Tic talk. Living with Tourette syndrome. A 9-year-old boy’s story in his own words

OVERALL RATING Very good

STRENGTHS First-person account; description of “real-life” scenarios; excellent resource for children with Tourette syndrome and their parents, teachers, and friends

WEAKNESSES Little clinical description of disease

AUDIENCE General

Through simple, straightforward writing and child-oriented illustrations by buddy Zachary Wendland, Dylan Peters has created an appealing “storybook” resource for other kids. The title of the book pretty much explains what the book is about. The book is a useful tool for elementary-level students and their parents and teachers.

Dylan, a 9-year-old with Tourette syndrome (TS), discusses his own reactions to being diagnosed at age 4 and describes what it’s like living with the symptoms of tics and vocalizations. He explains the illness in a child-friendly way, even breaking down the pronunciation of complicated words. He describes the emotions experienced by the lack of control he had over his body and its involuntary movements and sounds. He goes on to explain the effects his anger and embarrassment had on him, and the syndrome’s effect on his classmates as he got older. Dylan presents a clear link between the stress of worrying about others’ reactions and the subsequent worsening of his tics. In his own words, he teaches the reader that open discussions help to lower the stress this illness brings—that was his reason for writing the book.

The book describes Dylan’s experience telling his classmates about his diagnosis, and can be a good reference for parents and teachers raising difficult discussions about “difference” in the classroom. The book includes a foreward by a Major League Baseball player with TS and an afterword by a teacher with TS who offers specific strategies for working with TS children, providing extra support for readers with TS.

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