My Name Is Brain Brian (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) [School & Library Binding]

Jeanne Betancourt (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Although he is helped by his new sixth-grade teacher after being diagnosed as dyslexic, Brian still has some problems with school and with people he thought were his friends.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Brian dreads entering sixth grade, knowing his learning experiences will be fraught with the confusion and frustration of years past. But on opening day, his teacher recognizes his problem--tipped off by the boy's reversing letters when writing his name--and conducts a battery of tests. Results indicate that, despite a keen intellect, Brian has dyslexia. A meeting with Brian's (heretofore unaware) parents leads to a support program at home and at school. Betancourt ( More Than Meets the Eye ) "brings her own experience with dyslexia to Brian's story," though it seems unlikely that a child in a modern-day urban environment would reach sixth grade without having been diagnosed. (The boy's father and grandfather are similarly afflicted.) A superfluous subplot concerns the point system Brian and his friends devise for clowning in school; lengthy passages about Canada geese further slow the pace. Despite rather undistinguished writing, struggling students may relate to this protagonist's difficulties. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- Brian and his fellow members of the Jokers Club hate school. To make it more fun, they create a secret game, winning points for making other people laugh during the day. Brian wins the first point when he writes his name as "Brain" on the blackboard. But it's no joke. He is dyslexic. Betancourt weaves in a good deal of information on this learning disability, but first and foremost, this is a story. Brian, who narrates, is characterized by more than his problem. Not only must he practice new ways to learn, but he must also deal with his father, also dyslexic; with a childhood friend whose behavior becomes increasingly disturbing; and with a girl he hates. As readers follow him through the sixth grade and see the changes it makes in his life, he becomes a real person to them. They will close the book with a sigh of satisfaction. It is written clearly and simply, with an obvious understanding of, and empathy for, Brian. That this is a good story balances three problems readers might have with the book: the chapter titles are confusing, some sections that focus specifically on dyslexia might be boring, and Brian's handwriting, which appears throughout, is hard to read. Children with learning problems will relate well to this book; as a presentation of that issue, it's outstanding. --Constance A. Mellon, Department of Library & Information Studies, East Carolina Uni versity, Greenville, NC
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 128 pages
• Publisher: Turtleback (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785754725
• ISBN-13: 978-0785754725
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,568,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brain learns differently, November 28, 1999

By 

Andria Del Real (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Name Is Brain Brian (Apple Paperbacks) (Paperback)

The book tells a story about a boy named Brian who has dyslexia but does not know it. The other children at Brian's school make fun of him because he makes many mistakes when reading aloud and while writing on the board. He thinks of himself as being dumb. His parents believe that he is just lazy. It turns out that caring teacher recognizes that he is neither. The teacher recognizes the symptoms of dyslexia and sets out to get Brian the help he needs. Brian is embarrassed that he needs the extra help in school. After Brian's teacher begins to explain dyslexia more to him, he begins to understand that he needs the extra help not because he is dumb, but because his brain learns differently. The story offers hope; Brian is really smart he just learns differently. I strongly recommend this as a book to be shared by parents and their children

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I strongly recommend this book., July 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: My Name Is Brain Brian (Apple Paperbacks) (Paperback)

This is a story about a boy named Brian who has dyslexia but doesn't know it. He thinks he's dumb, his parents think he's lazy and a caring teacher recognizes that he is neither. The other kids at school make fun of him because he makes a lot of mistakes when reading aloud and writing on the board. The teacher recognizes the symptoms of dyslexia and sets about getting Brian the help he needs. I read this book to my seven-year-old son, who has recently been diagnosed with dyslexia, and he really felt that the writer understood the feelings that he has about school. Brian is embarrassed that he needs extra help in school. He's wants to do well in school and he wants to be cool. The story offers hope; Brian is really smart he just learns differently. I strongly recommend this as a book to be shared by parents and their children.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for learning disabled students, May 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: My Name Is Brain Brian (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (School & Library Binding)

I bought this book to read to my own son in second grade who was diagnosed with dyslexia and who hates school because it is so difficult to him. I teach sixth grade special ed kids and I read the book to them, a chapter a day. They would beg me to read it to them instead of teaching the class! They related to it and inspired them.