Clea has trouble getting her brain to stay concentrated. She's smart, loves chess and wants to do well at school but when it comes to sitting down and getting the job done she always seems to fall short. What is infuriating to her is that she knows she can do the work, she knows the answers to the tests and the homework but she simply can't get this to translate from her mind to the page. Her friends start to notice, as do her parents, and it becomes an issue for everyone. When her parents take her to a psychologist and she's eventually diagnosed with ADHD, things start to become clearer for her but it doesn't help that she feels ashamed, embarrassed and angry. When her parents threaten to take her school chess program away, she becomes even more withdrawn. Then her best friend abandons her, fed up with her outbursts and erratic behaviour. Everything seems to be falling apart for Clea, the question is, will she take the advice of those around her or will she follow her gut and try to forge on as she has before? I really loved FOCUSED by Alyson Gerber. Not only does it educate the reader about ADHD, it does in a way that isn't heavy handed or preachy. Clea's personality leaps off the page, you are rooting for her every step of the way, even when she does the wrong thing which everyone does occasionally. Also, you learn a ton about chess which I thoroughly enjoyed reading, Gerber has created a truly believable setting that tackles an important and often overlooked and wrongly dismissed topic. Can't recommend this el enough, get it into the hands of students ages 11+ today!
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