The Girls' Guide to AD/HD [Paperback]

Beth Walker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2004

For ages 12+. This guide explores the good stuff, not-so-good stuff, normal stuff, brain stuff, and truthfully, the stuff that isn't in any other book out there on AD/HD. Really! So what makes this book different? It is funny, honest, and written especially for girls, not for their parents. It presents all the must-know information about AD/HD in a style that girls in junior, middle, or high school will understand and want to read. An important first step is to get to know how AD/HD affects girls in particular. They might be some combination of dreamy, forgetful, emotional, messy, depressed, talkative, distractible, or fidgety. They might also have trouble starting and finishing homework and chores, falling asleep and getting up, or fitting in with peers. Recognising this mix of characteristics, the book presents information using three different girl characters - Maddy, Helen, and Bo - each with a unique personality and combination of AD/HD traits. Maddy, Helen, and Bo cover all there is to know, including: What AD/HD is like for girls; How the AD/HD brain works; How puberty compounds problems with AD/HD; How counselling, coaching, and medications help; How to deal with emotions from anger to anxiety to depression; What advantages there are to having AD/HD; How to cope with school and homework; How to get along with family and friends. Armed with this knowledge about AD/HD and the unbeatable advice found in this book, girls will be ready to accept the impact of AD/HD and decide how they are going to deal with it. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it! This guide should be essential reading for girls, but also for parents, counsellors, teachers, psychologists, and anyone who knows a girl with AD/HD and wants to understand her better.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up - Walker covers a wide spectrum of topics to provide both technical and practical facts about AD/HD. Although the information is comprehensive, it may be too overwhelming for girls who have difficulty attacking larger tasks (like reading such a dense book). The writing style varies, but generally Walker tries to be conversational and teen-friendly. The text is written from the viewpoint of Maddy, a fictional character with AD/HD. Sprinkled throughout are "conversations" among her and two of her friends, also girls with AD/HD. Sometimes these discussions work, sometimes they don't (the voice tries hard to be cool, but may end up sounding flip). Despite the chatty tone, much of the narrative seems to target an adult audience and would make a good resource for parents, teachers, and other school staff. There are many good things about this book, but its cluttered layout makes it challenging for its intended audience. - Mary Hazelton, Warren Community School and Miller Elementary School, ME
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Review

"The substantive information on the disorder is quite accurate and is presented in an easy, chatty style." -- Attention! Magazine, August 2005

"This is an invaluable resource for girls and their parents." -- NewsLine (Federation for Children with Special Needs), Volume 26, Number 2, Fall 2005

"This refreshing book, written for teenaged girls with AD/HD, has as much spunk and character as its intended audience." -- ADDitude Magazine, April/May 2005

"[A] welcome tool for teenage girls and the adults who care for them." -- DDNA NewsNetwork, Winter/Spring 2005

"[M]ust reading for girls having to cope with this...condition and should be available in every school and community library." -- Children's Bookwatch, January 2005

"[U]nique in its very lively and attractive presentation, and in its discussion of gender differences in attention problems..." -- Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, April 2006

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 174 pages
• Publisher: Woodbine House (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890627569
• ISBN-13: 978-1890627560
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Personal Health > Teen Health > Mental Health
  • #24 in Books > Teens > Education & Reference > Social Science

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every girl with ADD should have a copy of this book!, December 30, 2004

By 

Tara McGillicuddy (South Shore, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Girls' Guide to AD/HD (Paperback)

As a woman with ADD myself I know first hand about the struggles girls with ADD face. I wish I had a book like this when I was growing up. While there are some great books already for women with ADD and ones that help adults understand girls with ADD, this book is unique. It's specicially written for girls with ADD not adults.

The format of the book is very "ADD Friendly". The fonts used in the book are fun and inviting to girls with ADD. The illustrations are also very helpful at grabbing the reader's attention and keeping the readers attention.

The content on this book is specificly written for girls with ADD. It covers specific issues which pertain to being a girl with ADD and how to overcome many of these issues. The balance of information and humor makes this book appropriate for young female readers.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Teens, August 23, 2007

By 

R. Blake (Lummi Island, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Girls' Guide to AD/HD (Paperback)

I bought this for my newly-diagnosed 9-year-old and have decided to keep it until she is a little older. Looks well written and presented in an interesting format. But it addresses issues that a little bit older girl needs to read about, not a 9-year-old.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Written with humor and encouragement, January 3, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Girls' Guide to AD/HD (Paperback)

Written with humor and encouragement, The Girls' Guide To AD/HD is a compendium of explanatory facts and practical advice on how to life a full and successful life while dealing with peers, teachers, friends and family despite AD/HD. Three girls (Maddy, Helen, and Bo) each have unique personalities and combinations of AD/HD traits enabling the reader to learn all about what AD/HD is like for girls; how the AD/HD brain functions; how adolescence impacts AD/HD symptoms; how counseling, coaching, and medications can help; how to deal with emotions that range from anxiety and anger, to forgetfulness and depression; the advantages that having AD/HD can have; how to cope with school and homework; and how to get along with others. To put it simply, The Girls' Guide To AD/HD is "must" reading for girls having to cope with this increasingly widespread condition and should be available in every school and community library.