Poppy’s Miracle written by Author Michelle Foulia is a heartwarming short story based on true events about ten year old Alex who meets a stray abandoned puppy whilst on holiday with his family in Greece. Alex is determined to take the puppy, who the family name Poppy, back home to England. He and his family must work together to find a solution and a miracle to overcome the obstacles standing in their way, so they can give the young pup the loving home she deserves.
In the narration of Poppy’s story the Author also raises awareness of ADHD from both the viewpoint of the child with ADHD (in the story, Alex) and the parent in understanding ADHD and how best to support and accept their child for who they are. But the Author then goes further by introducing Journal pages at the end of the story with activities to enable readers to process, understand their ADHD diagnosis or that of their loved one, and give further insight and support. Such a wonderful idea and I am sure that many readers will resonate with Poppy and Alex’s story and benefit from the additional activities introduced. The story moves forward at an appropriate pace and the characters are believable and easy for readers to connect with.
I really enjoyed the story and I also resonated with the writing and dialogue. The journal and the exercises introduced, along with dyslexia friendly writing are a wonderful and thoughtful addition to this neurodiverse novella. I award 5 stars.
