Helpful ADHD Books, Apps, Links, & Tools

Here are lists of some terrific ADHD Books, Apps, Links, and Tools to support you on your journey!

GREAT MIDDLE SCHOOL BOOKS WITH CHARACTERS WHO HAVE ADHD!

	Welcome to Superhero School by Gracie Dix Join Oliver, Jess, and all their friends on a mission to destroy the power-hungry, evil villains of Vork. From subterranean sewers to lush jungle, from dinosaurs to dragons, our heroes will be pushed to their limits in ways they’d never imagined. Will their collective Powers—Flight, Morphing, Invisibility, Mind Reading, and more—be enough for them to overcome the malevolence of Vork?
	The Boy with the Butterfly Mind by Victoria Williamson Jamie Lee just wants to be normal but his ADHD isn't making it easy. If only he could control his butterfly mind he'd have friends, be able to keep out of trouble and he could live with his mom, not be sent to stay with his dad.
	The Amazing Ninja Brothers: Entering the Deep Unknown by Robert Martin Eleven-year-old Tommy's classmates are annoyed with him for always goofing off and disrupting class. Tommy has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which makes sitting still, being quiet and focusing on the teacher difficult. His friends, brothers Aiden and Jacob, want to help. But Tommy's two buddies are more than just siblings, they're actually Ninjas!
	Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea.
	Lights, Camera, Disaster by Erin Dionne Hester Greene loves making movies. With her camera in hand, she can focus, make decisions, and have the control she lacks in life, where her executive function disorder (think extreme ADHD plus anxiety) sabotages her every move. But middle school is not a movie, and if her last-ditch attempt to save her language-arts grade--and her chance to pass eighth grade, period--doesn't work, Hess could lose her friends, her year, even her camera.
	Joe Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos Joey Pigza's got heart, he's got a mom who loves him, and he's got "dud meds," which is what he calls the Ritalin pills that are supposed to even out his wild mood swings. Sometimes Joey makes bad choices. He learns the hard way that he shouldn't stick his finger in the pencil sharpener, or swallow his house key, or run with scissors. Joey ends up bouncing around a lot - and eventually he bounces himself all the way downtown, into the district special-ed program, which could be the end of the line.
	Focused by Allyson Gerber Clea can't control her thoughts. She knows she has to do her homework . . . but she gets distracted. She knows she can't just say whatever thought comes into her head . . . but sometimes she can't help herself. She know she needs to focus . . . but how can she do that when the people around her are always chewing gum loudly or making other annoying noises? It's starting to be a problem--not just in school, but when Clea's playing chess or just hanging out with her best friend. Other kids are starting to notice. When Clea fails one too many tests, her parents take her to be tested, and she finds out that she has ADHD, which means her attention is all over the place instead of where it needs to be.
	Eliza Bing is (Not) a Big Fat Quitter by Carmella Van Vleet After she and her friend Tony create a baking business for a class project, Eliza becomes certain that cake decorating is her destiny. Her parents insist that the summer "Cakes with Caroline" class is too expensive—especially given Eliza's history of quickly losing interest in things. Desperate to show them that she can be diligent, Eliza volunteers to take her brother's unwanted spot in a taekwondo class. At first, she has absolutely no interest in martial arts, and the focus and discipline of taekwondo is a huge challenge for her since she has ADHD. To make things worse, mean girl Madison shows up in class.
	Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya Emilia Torres has a wandering mind. It's hard for her to follow along at school, and sometimes she forgets to do what her mom or abuela asks. But she remembers what matters: a time when her family was whole and homemade sense. When Dad returns from deployment, Emilia expects that her life will get back to normal. Instead, it unravels.
	Check Mates by Stewart Foster Some people think that I’m a problem child, that I’m lazy and never pay attention in lessons. But the thing is, I’m not a problem child at all. I’m just a child with a problem. Felix is struggling at school. His ADHD makes it hard for him to concentrate and his grades are slipping. Everyone keeps telling him to try harder, but no one seems to understand just how hard he finds it.

MORE GREAT BOOKS FOR KIDS & TEENS

	Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven Excellent book for children and adults about the power of meeting challenges with discipline, determination, a positive attitude and the support of others.
	Make Your Bed with Skipper the Seal by Admiral William H. McRaven A seal becomes a Navy SEAL in this children's adaptation of the #1 New York Times bestselling Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven.
	The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences 15th Edition: 325+ Schools with Programs or Services for Students with ADHD, ASD, or Learning Differences (College Admissions Guides) by The Princeton Review: Marybeth Kravets and Imy Wax
	The Fix-It Friends: Eyes on the Prize by Nicole C. Kear I am proud to have contributed to this book. As part of a larger series, this book addresses the challenges one friend has with being organized and staying focused. There is a special section at the end of the book for kids that includes tools and strategies for dealing with distractions and challenges in focusing.
	Hank Zipzer by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver Inspired by the true-life experiences of Henry Winkler, whose undiagnosed dyslexia made him a classic childhood underachiever, the Hank Zipzer series is about the high-spirited and funny adventures of a boy with learning differences. The reading level ranges from grade levels 2 – 5.
	All Dogs Have ADHD by Kathy Hoopman All Dogs Have ADHD takes an inspiring and affectionate look at Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and brings to life familiar ADHD characteristics such as being restless and excitable, getting easily distracted, and acting on impulse.
	All Birds Have Anxiety by Kathy Hoopmann Through a light-touch, quizzical depiction of bird behavior, All Birds Have Anxiety uses colorful images and astute explanations to explore with gentle humor what it means to live with anxiety day-to-day, and how to begin to deal with it.
	Jimmy Racecar by J.B. Snyder, MD
	Putting on the Brakes: Understanding and Taking Control of Your ADD or ADHD by Patricia Quinn and Judith Stern
	What's This Tail Saying? by Carolyn Combs Nonverbal Communication - A Fun Introduction or Reminder for 4 to 8 year-olds.
	Who Moved My Cheese? For Kids by Spencer Johnson
	Who Moved My Cheese? for Teens by Spencer Johnson
	A Walk in the Rain with a Brain by Ned Hallowell
	Queen Bees and Wannabes, 3rd Edition: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boys, and the New Realities of Girl World by Rosalind Wiseman
	My Brain Needs Glasses: Living with Hyperactivity by Annick Vincent
	The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey (check out the whole series!) Fourth graders George Beard and Harold Hutchins are a couple of class clowns. The only thing they enjoy more than playing practical jokes is creating their own comic books. And together they've created the greatest superhero in the history of their elementary school: Captain Underpants! His true identity is SO secret, even HE doesn't know who he is! As a child, Dav Pilkey was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD. Dav was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit out in the hall every day. Luckily, Dav loved to draw and make up stories, so he spent his time in the hallway creating his own original comic books.
	Learning To Slow Down & Pay Attention: A Book for Kids About ADHD by Kathleen G. Nadeau, Ph.D
	Don’t be Your Own Bully by Kerri Golding Oransky, LCSW
	ADHD and Me: What I learned from lighting fires at the Dinner Table by Blake E.S. Taylor
	My Friend the Troublemaker: Learning to Focus and Thriving with ADHD by Rifka Schonfeld
	A Bird’s Eye View of Life with ADHD by Alex Zeigler and Chris Dendy
	Cory Stories: A Kid’s Book About Living with ADHD by Jeanne Krauss and Whitney Martin
	Shelley, the Hyperactive Turtle by Deborah M. Moss
	A Smart Girl’s Guide to Knowing What to Say (American Girl) by Patti Kelley Criswell
	Jarvis Clutch – Social Spy by Mel Levine
	Life After High School: A Guide for Students with Disabilities and Their Families by Susan Yellin

CINDY'S BOOKS:

	ADHD, Executive Function & Behavioral Challenges in the Classroom: Managing the Impact on Learning, Motivation and Stress by Cindy Goldrich, M.Ed., ADHD-CCSP & Carly Goldrich, MATake advantage of the latest brain research and evidence-based best practices to get kids motivated, focused, organized and performing closer to their real potential.ADHD and executive function expert Cindy Goldrich and Special Education teacher Carly Goldrich combined efforts to create this powerful resource to help teachers and professionals understand and connect with student. These practical tools and worksheets are designed to help students become resourceful, accountable, optimistic, and perseverant. There is a link included in the back of the book to download all of the PDF worksheets, for free!
	8 Keys to Parenting Children with ADHD by Cindy Goldrich, M.Ed., ADHD-CCSP Based on author Cindy Goldrich’s seven-session workshop entitled Calm and Connected: Parenting Kids with ADHD©, this book focuses on developing and strengthening effective interpersonal skills in both parents and children as a way to improve conflict resolution. Combining expert information with practical, sensitive advice, the eight “key” concepts here will help parents reduce chaos, improve cooperation, and nurture the advantages—like creativity and drive—that often accompany all of that energy.
	365 Ways to Succeed with ADHD: A Full Year of Valuable Tips & Strategies from the World’s Best ADHD Coaches & Experts 365 Bite-Sized Tips and Strategies to Help You THRIVE with ADHD. More than 80 ADHD co-authors of this book, all of them ADHD professionals, coaches and experts from around the world and from a variety of disciplines, experiences and expertise, gathered to answer the question, “What is the most valuable tip or strategy I know for succeeding with ADHD?”
	Executive Function Chart Children and adolescents need to learn about Executive Function skills and how they impact their learning and performance. This poster detects each of the skills with a brief descriptor. Help students succeed in becoming the CEO of their brains.

OTHER GREAT BOOKS ON PARENTING & TEACHING
KIDS WITH ADHD & EXECUTIVE FUNCTION CHALLENGES:

Between Parent & Teenager by Dr. Haim Ginott

Buzz by Katherine Ellison

Empowering Youth with ADHD by Jodi Sleeper-Triplett, MCC, SCAC

The Essential Six Volume One, A Parent's Guide: How to Pave the Road to Self-Advocacy for College Students with Leanring Differences by Lorri Comeau and Mickey Cronin
This workbook's content focuses on the development of self-advocacy skills for students with learning differences, and how parents can help encourage and support their son(s) or daughter(s) along the way. It presents useful information to simplify the transition from high school to college through definitions of complex disability-related vocabulary, lists of questions that parents can ask their children to foster self-advocacy skills, and appendices with online resources and recommended readings for further research. Parents, high school guidance counselors, transition specialists, and college disability service personnel will find the information useful as they work to support their students.

Executive Function in the Classroom: Practical Strategies for Improving Performance and Enhancing Skills for All Students by Christopher Kaufman

Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking by Tamar Chomsky

Helping Your Anxious Child by Rapee, Spence, Cobhan, and Wignall

The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences 15th Edition: 325+ Schools with Programs or Services for Students with ADHD, ASD, or Learning Differences (College Admissions Guides) by The Princeton Review: Marybeth Kravets and Imy Wax

Late Bloomers by Rich Karlgaard

Launching Into Young Adulthood with ADHD...Ready or Not! by Chris Dendy and Ruth Hughes

Learning Outside The Lines by Jonathon Mooney and David Cole

Lost at School by Ross Greene, Ph.D.

Marva Collins Way by Marva Collins

The Metacognitive Student: How to Teach Academic, Social, and Emotional Intelligence in Every Content Area (Your Guide to Metacognitive Instruction and Social-Emotional Learning by Richard K. Cohen, Deanne Kildare Opatosky, James Savage, Susan Olsen Stevens, and Edward P. Darrah

Mindfulness and Self-Compassion for Teen ADHD: Build Executive Functioning Skills, Increase Motivation, and Improve Self-Confidence by Mark Bertin MD, Karen Bluth PhD, and Russell Barkley PhD
This unique guide will help you develop the skills you need to strengthen your executive functioning, foster the self-compassion essential to overcoming self-criticism often caused by ADHD, and gain the confidence and resilience necessary to take control of your ADHD—and your life

Mindset by Carol Dweck

The Motivation Breakthrough by Rick Lavoie

The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder by Carol Kranowitz

Queen Bees and Wanna Bees: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boys, and the New Realities of Girl World by Rosalind Wiseman

Ready or Not, Here Life Comes by Mel Levine, M.D.

Teenagers with ADD, ADHD, & Executive Function Deficits by Chris Z. Dendy and Ruth Hughes

The Self Esteem Teacher by Robert Brooks

Treating ADHD/ADD in Children and Adolescents: Solutions for Parents and Clinicians by Gene Carroccia

Understanding Girls with ADHD: How They Feel and Why They Do What They Do by Kathleen Nadeau, Ellen Littman, and Patricia Quinn

	Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven Excellent book for children and adults about the power of meeting challenges with discipline, determination, a positive attitude and the support of others.
	ADHD Effect on Marriage: Understand and Rebuild Your Relationship by Melissa Orlov
	Change Your Questions, Change Your Life by Marilee Adams, PhD
	The Couples Guide to Thriving with ADHD by Melissa Orlov
	The Disorganized Mind by Nancy A. Ratey
	Driven to Distraction by Ned Hallowell, M.D. and John Ratey, M.D.
	Faster Than Normal by Peter Shankman
	The Five Minute Journal: A Happier You in Five Minutes by Intelligent Change
	The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People's Lives Better, Too) by Gretchen Rubin
	Is It You, Me, or Adult ADD? by Gina Pera
	Mindset by Carol Dweck
	Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey
	Women with ADHD: A Radical Guide by Sari Solden and Michelle Frank
	You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy? by Kate Kelly and Peggy Romundo

ADDitude Magazine Be sure to look for Cindy's featured articles!

Attention Magazine (A benefit of CHADD membership) Be sure to look for Cindy's featured articles!

Understood Understood.org aims to give parents a direct path to the support they need most to make them feel more confident and capable, less frustrated and alone. I am proud to be on their board of Experts.

CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is the nation’s leading non-profit organization serving individuals with AD/HD and their families.

SocialThinking.com Michelle Garcia Winner, MA, CCC-SLP, coined the term “Social Thinking” and helps educators, clinicians, professionals of all types, and parents/family members appreciate that social capabilities are integral to a person’s success in life, socially, academically, and professionally.

Think:Kids promotes the understanding that challenging kids lack the skill, not the will, to behave well – specifically skills related to problem-solving, flexibility and frustration tolerance. Unlike traditional models of discipline, their approach avoids the use of power, control and motivational procedures and instead focuses on teaching at-risk kids the skills they need to succeed.

Shykids The purpose of this website is to talk about shyness – what it is and what it feels like.

WrightsLaw Parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities.

	Executive Function Ch art Children and adolescents need to learn about Executive Function skills and how they impact their learning and performance. This poster detects each of the skills with a brief descriptor. Help students succeed in becoming the CEO of their brains.
	Esteem App: I’m excited to share that PTS coaching and Esteem Therapeutics are working together to bring my parent education and coaching services to their ADHD parenting app! Esteem helps parents by first identifying your child’s strengths and needs, creates (or clarifies) a starting point, automatically provides improvement goals, and then helps you discover other things that could your child grow and develop. Click Here for a 90-Day Free Trial
	ADDitude Webinar: The ADHD Guide to Productive Parent-Teacher Cooperation by Cindy Goldrich
	Calm and Connected Webinar with ADDitude Magazine: Great Insights Through Conversation by Cindy Goldrich
	Guiding Bright Minds Guiding Bright Minds is a resource for parents of neurodiverse learners that will… -CONNECT you with trusted and vetted professionals and educators devoted to addressing your child’s learning difference. -EDUCATE you on the various symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments, and provide updates on the latest information impacting our community through parent webinars, articles, blogs and vlogs.-UNITE you with families who share similar experiences. Visit www.guidingbrightminds.com for more information.
	Grammarly: It checks for grammatical errors, provides vocabulary enhancement suggestions, detects plagiarism, and provides citation suggestions.
	I strongly recommend that if your child has not been formally taught ten finger typing (QWERTY) by third grade you consider teaching them at home. This is one example of a program you can use: Typing.com
	Disney Circle allows your family to manage all of your home's connected devices. With Circle, parents can now filter online content and limit online screen time as well as set an Internet bedtime for every connected device in the home. Circle can even Pause the Internet and share what kids are up to online.
	Times Tales: Times Tales is a creative, innovative mnemonic-based program that makes it fun and easy to memorize the upper multiplication facts. Times Tales uses cute, simple stories to provide students with a “memory peg”, allowing them to quickly recall otherwise abstract facts, making it great for kids with ADHD and/or learning disabilities.
	TimeTimer: For many people, it’s a challenge noticing the passage of time. The Time Timer can be a great tool to help others be aware and release you from being the constant reminder!
	Bouncy Bands: Bouncy Bands attach to chairs and desks for students to bounce their feet and stretch their legs while they work quietly so they can release their extra energy, anxiety, and frustration without distracting others. Use code: PTSBouncyBands and save 15% (free shipping for orders over $100)
	Howda Hug: Portable seats, lightweight, embracing and rocking seats that children love and benefit from using. Adults love them too to add back support to desk chairs and for stadium outings.
	Inspiration Software: Excellent mind-mapping software for people with AD/HD or LD who have trouble organizing thoughts in a sequential, written form. Mind mapping (graphic organizing, visual thinking) software or devices provide the freedom to express ideas in a visual format, record them as they come, and link them together later to create an outline. Inspiration is for grades 6-12. The website offers a free trial.
	ADHD & Marriage: Helping Adults Thrive in Relationships Impacted by ADHD: Melissa Orlov provides hope, information, and the tools you need to thrive in a healthier, happier relationship.
	Sensory Sack (Medium), Body Sock, Calming Therapy Blanket, Sensory Toys Stress Relief, Anxiety, Autism, ADHD, ADD, Tactile Items for Therapeutic Play, Kids Fidget Toy, Body Pod in Green - Sensory4U
	YnM Kids Weighted Blanket and Duvet Covers — Hot and Cold Duvet Cover Set (3 Pieces) by YnM
	HeadSpace: Meditation made simple. Free app.
	Super Kids: Make your own math drill sheets for free! Simply select the type of problems and a worksheet will be created to our specifications, ready to be printed for use.
	Quizlet: Wonderful site to make online flashcards, create interactive quizzes, and view other people’s flash cards as well.
	Flashcard Exchange: Create flashcards and tests. Millions of flashcards already stored on a variety of academic topics.
	Kahn Academy: Watch. Practice. Learn almost anything for free. With a library of thousands of video lessons and practice exercises covering everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history.
	ReadWriteThink: Interactive learning activities for grades K-12. One of my favorites, Essay Map, is an interactive graphic organizer that helps students develop an outline that includes an introductory statement and the main ideas they want to discuss or describe.
	Free Comic Strip Maker: Great tool to help kids express themselves through the use of comic strips.
	Learning Ally: Many kids with ADHD have trouble focusing on written words and occasionally benefit from listening to text. Learning Ally provides Audio versions of books and textbooks for those who benefit from listening and not just reading the material as well as those who struggle with fluency and decoding.
	iHomework: This app brings the standard agenda pad to life by adding useful features and integration with their home computer.
	Flashcards+: This app allows students to create easy-to-read flashcards and monitor their progress in memorizing the facts.
	Best Alarm Clock: This app lets you choose songs from your personal playlist or built-in sounds. You can determine the length of the snooze and set unlimited backup alarms.
	Clocky: A fun and crazy alarm clock on wheels. It jumps from a 3-foot high nightstand, and then off it runs in different directions every day, bumping into objects, changing direction again, and beeping until you wake up, get out of bed and turn him off.
	Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock: can be set super loud, has lights that flash, and has a vibrating disk to shake the bed.

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