A positive story about a hyperactive young character from the creator of The Colour Monster.
Anna Llenas (Author, Illustrator)
Anna Llenas was born in Barcelona. She graduated in Advertising and
Public Relations at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, with a
diploma in Graphic Design by The Escola de la Llotya and has a
postgraduate degree in Creative Illustration from the Escola Eina.
She has developed graphic projects for clients as diverse as La
Vanguardia (the Spanish daily newspaper), Nestl e and the
Government of Catalonia. She has collaborated with other authors as
an illustrator. this picture book is her first as both author and
illustrator.
When Little Mole wakes up, he bounds, he bounces and he bellows!
Will he sit down long enough to get through his school work? Most
children are a bundle of energy, but some have more than others and
this enchanting picture book helps youngsters to understand that
being hyperactive doesn't always produce 'negative' results. Anna
Llenas, a talented author, illustrator and paper engineer, sets her
own busy mind to this decidedly positive and uplifting story about
a little mole who gets a helping hand to keep his mind - and his
energy - on track. Little Mole can't stand still. He messes about,
he gets distracted, he loses things and he breaks things... in
fact, he never stops from the moment he wakes up! People say that
he is rude, impatient, restless, useless, naughty, tiring and
hyperactive. His parents are worried, his teacher is desperate and
with his end-of-term school project coming up, it looks like Little
Mole is going to need some help. So who better than Serena, the
forest bunny who offers 'creative learning for wonderful children'?
And can she keep busy, buzzing Little Mole on track? Llenas'
distinctive and visually exciting collage-effect illustrations
provide a simple, fun but highly effective and accessible
exploration of what it means to have attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). With its important messages about
tolerance, understanding and getting the right help, this is both
an enchanting story and a valuable teaching tool.
*Lancashire Evening Post*
Our first Picture Book of the Week perfectly addresses something
that we scarcely see dealt with so well in children's books...
This beautifully handled and sensitively written book is "Little
Mole's a Whirlwind" by Anna Llenas and it's one of the best picture
books we've seen that talks about ADHD / ADD / Autism in a way that
children will understand and adults will also feel perfectly
summarises what it's like to be the parents, teacher or guardian
for a child that has these conditions.
We tread warily here, purely because these are such misunderstood
and misdiagnosed conditions and it's easy to think that most busy
and active children show the symptoms, but Anna delves into what it
feels like from Little Mole's side, what it's like to have too much
energy to switch off your mind or to focus on just one thing.
Little Mole has a fairly miserable time at school. He struggles to
pay attention in class, he's definitely a whirlwind, the other
school children often avoid him and won't play with him because
they think he's useless, reckless and hyperactive and with the
final end of term project coming up, there's the anxiety of what
Little Mole can do for his project to add to his stress.
Thankfully Little Mole's parents spy an advert in the newspaper for
a fantastic after-school place that might finally help Little Mole
and settle his mind. Miss Rabbit enters their lives and for the
first time she shows that there are ways to help, but most of all
she does something for Little Mole that no one else has.
She listens.
Over the course of the next few weeks Little Mole and Miss Rabbit
do lots of things together, make things, bake things but most of
all talk about his feelings and how to use his energy.
So when his final project time finally rolls around, Little Mole
has a surprise for everyone. Including us readers! (Which obviously
we're not going to spoil for you). It's such a heart-meltingly
touching moment that it'll make you feel like cheering for Little
Mole but we'll say no more than that.
This book is fantastic, really special and we can see this being an
amazingly useful story to use in schools and indeed in sessions
like Miss Rabbit's, to help other children like Little Mole feel
that they're also represented in books and that they do not need to
feel demonised or put upon.
Truly amazing.
C's best bit: Little Mole's end of term surprise for everyone,
which is such a lovely moment.
Daddy's favourite bit: Intelligently put together and written,
fantastically illustrated (with some truly awesome cardboard and
papercrafting) but above all the first properly sensitively written
children's picture book about ADD / ADHD that we've seen on the
blog. Breathtakingly good, everyone needs to read this one.
*Read it Daddy*
From the second Little Mole wakes up, he storms through the burrow
like a whirlwind. Everything's a distraction. He can't sit still in
class or listen to instructions. No one wants to play with him and
Little Mole is sad.
His exhausted parents are at a loss as to what to do to help him.
But then they spot a very interesting advert in the newspaper,
placed by Serena the Forest Bunny offering creative learning
opportunities. Little Mole's parents sign him up and wait to see if
Serena can help Little Mole find some focus.
I think this book reflects aspects of many children you might meet
as a teacher, but it could be especially powerful to use when
discussing different learning needs with pupils and staff - one
size does not fit all when it comes to the classroom.
As well as being an uplifting story with quirky illustrations, this
book may also be useful for families with children who have ADD or
ADHD. It would provide the opportunity for a conversation about
some of the difficulties a child might be facing at school and
provide hope that there are ways to make things easier.
A touching and funny book which addresses the condition of ADHD
with a light hand.
*Library Girl and Book Boy*
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