It's My Brain!

Written and illustrated by Elise Gravel

North Winds Press (Scholastic Canada)

978-1-0397-1009-2

40 pp.

Ages 6-9

October 2024

 

From the brilliant brain that first brought us lessons about our bodies and how they work comes a fabulous follow-up about the control centre of those bodies. Elise Gravel, known for the quirkiness of her amorphous creatures in books such as It's My Body!, Everybody!, and Killer Underwear Invasion, has brought them back to teach young readers about the brain and its functions. Perfect for our youngest readers who are just learning the basics of the human body, It's My Brain! takes an in-depth but comical look at the brain and what it does for us.

From It's My Brain!, written and illustrated by Elise Gravel

From an introduction in which the brain is described as "big, jellyfish, squishy wods of chewing gum," It's My Brain! covers the basics of the brain's form and function. The text describes how information is collected through our senses, processed and responded upon. It talks of the learning that has to happen for babies. Most importantly, it talks about how, though our brains are essentially the same in what they do, they can work differently.

From It's My Brain!, written and illustrated by Elise Gravel

The spreads that discuss how we learn differently and at different rates are important ones. Readers will undoubtedly appreciate that some people learn through independent work while others prefer socializing to help them learn. Some learn better through play and activity, whereas others learn best through quiet observation. This acknowledgement of the diversity of brains and the positive message to respect these differences are a hallmark of so many of Elise Gravel's illustrated non-fiction books and one that elevates the lessons within from just content to a model of STEM teaching for young children.

From It's My Brain!, written and illustrated by Elise Gravel

But beyond lessons about the human body and how it works, Elise Gravel reminds us that sometimes the brain is challenged and struggles, and that talking to a trusted person, whether it be a parent or teacher, friend or doctor, "can help our brains feel better."

From It's My Brain!, written and illustrated by Elise Gravel

Young kids need to learn about body parts and what they do but It's My Brain! takes anatomy lessons from form and function to ones of sensitivity and appreciation. As always, everyone is included in It's My Brain! whether they be blobs of turquoise, red or gold. It doesn't matter whether they have ears or not, or pickle-shaped bodies or use a wheelchair; they all have brains that work for them and so deserve care.

 

Elise Gravel's colour palette and unique creatures are her trademark and will always get readers excited for a new lesson or story that reminds us that we are human and how to be our best selves. By making connections for kids between what their brains do to help them be and do, Elise Gravel boosts learning about a squishy mass to an appreciation of wonder for the human body and the diversity of its form.

 

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Scholastic Canada provides activities like connect the dots and more for It's My Brain! as well as other Elise Gravel books at https://www.scholastic.ca/books/app/webroot/elise-gravel/.

 

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ThunderBoom

Written by Jack Briglio

Illustrated by Claudia Dávila 

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-0496-5

128 pp.

Ages 9-12

May 2023

 

Going to the Santa Claus parade is a tradition that many families enjoy, even if they might worry about safety in the huge crowds. For Logan's family, those fears are far greater because Logan is nonverbal. So when Logan dashes away to see something and gets separated from his family, it is a scary situation for all. Thankfully ThunderBoom is around to help.

From ThunderBoom by Jack Briglio, illus. by Claudia Dávila

As the family prepares for their trip into the city for the parade, it becomes evident that Logan communicates with his parents and older sister Izzy in his own way. He uses hand and body actions, and occasionally speaks the first letter of the words he wants to say, and they get him. He loves playing with his tablet and he loves trains. And he's Mister Social speaking to everyone on the train. But he also is unaware of the dangers that might befall him when he's excited. Logan might understand that he's being told to listen more carefully but that doesn't stop him from bolting from his family when he wants a closer look at the parade.

He soon realizes he's in an uncomfortable situation, faced with a group of clowns. But when faced with a stressful situation, Logan's imagination kicks in to protect him. (Illustrator Claudia Dávila demonstrates this with a white haze that appears and displays Logan's thoughts in yellow boxes.) So Logan envisions himself as ThunderBoom, a superhero who can stomp his way into protection. Still, after getting away from the monstrous clowns, he finds a new dilemma to solve: the little girl he'd met on the train has lost her teddy bear and her parents. ThunderBoom springs into action once again.

From ThunderBoom by Jack Briglio, illus. by Claudia Dávila

After several more heroic adventures, Logan is finally reunited with his family, though he does have some moments of insight that his issues with discerning who is friend or foe, and hence his consequent reactions, may be him misunderstanding situations, just like others misunderstand him.

This may not be Jack Briglio's first book, but I suspect it's his most personal, as his "Author's Note" confirms. But that also means that his character Logan is more real, and Logan's alter ego of ThunderBoom evenmore genuine. Logan, modelled after Jack Briglio's son who has Angelman syndrome, has a great many fears and finds solace in his imagined superhero ThunderBoom for protection. He has found ways to communicate with his family but his ability to connect with others is limited, especially when he's anxious about those interactions. Thankfully his cheerful disposition seems to help him make friends, and also allies, who will help him become more independent and successful when he encounters challenges, whether it's a yappy dog or getting separated from his family.

From ThunderBoom by Jack Briglio, illus. by Claudia Dávila

The message from Jack Briglio is more about Logan's ability to successfully meet those challenges in his own way, whether it's using an imagined superhero or asking for help from others. Everyone is faced with challenges, but we all need to find strategies to confront and overcome those obstacles or hardships. Logan's strategy works for him –I do wonder what really happened to those clowns and baton twirlers he fights off–though he has undoubtedly learned other skills from his family to approach his difficulties with patience and confidence. He's just a kid who is learning, and Claudia Dávila's digital illustrations–appropriately using superhero colours of yellow and red, though subdued, like Logan himself–make him as real as Jack Briglio's characterization and story.

ThunderBoom tackles a lot of important issues, not the least of which is coping with challenges. Giving Logan a voice, both in ThunderBoom the superhero and ThunderBoom the book, Jack Briglio may help other children find their own voices. Moreover, with ThunderBoom  providing us with insight into individuals with Angelman syndrome and the families that love and support them, the story is an act of courage itself, much like that shown by the superhero depicted within.