Aala Abdullahi

Grownup for a Week (Mental Illness Awareness) Aala Abdullahi

Written by Aala Abdullahi Illustrated by Agata Garbowska In Jonathan's mind, turning ten means he's all grown up! But he is put to the test when his father leaves on a business trip for a whole week, leaving Jonathan to care for his mentally ill mother and troublesome little sister?--?all while starting at a new school in a new neighborhood with no friends at all. Soon, everything starts to go wrong. Determined to prove that he is a grownup and can make good decisions, Jonathan sets out to return things to normal before his father's return. Can he do it in time? 
Grownup For A Week is the first of a new, exciting series that feature children whose sibling, or parent, has been diagnosed with a mental illness. Each book in the Mental Illness Awareness series will highlight, and focus on, a specific mental disorder. The primary goal of these books are not to teach or relay the symptoms of these mental disorders, but to examine how the main characters react and come to terms with the diagnosis of a family member. Ultimately, this series aims to help children who are dealing with mental illness (in any way) find solace, comfort and common ground in the struggles of the children within these stories. Through these books, children will come to understand the importance of finding ways to cope with the significant changes brought about in their lives, learn that it is all right to find it challenging at times, and that it is quite normal to meet obstacles along the way.