Kodi’s Adventures: How I Learned to Defeat the Time Snatcher

Kodi’s Adventures: How I Learned to Defeat the Time Snatcher

It’s the first day of middle school, and Kodi is ready for a new start. Goodbye to missed buses, lost papers, and incomplete homework, and hello to being on time, getting good grades, and having time for video games! But Kodi’s plans don’t go as he imagined. Day after day, time keeps getting away from him, and he feels defeated. What can be snatching his time away from him? With the help of his friend, Juan, and Mrs. Norton, the school speech-language pathologist, Kodi is about find out―and learn how to take time into his own hands. Mindy Hudon wrote this graphic novel as a tool for SLPs, educators, and caregivers to help children better understand how they can be successful in time management―a critical life skill. Readers will identify with Kodi’s setbacks and successes as he learns how to recognize his “time snatchers,” how to take control of his time, and how to become an effective time manager. Mindy shows how Kodi makes simple changes to get big results. Supplementary material includes easy, functional strategies to implement into daily sessions―both in the classroom and at home. Reader's Favorite 5-Star Review Time management and planning, the role of brain and executive functions, time estimation, and a time challenge, are all discussed in easily understood language concerning Kodi's daily routine. The book ends with several helpful exercises on time management and organization that readers can do. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has done a fine job with Kodi's Adventures to promote and clarify the role of the speech-language pathologist in schools. It should be a true asset in any school-related resource center, but especially at the middle school level. In my book, the main character Kodi is time challenged, which is causing havoc both at home and school. Kodi learns about the Time Snatcher and knows that he is the cause of all of his troubles, so he seeks help to defeat him. "Time snatchers" are anything that distracts you from completing a task, causing you to lose track of time. Some well-known "time snatchers" for children can include video games, television, toys and games, a person's own thoughts, looking for lost possessions, and even spending time with friends. The goal of this book is to help children identify their personal "time snatchers," then learning how to defeat them using strategies. Mindy Hudon, MS, CCC-SLP, is a practicing speech-language pathologist who has spent the majority of her career working with children and adults in clinical facilities, public schools, and private practice. Mindy specializes in executive function development, specifically in the area of time management. She is the creator of Creative Child magazine’s 2019 Educational Product of the Year, the Bee a Time Keeper® clock, a tool to help young children learn how to see and feel the passage of time. In her spare time, Mindy is president of Building Awareness Rocks, a nonprofit corporation that is dedicated to improving the lives of children with exceptionalities. Mindy has been published in newsstand magazines and blogs, and she is the speech and language expert advisor for 30Seconds.com, where she provides tips on speech and language issues, health, and just everyday mommy business!