Middle Grade Mystery Book Featuring a Girl Spy with Down Syndrome – Sam’s Top Secret Journal

from Special Needs Book Review:
Folks at Special Needs Book Review are pleased to introduce you to a great middle grade mystery book, Sam’s Top Secret Journal: Book One – We Spy  by Dr. Sean Adelman. What is unique about this middle reader chapter book is that the main character is a tween with Down syndrome (DS). Dr. Adelman’s spy girl, Sam, is based on his own daughter, now 16 yrs, who has Down syndrome.
Teachers and parents will be happy to find a mystery/adventure for preteens and teens that meshes bullying, disabilities and a tween girl as main character. This is not a “how to” book, but a fun book for all kids to read and be introduced to a person with Down syndrome.
The author wrote he wanted to create characters that people could relate to and be inspired by.  In all of the reading he did with his kids he did not come across a story with a main character with Down syndrome.  Sam is a wonderful character and all the things she does in the books are based on his daughter’s abilities.
The other reason for writing this book, first of what he hopes will become a series,  Dr. Adelman says is to raise funds for inclusion programs and research.  At least 25% of the profits are donated to inclusion non-profits and/or wounded soldier charities.
We thank Dr. Sean Adelman for writing this great guest post introducing his middle grade mystery book and agreeing to an online interview.

Guest Post by Dr. Sean Adelman

 Middle Grade Mystery Book Featuring a Girl Spy with Down Syndrome

Sam’s Top Secret Journal: Book One – We Spy

Sam’s Top Secret Journal  is a fun and inspiring adventure mystery aimed at middle grade readers. It is a fictional story, but all of the things the protagonist does are things she is capable of doing in real life.  A Nancy Drew style Adventure/Mystery where the protagonist has Down Syndrome.
Trying to express the reason I wrote the book, and continuing series is very hard.  Why would an orthopedic surgeon decided to write a children’s book?  Inspiration comes in many forms.  In my case it came in the realization that my daughter was making me a better person.  Every time we got to the point where people thought she couldn’t do something, she invariably would prove them wrong.  I wanted to share with other children and families that all kids are capable, but I didn’t want to do it in a textbook.  I wanted to create a fun but fictional character who could also be inspirational.  I want this to be a book that classmates, siblings and kids with different abilities could all enjoy.
The target audience is children 8-12 and families with younger children as read aloud chapter book.

Excerpt from Sam’s Top Secret Journal:
The next afternoon, Sam and John were in his bedroom, huddled over his desk, creating a detailed drawing of the farmers market for their spy mission that night. Sam couldn’t believe it was Thursday already ─ just two more days until the big basketball game and the play performance at the rec center on Saturday, and only one day until Uncle Alex arrived. She hoped they could solve the mystery of the missing money before he got there, and this drawing was a big part of their plan.

Author Bio:  Sean Adelman is a practicing orthopedic surgeon in Seattle, Washington.  Sean is an advocate for exceptional kids and enjoys his free time with his lovely wife, Susan, and his three children. When he’s not busy being a dad, surgeon, and author, he can be found running or playing classic rock and roll on his electric guitar.
See web site, Raise Expectations, LLC – Different Abilities Make Us ALL Special  
Raise Expectations Facebook page - This page is to share information, joy and resources for families touched by disabilities.

About the Illustrator:  Dianna Bonder is the artist who did the cover for Sam’s Top Secret Journal. She is an Author/Illustrator on Gabriella Island in British Columbia, Canada.
Ms. Bonder studied Fashion Illustration, Fine Arts, Graphic Design and Book Illustration. After completing school, she then went on to work as a commerical artist for several years before venturing seriously into children’s literature. Now working on her 13th children’s book she finds herself constantly curious and thrilled by creating new stories and illustrations.  Dianna also teaches workshops, and speak with school groups, libraries, and artists of all ages about my career and work. Visite her site here.

Buy the Book – paperback or Kindle: Amazon.com  Amazon.ca