a HEAP of bullying and sadly, it seems to be a huge issue and part of our lives ; lack of empathy and/or understanding of our 'differences'.
My daughter still faces challenges being accepted, and now myself, as an adult, I am wary of new connections in order to protect myself due to years of being called out for not being enough. Books like this are needed and I hope, more books will be available to help kids with ADHD, and to help others, understand.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Westin's ADHD, which he calls his Vacation Brain, makes him do impulsive things. And now it has access to a magic pouch that makes 6-inch alive versions of what is passing through that brain. Which is why his bedroom is now trapping a tiny T-rex, a battalion of headless Army men, and a mythical Norse god.

[Marte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Also, disclaimer: I don't personally have ADHD, but I have a brother who does, and that has had A LOT of similar difficulties and experiences with school and being misunderstood as the main character in this.


4.5⭐️

I really enjoyed this one a lot, and I hope that we see more great books like this with ADHD prominently featured in the future! I think the author captures ADHD and the ADHD experience of some very well, not only internally in the main character but also from the parent's perspective. Like, it's possible to love your child unconditionally and desperately want to help them fit in, but also be extremely frustrated, especially as a single parent, and I think it's important that it also showed this storyline.

Another thing I felt was done extremely well is the focus on not understanding social settings fully, and not "taking a hint". Wes does not understand why the boys he view as friends are so mean to him, or that they are actually making fun of him and tricking him. ADHD is an Autism diagnosis, so I'm glad it didn't only focus on having a scattered train of thought and a lot of energy!

Can I also say that I get SO MAD whenever I hear people say that they don't want their kids medicated, almost as if doing so is giving up or something??? Also, that somehow medication will ruin the child and leave them as a shell of what they are (which btw, if it does that you should look at OTHER types of medication because that one specifically is not working for you / your child) . Like, medication is there to help people, and I 100% think it would have helped Wes in school especially, together with some actual adaptive teaching from the school. So really glad this book dipped into the issue, even tho it wasn't dug into that much.

The only reason why I didn't give this a 5 ⭐️ is that I wish this had spent even more time on the "making friends" storyline and less on the "everyone makes fun of me and lowkey bullies me" storyline. Otherwise it was a really great read, and would recommend it!

[Sarai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Westin is an eleven-year-old boy with ADHD. Sometimes Westin gets in trouble for having what he calls a “vacation brain.” His parents always argue about how to raise him but his uncle Marty was the only person who really understood him. When uncle Marty goes missing, out of curiosity, Westin goes through his uncle’s things and finds a magic pouch. It turns something imagined into a mini version in real life. Westin takes this pouch to his home where he accidentally makes his plastic T-rex into a real mini fighting T-rex who tries to eat him and in the process damages his room. Along the journey to get the T-rex back in the magic pouch, Westin creates more miniature real life things. All this magic on top of navigating his school life, friends, and protective parents forces Westin to learn and grow and realize the good things about his "vacation brain."

Overall this book was really fun. My favorite thing about this book is the humor. There were many parts that just had me laughing. 😆 😆 I think for the middle grade reader this book is really relatable and I love that the main character has ADHD. Really brings great perspective on kids who struggle with ADHD and the highs and lows of living life as a pre-teen. The adventure went in a different direction than I expected. Instead of him navigating the use of his magic pouch I thought he was going to search for his missing uncle. At the end Westin briefly concluded that his uncle was in the pouch. I thought the story would be him finding that out and trying to bring his uncle back. It really felt like he didn’t care to much about his uncle being in the magic pouch.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Westin Hopper can't sit still. His ADHD brain constantly gets him in trouble. He's always thinking about something else instead of paying attention in school and at home. As if that's not enough, his parents are divorced and argue a lot, he's constantly bullied at school, and his best friend, Josh, no longer wants to be around him.

Drawing is the only thing West cares about.

West finds a magic pouch that belonged to his missing uncle, and discovers it can bring his thoughts to life. His toy T-Rex comes to life and it's tiny at first, but then it starts growing. West also brings to life a squad of headless Army men, and then a Thor, who marshalls the Army men to keep the T-Rex at bay.

If it wasn't for his new friend Lenora, West wouldn't be able to handle it all. Lenora helps West realize that his drawing talent may be the answer to dealing with the mess he's created. And West helps Lenora deal with her feelings about her mother.

How West and Lenora help each other through this bizarre situation makes for a great read. This is fast-paced and fun, with plenty of humor and warmth and honesty about neurodiverse kids and bullying. West is such a likable character, I was totally invested in his conflict.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was extremely notable to me because I can’t think of another book I’ve read where the main character has ADHD and the book really shows you how it affects every aspect of his life. West is in fifth or sixth grade and describes his brain as “vacation brain, “because it’s never working when he wants it to. His friends, teachers, and even some family members are often really frustrated with his hyperactivity, his impulsive behavior and his disorganization. I felt the author did a really good job portraying the frustrations that poor West has to deal with trying to navigate his life with ADHD. She doesn’t offer any tidy solutions but she does manage to deliver a solid middle grade realistic story with a little bit of magical realism thrown in.
I have had families at the library ask me for books about kids struggling with anxiety or ADHD or just having trouble with friends and school. This really hits all those topics and is also a fun and appealing story for young readers. Recommended for grades 3-6.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely engaging, with a strong portrayal of a character with ADHD and solid friendship/bullying storylines. Still, some of the plotlines felt unresolved, the disappearance of Westin's uncle being one major example. I also felt that there wasn't necessarily a longterm solution presented to Westin's problems in the classroom, and especially that there was no real change made to the behavior of his teacher consistently singled him out and avoided helping him; on the one hand, this is unfortunately likely to be realistic to many kids' experiences, but considering how neatly most other elements wrapped up, it felt a little jagged.

Recommend to readers who like something a little silly but don't mind a bit of heaviness.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

[Lottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have a child in your life with ADHD (or a similar learning difference like dyslexia)- I beg you to read this book WITH them!!!! It's a funny tale about a boy who discovers a magic pouch that can bring certain items to life- including a tiny T-Rex 🤣, but more importantly it deals with how children with ADHD make friends keep friends and as parents and teachers how can we support the things that make those kids awesome well we also learn to understand what makes them tick. This book did a great job of putting forth from a kid's perspective what it's like to have ADHD. Also deals strongly with kid friendships and has an amazing lesson about picking the right kind of friends. My son and I read this book together and I absolutely loved it and so did he!!

[Michele Knott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked West's character. I think his character was an accurate portrayal of an unmedicated kid with ADHD.
I think the premise of the story was fun - he can draw things and with the use of a magical pouch, they come to life.
I had a MAJOR issue with the adults in his life. With the exception of maybe 2. One of his teachers was horrendous. While I know these educators exist (those who really really should not be in books), it's sad seeing them portrayed in stories. And West's parents were really not helpful. Blaming him instead of helping. Excusing instead of looking into strategies that could help him. Not every family wants to medicate, but West's parents were in denial of his disability, and that was a shame.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Westin’s “vacation” brain seems to always cause trouble like when he zones out and ducks instead of catching the basketball and it smashes into his friend’s face and causes a black eye. His parents have split and can’t agree on the best way to deal with his ADHD. While exploring in his grandparents’ basement, he comes across a mysterious pouch in his uncle’s belongings. He soon learns that the pouch is magical and can bring things to life. Soon Westin is dealing with a tiny T-Rex running around his room in addition to dealing with changing friendships at school. At turns hilarious and heartbreaking, it’s great to see West come into his own by the end of the book.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute and quirky book that my fourth grade students would enjoy - especially lovers of dinosaurs and Thor. The magic in this book with small toys coming to life and acting in uncontrollable ways reminded me of The Indian in the Cupboard, Small Soldiers and Toy Story. I was pleased when Westin began to make a real friend as opposed to the group of boys who were not so genuine to him. This book explores several meaningful topics such as ADHD, bullying, friendship, divorce, the death of a parent, among others.

[Silas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that it was pretty cool that Westin was able to make whatever he thought with a magic pouch, even though it did cause a little bit of trouble for him. It seemed like the after-school club he went to did seem to help him make friends. I also thought the ending was pretty cool with the kids that bully him at school tried to take a T. Rex that he created get tied up by Westin and another girl. I liked that Westin's parents decided not to move somewhere else to a private school.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book! I had the opportunity to read this as an advanced read via #BookPosse. Westin has ADHD which he refers to as vacation brain. He hates school and his parents are split up and his friends are starting to exclude him. This story of friendship and learning self-value is a must read for middle grades.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

The concept is so fun and the main character is quite likeable. However, after reading this: "Mr. Widelot, on the other hand, is like his name - wide. As wide as Fenway Park. Probably from all that candy." I cannot recommend this book to anyone. UGH. Do better, authors! Fat phobia isn't appropriate in any book.

[Mary Boone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, boy, does Westin have trouble. He's got family trouble and bully trouble and, through it all, he's dealing with ADHD. His troubles become even bigger when his toys start coming to life. What ensues is the kind of crazy chaos young readers will enjoy. Great pacing and engaging writing.

[Rebecca Morrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Westin has ADHD or "Vacation Brain." When he gets ahold of mysterious Uncle Marty's magic pouch, things spiral out of control--fast. Great themes of friendship and self esteem.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect amount of trouble for a great story! You are going to love West and his trouble! This book also made me think and reflect on how I can show more empathy for my students with ADHD.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my favorite patrons recommended I read this book, and I’m relieved to say I liked it better than I thought I would. I get why kids would like it.

[Chandra Sundeep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trouble with a tiny t is about young Westin Hopper, a middle school child grappling with ADHD, or 'vacation brain' as he likes to call his condition. Social adjustments, making friends, trouble with teachers, concentration and focussing are few of his many tiny troubles. The book also brings focus on issues like bullying, friendship, divorce and death.

Narrated in a simple and easy manner, this book helps us to understand the lives of children dealing with ADHD. An enjoyable and interesting read.

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[Jennifer Lynn Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell IN LOVE with Westin and his troubles! This is a page turner about a boy who conjures a tiny T-Rex in his bedroom (among other creatures!), but also about so much more--his ADHD, his friendships, art as a tool to focus his brain, and his family. I highly recommend Trouble with a Tiny T for classrooms, libraries, homes, and as a read aloud. It's Terrific with a capital T!

An ARC was provided to me for a honest review.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really wonderful middle grades book for offbeat kids.