Description:
Illustrated children's book about an exuberant little boy who had difficulty paying attention in class and doing his school work until he is given the tools to accommodate his sensory needs.
Brief description: Jennifer Veenendall is a school-based occupational therapist in West St. Paul, Minnesota. Working with students with a wide range of abilities, she is especially passionate about creating learning environments that meet students' sensory processing needs. Jennifer received her occupational therapy degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her master's degree in human development from St. Mary's University of Minnesota. She lives in Hudson, Wisconsin, with her husband, Scott, and their two children, Anna and Benjamin. When she is not working, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family at their cabin as well as drawing and painting. Arnie and His School Tools is Jennifer's first book.
Review Quotes:
"This book is super! Well-written, whimsical, with-the-program, and wonderful in every way, it will become a favorite of every child with sensory processing disorders and all the grown-ups in the child's circle. I love it, and you will, too."
- Carol Kranowitz, M.A., author of The Out-of-Sync Child and The Goodenoughs Get in Sync
"We all do things throughout the day to make sure we have just the right amount of alertness to be happy and productive. Some of us drink coffee, close our doors to screen out sounds from the hall, or wear only certain clothes so we feel comfortable. When we understand that these strategies are ways to manage our own sensory experiences, then we can better understand people like Arnie who use strategies, too. This book provides a window for understanding the everyday sensory challenges and solutions that are available to support kids at school and at home."
- Winnie Dunn, Ph.D., author of Living Sensationally: Understanding Your Senses
"When all students have access to learning tools and understand how these tools can help, the 'Arnies' in our classrooms won't feel that they stick out or are different. Arnie and His School Tools is a rich, colorful story for children, parents, and educators to learn how all students can benefit from using learning tools in an inclusive environment."
- Shannon Lawson, first-grade teacher at Somerset Heights Elementary
"Arnie and His School Tools is a delightful and one-of-a-kind book that helps others 'walk a mile in the shoes' of a child with sensory processing difficulties and understand the day-to-day challenges these children experience, especially in the school environment. Each page unfolds with helpful sensory strategies and accommodations from a child's perspective. All teachers should read this to their students!"
- Jenny Clark Brack, OTR/L, speaker on sensory processing disorders and author of Learn to Move, Move to Learn: Sensorimotor Early Childhood Activity Themes and Sensory Processing Disorder: Simulations & Solutions for Parents, Teachers and Therapists