I Can't Stop!: A Story about Tourette's Syndrome [Hardcover]

Holly L. Niner (Author), Meryl Treatner (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2005 | Grade Level: 2 and up

One day Nathan starts blinking--a lot. It bothers his parents and his sister. After a while the blinking stops, but then Nathan starts sniffing. A doctor explains that Nathan's movements are called tics.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4–At first, Nathan can't stop winking. When it ceases, he repeatedly sniffs. Head snapping replaces the sniffing. The child's repetitive behaviors upset his family and his friend Josh; they also distract his classmates. Although Nathan's age is not stated, Treatner's realistic artwork in a painterly style suggests that he is in an intermediate grade. When he becomes tearful and distraught over his inability to stop what he is doing, his parents finally take him to a doctor. Diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, Nathan learns to control new repetitive behaviors, called tics, without medication. Niner's informative but didactic story includes factual details about this compulsive disorder. An introduction for parents and teachers gives more information about it and notes that tics are common among children. The plot and primarily one-dimensional characters are devices to educate readers about TS. There is lots of dialogue, and the students in Nathan's class represent diverse cultures. Very few books are available for young audiences on this medical concern; what's out there tends to be nonfiction for older readers. Thus, this title does fill a void.–Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-3. As many as 1 in 100 children, according to this book's introduction by a child neurologist, suffer from Tourette syndrome (TS), a condition characterized by repeated, varied habits that come and go for years. The purposeful but informative story follows Nathan, an elementary-school-age boy with TS as he learns to manage his tics and then educates his peers, many of whom incorrectly assume TS means that "you can swear all you want and get away with it." Interventions suggested are all behavioral, not pharmacological. Niner's portrayal of the turmoil before diagnosis, when everyone assumes that Nathan is acting out on purpose, is likely more realistic than the upbeat later scenes in which well-adjusted Nathan models coping strategies, even to the point of magnanimously accepting others'giggles during an episode of flapping his arms like wings: "This is a funny tic," he acknowledges. "I call it the chicken." Realistic watercolor-and-pencil illustrations reflect the straightforward intent of the book, which will be useful in libraries and schools serving children struggling with TS. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (January 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807536202
• ISBN-13: 978-0807536209
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #256,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My son "can't stop.", November 22, 2005

By 

M. Briggs - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Can't Stop!: A Story about Tourette's Syndrome (Hardcover)

I have an 8 year old son that was recently diagnosed with TS and I was having a hard time explaining it to him as well as other people in our life....until I ordered this book. "I Can't Stop!" is a wonderful story about a boy dealing with his TS. It helped my son understand what his brain was doing to his body in an easy to understand analogy with marbles. The story gave simple suggestions to help control tics and/or learn how to deal with them personally as well as socially. It also validates the parents of TS kids, by pointing out feelings that you initially go through. I passed this book around to everyone that was involved in my son's life and I can't thank the author enough for giving us something to help explain the complicated Tourette Syndrome. Thank You.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Daughter related to this book, January 31, 2006

By 

T. purcell (griffith, in United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I Can't Stop!: A Story about Tourette's Syndrome (Hardcover)

My six year old daughter has had tourette's for nearly three years and I have never been able to find a book written on a child's level that is honest and realistic. In addition, she identified with the physical and verbal tics in the story. I appreciate how the author mentions several of the ways tics occur and the reactions of people in their world. My daughter is now practicing telling others "I can't stop, my brain's making me do this"

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic book, March 26, 2007

By 

S. Stone "mom of 3" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Can't Stop!: A Story about Tourette's Syndrome (Hardcover)

This book is a must for anyone who has or knows of a child with Tourette's Syndrome. My 8 yr old son, who has Tourette's, brought in the book to his 2nd grade class. His teacher read it aloud and then the class asked my son questions. The book went a long way in helping overcome the social obstacles that a child with Tourette's will surely face, and clearly explains that some behaviors are truely out of the child's control and why. I would recommend this book highly for children, parents and teachers alike!