A KIDS BOOK ABOUT EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

Former speech therapist and public educator Wong offers an explainer on executive functioning for young children.

Connecting intention to action may seem easy, but the link is, in fact, much more complicated than it seems, says the author in this simple guide: “Your brain tells your body what to…do, think, and feel. Hey, that has a name! It’s long. Brace yourself…Executive Functioning.” In the newest entry in the Kids Book About series, Wong engages in a dialogue with readers that will not only keep them focused, but also demonstrate the very concepts it aims to teach. She presents the conversation as a form of play, with the narrator beginning with the concept of “body doubling” in which both the reader and the narrator (and possibly an adult co-reader) work hard to finish the book; this idea is used to create “sustained attention.” The narrator is tempted by funny-sounding asides (“I just realized my thoughts were on potato chips”), but using “emotional control” helps them concentrate. The journey of the narrator as they struggle to focus to complete tasks—including conveying what “executive functioning” means—reflects what the reader may be going through. Ultimately, the narrator points out that taking care of one’s body means taking care of one’s brain, that behavior arises from mental and sensory balance, and that people can help one another to achieve that balance. This brief debut from Wong is efficient in its explanations and energetic in its execution. The bold graphic choice to use only red, blue, black, and white words and shapes, which dance across the page, offers variety and fun without detracting from the content. Key terms, such as “response inhibition,” appear in colors that contrast with other text and will stick in the reader’s mind. Although it may take a couple of reads to fully grasp all its information, this book could find an audience with educators and their students, as well as with therapists and their patients, as they work on emotional and psychological development.

A brisk introductory text that may be best suited as a read-aloud in a professional child-development setting.