Kathleen Dunbar Psychotherapy

Books on the Gifts of Dyslexia

The Dyslexic Advantage by Dr.’s Brock and Fernette Eide, this is a great one to start with!

The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. Davis, this is also a great one to start with!

Thinking Like Einstein by Thomas West 

In The Mind's Eye by Thomas West

Seeing What Others Cannot See by Thomas West

For Kids and Teens

Spellwright, Spellbound and Spellbreaker (The Spellwright Trilogy) Fantasy novel series by Blake Charlton. "Blake Charlton is focused on importance of literature and imagination for students with dyslexia. Blake is a medical resident who has dyslexia and is the author of three fantasy novels featuring a hero who is aided by his dyslexia. Despite early difficulties in school, he graduated from Yale University and Stanford Medical School. Blake, a passionate and entertaining speaker, is a recent recipient of the Pinnacle Award from IDA." 

Xtraordinary People: Made By Dyslexia For kids aged 5-10, by Kate Griggs (author and founder of Made By Dyslexia), Steven Woods (illustrator), Richard Branson (forward). Discover which of seven Superpowers is yours! “This brilliant book will help you understand the ‘Xtraordinary’ strengths that come with dyslexia. I hope it will inspire to you find your talents and chase your dreams.” Richard Branson

Dr. Dyslexia Dude Graphic novels by Dr. Shawn & Inshirah Robinson. "Doctor Dyslexia Dude s a compelling story of an African-American boy who is also a colorful superhero with dyslexia. The capped character is autobiographically based on the painful, early life experiences of Dr. Shawn Anthony Robinson. Robinson and his co-author, Mrs. Inshirah Robinson RN, are parents who say their goal is to empower students in Special Education to stay encouraged and now they too can achieve greatness! Dr. Dyslexia Dude is an exciting, colorful, often humorous and relevant source of hope and inspiration for kids, parents and teachers."

Hank Zipzer A series of books junior high/middle school kids by Henry Winkler.  From NPR: "You may know Henry Winkler as The Fonz from Happy Days or the "very good" Bluth family lawyer from Arrested Development. Or perhaps, more recently, for his Emmy-winning role as the eccentric acting coach Gene Cousineau on the HBO comedy series Barry. But what Winkler is most proud of is, he says, may be his least recognized body of work: his best-selling children's book series Here's Hank, which follows the adventures and struggles of a dyslexic kid named Hank Zipzer. Winkler, who has dyslexia himself, pulls from his own experiences to write the series along with Lin Oliver."

Books on Helping Your Child Get Through School

Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, MD "From Dr. Sally Shaywitz, one of the world’s preeminent experts on reading and dyslexia, the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and practical book available on identifying, understanding, and overcoming reading problems–now revised to reflect the latest research and evidence-based approaches."

The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan by Ben Foss   

Dyslexialand, A Field Guide for Parents of Children with Dyslexia by Cheri Rae

Narratives from Mothers of Children with Dyslexia: Our Stories for Educators by Shawn Anthony Robinson, Editor

Dyslexia Advocate! How to Advocate for a Child with Dyslexia within the Public Education System by Kelli Sandman-Hurley. And here's a short video about dyslexia from Kelli: What Is Dyslexia? 

Additional Helpful Books   

The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk (The current definitive book on how to heal trauma, highly readable, for clinicians and patients)

Buddha’s Brain, The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, Wisdom by Rick Hanson (How the brain works in easy language and many exercises to cultivate calm, heal trauma, and live fully, a real must-have read, one of the best mindfulness books).     

My Grandmother's Hands – Resmaa Menakem (Dyslexic kids of color often suffer severely in inadequate school systems that cannot diagnose and support their gifts and challenges. They often end up on the street. Though not specifically about dyslexia, this book is a true gift for support on the journey to healing our systemic racism and supporting people with learning differences. Menakim offers extraordinary help on healing the racial trauma that lives inside all our bodies in America. Compelling, insightful and profound, he offers body and mindfulness practices that move healing forward, drawing from and combining therapeutic expertise, social criticism and practical steps. This national bestseller is a must-read book for the profound call of these times to promote our own and our collective healing!)

The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Step at a Time by Alex Korb (Alex is like your cool cousin who happens to be a neuroscientist, who has dealt with some depression himself: he demystifies what's happening in the brain and offers a practical and effective approach to feeling better).   

Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine, on healing trauma (Recognizing and dealing with trauma, the classic book).

Articles  

Counselling the Dyslexic, A Personal Experience by Tony Monahan

How To Support Your Dyslexic Child  by Kara Baskin, Boston Globe

The Emotional Repercussions of Dyslexia by Pennie Anston  

Black Boys with Dyslexia Need Love and Learning, Not Shame and Prison by Ameer Barkaa 

Find Your Dyslexic People and Nurture Them interview with Professor Rod Nicolson

EY-Made by Dyslexia Report on the Value of Dyslexia to Business, Coordinated with the latest World Economic Forum’s change in demand for core-related work-related skills 2015-2020, all industries by Made by Dyslexia and EY 
Synopsis:  

• “There needs to be a refocusing, now more than ever, of how dyslexic ability is viewed in the context of the changing world of work: schools must recognise dyslexia as a valuable way of thinking; understand the importance of discovering dyslexic challenges and strengths; and provide support which enables dyslexic individuals to reach their full potential. We hope this report will be the tipping point that enables the world to see the value of dyslexia and highlights why dyslexia should be a priority in schools. As this report shows, the working world can benefit from dyslexic minds.” —Kate Griggs Founder and CEO of Made by Dyslexia 
• “In this report, we analyse how dyslexic strengths match closely to the pressing skill requirements of the changing world and have provided recommendations to nurture and grow these abilities. Our findings show the huge benefits to be had from taking action to maximise dyslexic strengths. With this in mind, we trust our work will help in seeing the value of proactively educating, recruiting, developing and retaining those with dyslexia.” —Richard Addison, Dyslexia Network Partner Sponsor