Focused

By: Alyson Gerber

Narrated by: Cassandra Morris

From the author of the critically acclaimed Braced comes a story of a girl caught between her love of chess and her ADHD.

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.

Clea knows life can’t continue the way it’s been going. She’s just not sure how you can fix a problem that’s all in your head. But to find a way to focus, that’s what she’s going to have to do.

In a starred review, Booklist called Alyson Gerber’s first novel, Braced, “a masterfully constructed and highly empathetic debut about a different kind of acceptance”. With Focused, she explores even further how, when life gives you a challenge, the best way to face it is with an open mind, an open heart, and the open support of the people around you.

©2019 Alyson Gerber (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

Critic reviews

Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books

Today Show Pick

Junior Library Guild Selection

Great for readers and parents who are navigating neurodivergance.

Great for readers and parents who are navigating neurodivergance. This books gives insight for those whose lives are impacted by ADHD, whether a support member or someone who is diagnosed themselves.

GREAT BOOK !!!!

I love this book its sooooooooooooooo good 😁😁😁😁 I love that it is about a girl with ADHD and I love hearing about the challenges that she faced

Recommend

Great for kids w/ ADHD

( I have ADHD) awesome book . Read this now so good .

Great for educators and parents!

This book is great for educators and parry s! It will help them to understand better what goes on inside the brain of students/children with ADHD.

Thank you!

Every aspect is so accurste!!

I was looking for a book to help me feel not so alone in my adhd struggles, and this book was it!! It included the RSD, emotional regulation struggles, and the “it’s all my fault I hate myself for it all”. It’s so accurate!! Thank you for this book, I really enjoyed it