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 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

Enlightened!!!!!

Beautifully written! My son was just diagnosed with ADHD and this helps me understand his prospective on life. Thank you!

This book is awesome!

I got diagnosed with ADHD when I was 12 (im 13 now) but I was too scared to speak up to the teachers and ask for the help I needed. This upcoming 8th grade year, I am going to do everything I can to succeed thanks to Focused by Allison Gerber.

Late ADHD Diagnosis

This book was wonderful, I found it very relatable. I grew up without the diagnoses of ADHD and went through many of the struggles that were described. I have never felt so understood and it was very healing to see that other people think so similarly to me. Most of my life I have felt very misunderstood and I had no idea so much of it was caused by ADHD. I really think family members of people who have ADHD should read this book.

Great ness to buy

This is the best book ever u need to read it it is great for all ages

Good but…ROMANCE?!

I was loving these book but romance! 🤢 She is 12 years old girl you have your whole life ahead of you plenty of time for that stuff. But otherwise the book was amazing! It seemed to be real her family her ADHD or formally as ADD. So yeah her story is great. But why does every story about a girl over 10 have to have romance😟( mines Jennifer Nielsen and Lauren Traries. Thank you guys )

Great Story and Narration

Focused is a book that tells a story of Clea Adams, a middle schooler who has problems with ADHD. Chess is her favorite thing at school. She has to take ADHD test that makes her miss two days at school and chess. She is worried because Mr. Lee, who is the teacher of chess, hates it when people are absent from practice and when they are late. Mr. Lee is the person who will select 12 people to play in chess tournaments and help the team win the championship. Clea really wants to be the top 12 at chess and does not like that she has to be at the test for ADHD, when she will be missing chess. Clea has a best friend named Red. His dad moved away with his girlfriend Barb, AKA Barf. Red is really sad and wants everything to be better. Hanley, Clea's small sister, believes that Clea is great at chess and going to win the tournament. With the help of Dr. Gold and Ms. Curtis, her friends and family, and her hard work, Clea has achieved her dreams.

Focused is a great book with a great idea. It is awesome for people who have ADHD. Mr. Lee is a great teacher and my favorite character. Great book for people who have troubles at school. Focused has got sad parts and funny parts. I give this book an A. Great characters and a great story of love, bullying, hope, and friendships.

Cassandra Morris did really well at narrating the story. She is my favorite narrator.

Kiril, 12 y.o.