The Big Aquarium Adventure

Stephen, a fourth grader, visits The Big Aquarium to look at many wild sea animals. But someone asks Stephen to touch a sea animal, and his body feels so scared that his hands are shaking.

What will Stephen do next?

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The Big Aquarium Adventure is the first in the series from Alex and Jordan Explores! An early chapter book with 3000 words and amazing full-color art is in a new Developmental format created with struggling readers in mind-ESL learners, too.

Reading comprehension skills and routines are embedded. Kids learn to pause and think about what they are reading. It has sensory-friendly-colors, fonts, and themes for neurodivergent learners and upper elementary school content in science and social studies.

It's informational fiction like The Magic School bus-minus the magic! 5th graders Alex & Jordan, explore Stephen's visit to The Big Aquarium with an interview and research. Alex questions Stephen about marine life, and how frogs helped him handle a very upsetting event. Jordan creates a nonfiction report with animals' size, habitat, and life cycles.

Then together, Alex and Jordan write the story titled, Stephen's visit to the Aquarium. Alex and Jordan finish up with a letter to the reader explaining the educational resources and website links in the backmatter.

Note: Although this book features characters who are neurodivergent, the story is not about that, nor mentioned specifically. However, illustrations and themes subtly depict sensory-processing differences.

It is safe to say that this book is written for, and about, neurodivergent readers, but it is not only for neurodivergent readers. Anyone ready for early chapter books will be drawn to the animal facts and Stephen's story in The Big Aquarium Adventure.

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Author Bio

Learn More About Nancy

Nancy Roop promotes neurodiversity and inclusion by publishing developmental books and speaking at educational conferences—or to anyone, anywhere.

Her early chapter books have embedded comprehension strategies, so readers learn how to extract meaning from books. These developmental books look like traditional books, but are sensory-friendly, model social connections, and support self-regulation.

Roop is also a favorite Substitute Teacher in local Special Ed classrooms. She lives with her family near Detroit, Michigan and has a BA in Integrative Studies from Oakland University.

Her thesis, Developmental Texts for Students with Autism; a Safe Space in the Written World, is available at DevelopmentalTexts.com.

Illustrator Bio

“Mariana Boune is currently writing and illustrating her own kidlit graphic novels. Her work is known online as M.RYBO.”

What People are Saying!

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