Book By: Jennie Harding
Reviewed By: Sunita Murty, M.S. OTR/L
Published/Produced By: Sensory World

“Ellie Bean the Drama Queen” by Jennie Harding is a cute book for children and adults offering insight into Ellie’s dramatic behaviors. Her over-reactive behaviors towards seemingly minor situations are simply and clearly explained for anyone to empathize with and understand. Ellie’s behaviors show the challenges of growing up with sensory processing disorder (SPD) in an easy to understand manner. The benefits of receiving sensory-based occupational therapy to help normalize, deal with and overcome her uncomfortable feeling to be able to verbalize her feelings and deal with them appropriately are encouraging for families and children dealing with SPD. As an occupational therapist myself, I love to see books like this which are easy to read and relate to for my clients and their families. Dealing with SPD is a challenge; seeing and knowing that there are resources out there to help is encouraging for families. This book is easy to follow with colorful and well-drawn images for children to understand.
Featured Book Reviewer: Sunity Murty, M.S., OTR/L
Sunita has been working with children with special needs since 1998 and as a pediatric occupational therapist since 2004. Sunita received her Masters of Science degree in occupational therapy at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO. Her experience includes working with children with austim spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, trisomy 21, developmental delays, failure to thrive, stroke as well as rare genetic and orthopedic conditions. Sunita has received specialized training in Craniosacral Therapy, Sensory Integration techniques, Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears, Greenspan’s Floortime Approach, Interactive Metronome, Wilbarger Protocols, Beckman Oral-Motor Assessment and Treatment Protocol and numerous courses in fine motor, visual-motor, sensory interventions and feeding/dysphagia treatment. Sunita currently works as the OT clinical coordinator for Pediastaff and also owns and manages a pediatric therapy clinic called Imagination Therapy. Her passion lies in helping children and their families understand Sensory Processing Disorder to help children live up to their highest potential.