I Can't Stop!: A Story about Tourette's Syndrome
Kindergarten-Grade 4–At first, Nathan can't stop winking. When it ceases, he repeatedly sniffs. Head snapping replaces the sniffing. The child's repetitive behaviors upset his family and his friend Josh; they also distract his classmates. Although Nathan's age is not stated, Treatner's realistic artwork in a painterly style suggests that he is in an intermediate grade. When he becomes tearful and distraught over his inability to stop what he is doing, his parents finally take him to a doctor. Diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, Nathan learns to control new repetitive behaviors, called tics, without medication. Niner's informative but didactic story includes factual details about this compulsive disorder. An introduction for parents and teachers gives more information about it and notes that tics are common among children. The plot and primarily one-dimensional characters are devices to educate readers about TS. There is lots of dialogue, and the students in Nathan's class represent diverse cultures. Very few books are available for young audiences on this medical concern; what's out there tends to be nonfiction for older readers. Thus, this title does fill a void.–Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.