Shelley, the Hyperactive Turtle (ISBN 1890627755)

This was not a good fit for our situation:
This is a good book and has a good message but is not the right book for my son. He is a 1st grader and recently diagnosed ADHD. And even after extensive testing they say he is borderline and is only a 50/50 chance that is what is causing his lack of attention. Hard to tell if he is just a high energy boy who is young for his grade and therefore a little more imature. Time will tell. But again this book didn't fit for us so I never ended up reading to him. He is doing great academically and socially. Only issue is with sitting still and getting independent work done. And with this book I didn't want to introduce him to the idea or worry of other potential problems that aren't part of his experience. Still trying to find a book for children that introduces the concept and basic ideas about AD/HD without seeming like the child is doing something bad or something is wrong with them.

Wake up - Drugging your Children is not the answer:
Came across this book at the library the other day and was truly horrified. It amazes me that pharmaceutical companies have convinced doctors, parents, and teachers, that any child exhibiting any sign of hyperactivity or independence should be drugged into submission. People, they are using a cute little animal to convince you to drug your children - listen to the little voice inside your head that tells you that something is very wrong with this picture. The human race has somehow survived for thousands of years without needlessly drugging children. Instead of drugging them, change their situation - stop bombarding them with TV, media, junk food, sugar, etc. and see if that changes anything. You and they may just start feeling better. I was a very active/hyperactive child and surely would have been drugged by my teachers when I was in school in the 70s if they could have gotten away with it - I however somehow made it through high school, college, and a masters degree without little white pills. Think about it.

Wasn't sure:
I wasn't sure about the book because it was written so long ago. Boy was I wrong! The book is applicable today just as it was when it was written. My son is 7 (almost 8) and we have put off explaining a lot of ADHD to him until he could understand it. We decided this was the time so we looked for books. This one jumped out at us due to the high ratings. When we got the book we read it to ourselves first to see if it was appropriate for our son. We could relate to almost everything in the book! We decided to read it to our son along with out daughter (10) and our other son (5) and surprisingly, after reading it even our 5 yr old seems to understand a bit more about why his older brother does the things he does. Also, he teacher was interested in the book and bought one for herself. It helps her explain things to the entire class which helps all ADHD children feel less "left out." Wonderful book!

Outstanding book for introducing ADHD to your child:
This is a great book to use as a discussion springboard. My daughter immediately identified with the "Hyperactive Turtle" in the book. The discussions that followed the reading of the book were priceless. This also helped her understand that she was not the only kid with ADHD. I would suggest this book for kids ages 6 to 9 and for reading with a parent. The book is an easy read for a child, but the parent's involvement is crucial as there will most likely be plenty of questions! This is a good thing!

An entertaining picturebook approach that has an underlying theme of explaining to young readers just what AD/HD is:
The newly published second edition of Shelley The Hyperactive Turtle by Deborah M. Moss is very nicely illustrated by Carol Schwartz and is the creative tale of Shelley the Turtle and his problem with AD/HD. Introducing the colorful tale of Shelley's hyperactive, energetic behavior, Shelley The Hyperactive Turtle is an entertaining picturebook approach that has an underlying theme of explaining to young readers just what AD/HD is and the serious effects that unrecognized or untreated it can have on some people's lives, but with the proper help, the condition AD/HD can be helped and an active, positive life can be led. An important addition to school, community, and family counseling collections, Shelley The Hyperactive Turtle is very highly recommend for all parents, teachers, physicians, and counselors searching for a sensitive and effective introduction to AD/HD based hyperactivity which would be suitable and appropriate for children ages 5 to 8 .