Title: Sensitive Sam
Author: Marla Roth-Fisch
Length: 29 pages
Genre: Children’s Nonfiction
Publisher/Date: Future Horizons, 2009
Source: Review copy
About the Book
Sensitive Sam is a charming illustrated story that will help children understand more about what it’s like to have Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). It is written and illustrated by Marla Roth-Fisch, a happily married mother of two, including a son with SPD.
The book opens with this note for parents and educators:
Sensitive Sam is written from the perspective of a young boy with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and his daily challenges. It is designed to be a book that adults can read to children, and children can then read and review on their own.
The happy ending will inspire hope for your family and promote ongoing discussion about sensory issues.
What follows is a delightful rhyming story about Sam, a young boy who is bothered by many things in his environment. These sensory difficulties make it hard for him to get through the day without falling apart or becoming angry and upset.
Luckily, his teacher and parents work together to find out what is wrong and how to help him. They let him know that he is not a “bad kid” and that there are reasons for why he feels the way he does.
The book then describes in very kid-friendly language what it is like to go to occupational therapy and how they implemented a sensory diet for Sam. As time goes on, things get much better for Sam, and the story ends with these lines:
Take it from me, Sensitive Sam,
That things will be okay.
By doing things a little differently,
I can have fun EVERY day!
At the back of the book, Ms. Roth-Fisch includes a short glossary of terms and a list of helpful websites with resources on sensory processing disorder.
My Thoughts
I was thrilled to receive a copy of this book to review and immediately sat down to read it with my son, Michael, who has sensory processing disorder and autism. Michael greatly enjoyed both the rhyming story and the clever illustrations. He could definitely relate to some of the things that bothered Sam and to the way the occupational therapist and others help both of them with their sensory challenges.
I would highly recommend Sensitive Sam to just about anyone. If you have a child with SPD, this would be a great book to share both with your child and with their siblings or other family members. This would be a good addition to any library or classroom book collection, as well as a useful resource for any organization working with kids.
And don’t just take my word for it. Sensitive Sam received the 2009 Book of the Year Award from Creative Child Magazine, and Parents Magazine May 2010 issue chose Sensitive Sam as one of their “Healthy Reads” stating, “If your child has a medical condition, try reading a book about it. He’ll feel better knowing that some cool characters share his same feelings.” Check out Future Horizons to order a copy today!
I'm a mom with Asperger's raising an amazing son with autism, which means I'm basically the case manager/advocate/cheerleader/chauffeur. The rest of the time, you can usually find me with my nose in a book!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks like something I could have done with a few years ago methinks!
I am so thankful for the number of books aimed at kids with special needs
these days; those of us with younger kiddos are truly blessed!
I too enjoyed this book. Glad you reviewed it.