I'm Somebody Too

This book captured my heart. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me think. I have never read anything more powerful and precise about ADHD and brother and sister rivalry than this one. Make sure to read it! It's a keeper!!

Those who have read Eagle Eyes by the same author will recognize Emily, Ben's older sister. Emily's parents and brother have done an excellent job of understanding and addressing Ben's AD/HD. However, Emily feels that her parents are ignoring her. She feels that they expect her to maintain perfect behavior so that the parents can focus on Ben's problems. Emily and the rest of the family work with Ben's therapist to gain an understanding of Emily's own needs. The book deals with psychotherapy and family issues in a clear but relatively sophisticated manner. I liked the fact that it addressed Emily's feelings about her parents' time-consuming involvement with advocacy groups. Family involvement in advocacy organizations is critical, but parents also need to seek a balance that includes regular family down time. This book may also be useful for any girl who feels that her over-committed family expects her to be too perfect. This book is aimed at the older elementary school or middle school child. There is more text and relatively few illustrations.