Author Description

Key Selling Points In this funny and feel-good story of helping and heroism, quirky Brianna Ross misses out on being Helper of the Day when a substitute teacher takes over the class. But she realizes that by adjusting her expectations and adapting to new circumstances, she can still be a helper without the title. Readers who have experienced big feelings, social struggles, emotional dysregulation or difficulties with attention will find Brianna a sympathetic and relatable character. Although Brianna doesn't have a diagnosis through which to understand her challenges, her family and school do their best to offer support, guidance and kindness as she navigates the everyday ins and outs of school. Brianna comes from a lower-income family and has recently moved in with her grandmother after her parents separated and her dad moved away. She is grappling with these changes as she navigates her struggles at school. She relates her adjustment to that of a brand-new teacher who is subbing for the day. Author Lana Button has a passion for social-emotional literacy and found inspiration for this story from her experiences as an early childhood educator and parent. Growing up, her own nickname was Lana Banana! Illustrator Suharu Ogawa is Japanese Canadian and immigrated as a teenager. Suharu's playful illustrations bring Brianna's unique and humorous voice to life. This high readability book features a dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper and increased line spacing to increase accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers.