Nicki Nice’s Tricky Letters by Dr. Fran White

Do you remember reading The Little Engine that Could as a child? "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." The engine succeeded in making it up the hill. It was a simple story with a simple message. You can overcome an obstacle such as a hill by encouraging yourself to keep trying and not give up. Such is the message of Nicki Nice’s Tricky Letters by Dr. Fran White. Nicky has dyslexia and so has much difficulty learning to read in school. She, like the little engine, encourages herself to “Try and try and try and never give up.” She repeats similar mantras throughout the book. With help from her tutor, teacher and mother Nicki succeeds in learning to read and overcoming her obstacle of dyslexia.

Whether your child suffers from dyslexia or needs encouragement to overcome another obstacle, this would be a good book to read and discuss with them. It teaches the value of overcoming obstacles by the virtue of persistence. The child will be able to relate to Nicki’s feelings and frustrations and will be encouraged not to quit.