For retired special education teacher and current Brescia University professor Rena Fulkerson, the inspiration behind her debut children’s book came from a familiar place: her granddaughter, Rylee.
“Glitter Thoughts and Dino Daydreams” follows a young girl who is learning to embrace life with ADHD. Rylee might get distracted by dinosaurs during math, turn glitter glue into a full-blown situation, or spin in circles while others sit still. But as Fulkerson explains, that doesn’t mean something is wrong with her.
“She has a fast-moving brain, but there’s nothing wrong with her,” Fulkerson said. “Kids like Rylee hear negative things all the time — ‘You forgot this, you’re not paying attention’ — but I wanted to flip the narrative. These kids are imaginative, compassionate, and creative. They just need someone to help them channel it.”
Fulkerson spent 27 years teaching in Ohio County and Owensboro Public Schools and said she’s worked with hundreds of “Rylees” over the years. Now a professor and coordinator of elementary education at Brescia University, she still encounters students with ADHD and sees value in helping future teachers learn how to support children with similar challenges.
“I’ll definitely use the book in my classroom,” she said. “It shows what a real kid in your class might be like. Rylee was reading on a sixth-grade level in second grade. Her ability was never the problem. It was focus.”
The book was officially released this summer and draws inspiration from Rylee’s third-grade year. One moment in particular made it into the story: when her teacher called on her during a math lesson and Rylee, not knowing the answer, blurted out “cheeseburger.”
“Her teacher, Lauren Magill, handled it beautifully,” Fulkerson said. “She embraced Rylee for who she was. And that’s what the book is really about — helping kids like her understand their brain isn’t something to fix. It’s something to understand and celebrate.”
Fulkerson said she hopes it becomes a classroom staple, especially for social-emotional learning.
“I just want teachers to remember that the wiggly kid in the back might be the most imaginative one in the room,” she said. “Instead of saying ‘Stop, stop, stop,’ ask them, ‘Tell me your idea.’ You might be surprised.”
“Glitter Thoughts and Dino Daydreams” is available now on Amazon.
