Vera McLuckie and the Daydream ClubVera McLuckie hates school. Mainly because she struggles with stuff the other kids find easy. Oh, and because she keeps getting into trouble for doing what she is really good at. Daydreaming. So when Vera gets the chance to show just how extraordinary she is, will she dare take on the coolest, smartest girl in the whole of Acorn Bank Primary? This is a children's story whose main characters happen to have Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and Asperger's (not made explicit). Will relate to children who feel different and left out at school. The book's real purpose is one of catalyst to help parent and teacher discuss, with children in a respectful way, what it is like to have a learning difficulty. This book works on several levels. It is a lovely story in itself that most children will relate to, dealing as it does with lack of self-belief, peer pressure and the bullying that goes along with not necessarily being the most popular kid in class. These issues can be readily picked up in school and discussed in circle time and PSHE (citizenship) lessons. But it goes deeper. Whilst not named in the book explicitly, the three main characters exhibit dyspraxic, dyslexic and autistic (Asperger's Syndrome) tendencies respectively. So the story can be used by parents and teachers as a catalyst for discussing what it is like to have a learning difficulty. In schools, teachers can use the book on a one-to-one, group or class basis to help raise awareness and improve well-being. Both author and illustrator are keen to raise awareness of specific learning difficulties in a way accessible to children. The illustrator is herself autistic. The publisher – Your Stories Matter – is dedicated to publishing books that share experiences, improve understanding and celebrate differences. To this end it provides free cross-curricula teaching resources with all of its books at www.yourstoriesmatter.org |
Contents
Section 1 | 1 |
Section 2 | 11 |
Section 3 | 13 |
Section 4 | 23 |
Section 5 | 29 |
Section 6 | 33 |
Section 7 | 37 |
Section 8 | 42 |
Section 16 | 101 |
Section 17 | 103 |
Section 18 | 115 |
Section 19 | 125 |
Section 20 | 127 |
Section 21 | 139 |
Section 22 | 149 |
Section 23 | 151 |
Section 9 | 51 |
Section 10 | 64 |
Section 11 | 71 |
Section 12 | 73 |
Section 13 | 85 |
Section 14 | 99 |
Section 15 | 100 |
Section 24 | 153 |
Section 25 | 165 |
Section 26 | 171 |
Section 27 | 176 |
Section 28 | 177 |
Common terms and phrases
Acorn Bank Primary amazing anyway asked Harry back room beamed bell Bethany Chalmers Biscuits breath brilliant Brookwater cardigan classroom clever cool couldn’t Crikey Daydream Club desk didn’t Dog-Eared Books everything eyes face fact favourite felt finished flippers front gave glasses Gran’s bookshop grinning guess Guinevere hair hand Harry and Max Harry’s hated head homework Humboldts knew kookaburra London Zoo looked lost her stone loved magic Martha maths Max and Harry Max’s McLuckie Miss Richards Monday mum’s number you wrote Penguin Girl pocket pretty realised Ricky Rockhopper saggy Shakespeare she’d she’s shouted sighed smiled soft someone Sorry stared story land stuff swim talking tell Thanks there’s things thought three penguins timetable tiny Vera McLuckie Vera’s Gran Vera’s lost Vera’s mum voice watched we’re wearing what’s whisper whole of Oakchester worried write www.YourStoriesMatter.org you’re you’ve