Jeni and Her Red Thumb is an informative, realistic, and yet humorous story about a school age girl who still sucks her thumb but is trying to stop. This book is meant for a child (pre-K through 3rd grade) to read with an adult. It was written by a psychologist, Denise M. Driscoll, Ph.D., and illustrated with the help of an elementary school girl, Shaylyn Trumble. The book would be a welcome addition to private homes, pre-schools, day care centers, libraries, church nurseries, doctor, dental and orthodontist offices, as well as other child health care centers or programs. There are three chapters. In Chapter 1, Needing to Thumb Suck, Jeni talks with her mommy about when she really needs to suck her thumb (e.g., long car rides; trying to fall asleep). Her mommy sympathizes and remembers an ultrasound picture showing that Jeni sucked her thumb before she was even born! This chapter is designed to underscore to children why it is so difficult to stop thumb sucking. In Chapter 2, The Problem with Thumb Sucking, Jeni talks with her mommy about why she shouldn't be sucking her thumb (e.g., it makes her thumb red and sore). Her mommy mentions other reasons (e.g., Jeni's permanent teeth may not come in correctly; Jeni may get sick if germs on her thumb get put into her mouth). This chapter is designed to reinforce to children the many and varied reasons why they shouldn't suck their thumb. In Chapter 3, Trying to Stop Thumb Sucking, Jeni tries to stop, but each attempt backfires or fails in ways designed to get you giggling together (e.g., Jeni's mommy puts hot stuff on Jeni's thumb nail... but it turns out, Jeni likes the taste!). This chapter is designed to empower children to try, and try again, to stop sucking their thumb. And watch out for the surprise ending! It will hopefully make you both smile and remember that thumb sucking is just a habit... and with encouragement, support, and inventiveness it, too, will pass. Happy Reading!
About the Author: Denise M. Driscoll, Ph.D., is a psychologist who has published articles and book chapters in the areas of person impression formation, stereotyping, diversity, intergroup relations, and attitude and persuasion. Dr. Driscoll received her B.A. in 1986 from Indiana University, Bloomington, and her Ph.D. in 1992 from the University of California, Santa Barbara. From 1991 to 1998, Dr. Driscoll was a Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University with teaching and research interests in how we form impressions of other people, particularly when we already have some initial expectation about group(s) to which they belong. In 1999, Dr. Driscoll was a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Research on Group Processes at the University of Queensland, Australia; there she researched ongoing diversity initiatives in Australia. In 2000, Dr. Driscoll returned to Purdue, accepting an administrative position as Diversity Resource Specialist for the Office of the Vice President for Human Relations. From 2000 to 2007, she played a major role in two assessments of Purdue's diversity climate, wrote grants to help fund diversity related programs (i.e., www.purdue.edu/lsamp/), created surveys to assess diversity initiatives, advised schools, colleges, units, other universities, local government and businesses about diversity best practices, as well as developed, facilitated, and assessed diversity training programs for faculty, staff, graduate students, and individuals in the community. Now, she uses her faculty and administrative expertise to inform her book ventures and her diversity consulting company, Diversity Competency, LLC. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University with research and training interests in how to improve the diversity competency of companies, non-profits, and government agencies. Dr. Driscoll lives in West Lafayette, Indiana, with her husband, two children, and a Hanoverian mare that she rides and shows in dressage. For more details about her educational background and publications, please see driscoll.socialpsychology.org, diversitycompetency.com, or www.linkedin.com/in/dmdriscoll.