School Trip Squirmies

The grade three and four classes of Rosewood Elementary were on the school bus en route to the art gallery when Max felt his “fidgets” erupt. Desperate, he devised a game to help him keep his feelings in check. The game was to do everything green. He looked for green everywhere, and he found it: T-shirts, cars, earrings, and more. It worked! The distraction helped him calm his fidgets. When they arrived at the gallery, the first stop was the gardens. There it was easy to find green. Plants were everywhere. Next stop was the Craft Centre where the assignment was to build a structure. Max carefully chose only green items; pipe cleaners and beads and made a turtle. At lunch, Max was stuck eating spinach salad and green fruit. So far things were working out.
The next stop was the classroom session where the instructor, Raffi, had made a game asking the children questions that involved art. When the children answered correctly, they received a coupon for free ice cream. When it was Max’s turn, his question was, “Which colour of light on a street light means caution?” Max, of course, knew the answer, but he had to say, “green”. He was so embarrassed when the class laughed at him. The last class, learning how to use charcoal, was the most challenging. How was it possible to stay green using charcoal? Max found a way. He spelled the word green using pictures drawn with charcoal. This time, Max’s picture was chosen as the best one, and the class applauded him. For his efforts, Max received a coupon for ice cream, and he chose, naturally, the mint chocolate.

Students will enjoy reading School Trip Squirmies, a chapter book that is illustrated with black and white cartoon art by Graham Ross. Bold print is used throughout for emphasis. The print is large and well-spaced.

Max has some unnamed condition, perhaps ADHD, that causes him to “fidget”. The story is written from Max’s perspective, and readers can see how he struggles to control his behaviour and how he comes up with a coping strategy. Many students, whether diagnosed with some condition or not, will understand the “fidgets” and relate to Max. Teachers/caregivers can use School Trip Squirmies as a springboard to discussing behavioral issues and the strategies that can help.