A Walk in the Rain with a Brain

Written by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D.
The age group is 4 – 8 years
Published by Harper Collins
Illustrated by Bill Mayer

Sadly, children do not receive enough encouragement to develop their own unique talents, skills and attitudes. Often some children get overlooked at school and at home if they don't measure up to the so called "norm". Dr. Hallowell’s book, A Walk in the Rain with a Brain reinforces the significant message that no brain is smarter than the other. The illustrations in the book are richly drawn in a cartoon manner that I think young children will be attracted too as well.

The story’s central character is a girl named Lucy who discovers a brain on the ground named Manfred (Fred for short) as she plays outside in the rain. Lucy asks Fred to make her smart. “Everyone’s smart,” Fred told her, “You just need to find out at what.”

As Lucy helps Fred to find his head, he tells her a story about how his other brain friends used to feel when they were told they weren’t smart, but you’ll have to read the story to find out what happened.

This imaginary tale is delightful and can be a helpful teaching guide for parents and teachers with its fact based discussion guide in the back of the book. Dr. Hallowell writes that with proper guidance every child can develop to the fullest of the talents that they are born with. Hallowell says “Not all kids know that brains run the show.”

Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. is a noted psychiatrist and an internationally acknowledged expert on ADD. Also Dr. Hallowell is director of the Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health in Concord Mass. The center is an outpatient treatment center service for children and adults with a wide range of emotional and learning problems.

Write it down,

Carma