Me and My Brian
As seen:
By Helen Rutter, and and, Claudia Petrazzi
avg rating
3 reviews
With help from his grandma, Josh finds a way to quieten his overactive ‘Brian’ in this gently humorous and empathetic tale about family and mental health by bestseller Helen Rutter.
Josh has always called his brain Brian, and Brian can sometimes be his best friend, helping Josh with tests and giving him brilliant moneymaking ideas. But he can also be Josh’s worst enemy, keeping him awake at night worrying, and telling him that his family’s problems are all Josh’s fault. When the arguments at home get really bad, Josh is sent to live with his grandma, who lives in a weird shack in the middle of nowhere. At first Brian’s voice gets louder and louder, and Josh feels out of control. But as he helps his grandma in the garden, growing their own food, and with all the jobs that need to be done around the shack, Josh starts to realise that she understands him and Brian better than anyone. TweetReviews
Helen Rutter's books are always fantastic and "Me and My Brian" is no exception (and it's dyslexia-friendly!) Josh has always called his brain Brian, and Brian can sometimes be his best friend, helping Josh with tests and giving him brilliant moneymaking ideas. Brian can also be Josh’s worst enemy, blaming him for all the family problems and keeping him awake at night worrying. When Josh’s older brother has had enough and goes to live with their dad, Josh is sent to live with his grandma, who lives in a weird shack in the middle of nowhere. At first Brian’s voice gets louder and louder, and Josh feels out of control. But as he helps his grandma in the garden, growing their own food, and with all the jobs that need to be done around the shack, Josh starts to realise that she understands him and Brian better than anyone. This is a funny and moving story about family and mental health. Recommended.
This great short novel explores the difficulties main character Josh has with his overactive brain 'Brian'. Brian can be brilliant - but also Josh's worst enemy; loud and mean and at times overwhelming. A spell with Grandma in the countryside enables Josh to experience both a different way of life and, with grandma's help, a way of coping with Brian.
With short chapters and a wholly accessible format thanks to Barrington Stoke, the novel addresses mental health and it's impact upon life, school and relationships explained with care. A good conversation starter for 9-12s.
Love it! Love Helen Rutter's books anyone, and this is brilliant. Josh's brain is called Brian...and Brian is getting way too loud. Josh gets upset and runs away from school one day. Mum arranges for Josh to go and stay with his Gran - who he doesn't even know because she and mum had a row a long time ago. Gran lives in the middle of nowhere, in a little hut. Josh soon learns that Gran ran away from her old life because her brain was too loud as well. How will he cope without her, back in normal life? He gets very angry about the fact she cannot return.
