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Me and My Brian

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Book Synopsis

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.

Our Review Panel says...

Me and My Brian by Helen Rutter is an engaging and accessible KS2 novel that is ideal for classroom use. Told with warmth and humour, the story explores children’s mental health – particularly ADHD and anxious thinking – in a way that is reassuring, relatable, and easy for children to understand.

The clear narrative voice helps normalise conversations around emotions, worries, and “busy brains,” making it especially useful for PSHE, wellbeing lessons, or guided reading.

The book also highlights the value of intergenerational relationships, showing how children and adults can support one another through listening, empathy, and shared experiences. Practical strategies for managing emotions are woven naturally into the story, encouraging self-reflection without feeling instructional.

Me and My Brain is a thoughtful, inclusive text that opens up meaningful discussion around mental health, self-acceptance, and emotional literacy, making it a valuable addition to any primary or lower secondary classroom.

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Me and My Brian: Teaching Resources

A resource pack provided by the publisher to accompany the book Me and My Brian.

Me and My Brian

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