A girl describes the hectic life she leads among the members of her large family, and her search for a little peace and quiet.

Bright and brassy, this youngster will win over readers in a split second and leave them hoping for more of her trials and tribulations.--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review). Full color.

A girl describes the hectic life she leads among the members of her large family, and her search for a little peace and quiet.

‘He’ll grow out of it,’ my friends told me. ‘He’s so intelligent,’ my family said. ‘Your parents are mathematicians,’ people reminded me. ‘What did you expect?’ What did I expect? We expect many things of our children. Most of the time we are only aware of these expectations when something happens to make it impossible for them to be fulfilled. When Ben is a baby, Rachel puts his behavioural quirks down to eccentricity. He likes to count letterboxes; he hates to get his hands dirty; loud noises make him anxious. But as Ben grows and his quirks become more pronounced, it becomes clear there is something else going on. When he is diagnosed with autism, Rachel must reconsider everything she thought she knew about parenting, about Ben, and about how best to mother him. Reaching One Thousand charts her quest to understand autism and to build a new kind of relationship with her son. Exquisitely written, this is a thought-provoking reflection on family and understanding and a tender love letter from a mother to her son. Shortlisted for the 2013 National Biography Award. ‘Rachel Robertson has achieved something incredible with Reaching One Thousand. Infused with lyricism, love, respect, nuance and open-minded curiosity, this is the best book I've read about a parent seeking to understand the interior life of her child, and the experience of autism. An intimate and moving tour de force.’ —Natasha Mitchell, ABC Radio National ‘Deeply touching but never sentimental, this remarkable book is more than a story of one boy and his mother. It’s a thoughtful meditation on the intricate workings of the human mind and heart.’ —Toni Jordan ‘This is the best kind of memoir – there is a beautiful calm clarity that drew me in, and held me until the end.’ —Georgia Blain ‘Reaching One Thousand is an exceptional achievement. Rachel Robertson’s deeply moving story of raising her autistic son has a kind of quiet truthfulness, born of uncommon powers of observation, wry humour, a capacity to pay attention to what matters, and a fine moral intelligence.’ —Anne Manne, author of Motherhood and The Story of I ‘Robertson eloquently captured not just the trials of autism but also the rewards of being exposed to her son’s unique view of the world.’ —Weekend Australian

Introduce students to literary texts to help them become active and enthusiastic readers! This practical resource provides experienced and novice teachers with a variety of literature that can be implemented into the elementary classroom. Background information and fiction book recommendations are provided for key topics. From alphabet books to poetry, chapter books to read-alouds, this teacher-friendly resource is a must-have!

The endearing, utterly entertaining Clarice Bean is the star of three full-length adventures featuring Child's wacky wit and eccentric visual energy. This boxed set contains Uttlery Me, Clarice Bean, Clarice Bean Spells Trouble, and Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now.

History is constantly evolving, and the history of children’s literature is no exception. Since the original publication of Emer O’Sullivan’s Historical Dictionary of Children’s Literature in 2010, much has happened in the field of children’s literature. New authors have come into print, new books have won awards, and new ideas have entered the discourse within children’s literature studies. Historical Dictionary of Children's Literature, Second Edition contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has more than 700 cross-referenced entries. This book will be an excellent resource for students, scholars, researchers, and anyone interested in the field of children’s literature studies.