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Thunderboots by Naomi Jones: Dyslexia Awareness Week

Monday, October 02, 2023 BookBairn 1 Comments

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It’s Dyslexia Awareness week and I have the perfect picture book for raising awareness of dyslexia as well as celebrating everyone’s unique talents and abilities.

Thunderboots by Naomi Jones & Rebecca Ashdown is the story of Trixie. And Trixie might just be one of my all time favourite kids book characters! She’s full of bounce and energy that exudes off the page! She’s the smallest, and loudest, person in her building. She’s full of enthusiasm and cartwheels and is so excited to learn. She’s starting school and she can’t wait. She loves numbers, and stories, and PE.

She tries so hard with her letters, reading and writing. But even after all that hard work, she still finds it tricky. The letters just won’t stay still. They seem to dance (a bit like Trixie herself) across the page!


Disheartened, Trixie becomes very un-Trixie-like (yes a real adjective!) and when Dad asked her what’s wrong, she quietly tells him why. And that’s when, together with her teacher, and the Support for Learning <insert the appropriate job title for your area> teacher, the come up with The Plan. 


This is followed by one of the most heartfelt and inclusive scenes - the whole class of children share what the person sitting next to them is good at. It’s a little bit of picture book magic!

I think you can tell that I ADORE this book. I think it's a magical, but realistic, depiction of what it might be like to have dyslexia and to have that diagnosed and supported at a young age. It's full of vibrancy and energy and the illustrations truly make the characters jump off the page.

An important part of why this book is so brilliant is that the author is speaking from her own voices experience and has a personal connection to her character Trixie. Nicknamed Thunderboots as a child, writer Naomi Jones was diagnosed with dyslexia at University. This really helped her understand how she thought and learned and there is a lovely letter at the beginning of the book (I’ve included a picture) where she shows that dyslexia has helped her “dream up ideas, worlds, and characters.” 

I love that this book is not only a wonderful story, an empowering read for understanding dyslexia, it’s also that concrete proof that dyslexia is a superpower.


I truly hope this book finds it's way into the hands of the kids that need it most. 

Kim and the bairns x


Disclaimer: This is a paid AD from Oxford Childrens. I hope my passion for this book comes across - it's truly fabulous!


1 comment:

  1. Trixie sounds like a wonderful character and the story is a great way to help kids understand dyslexia.
    PS - I also love the real Thunderboots in your photographs.

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