At some time or another one the thing most, dyslexics will struggle with is converting those wonderful thought their head into the written word on screen or page. So, when even we come across a dyslexic whose beaten the odds and published their own book authored book, it’s something we love to shout about it.

This time we’re shouting about a new book by Amber Lee Dodd. Growing up Amber was known as ‘the kid who couldn’t read’ but once she was diagnosed with dyslexia and was put into Special Education she began to ‘devour’ every book she could get her hands on.

Fast-forward to 2019 and Ambre has become a master of the written word. Her plays have been performed at Chichester Festival Theatre, the New Theatre Royal and the Edinburgh Fringe and her first novel, We Are Giants, was nominated for ten awards including the Branford Boase.

Amber Lee Dodd’s new book, Lightning Chase Me Home, presents us with this warm-hearted, engaging story with a heroine you’ll love. It is a novel of courage and strength for everyone. Deftly touching on sensitive subjects such as dyslexia and absent parents, it is a book about learning to forgive and finding new ways to become a family. Here we see how the difficulties in life could somehow turn into a factor to make us better, braver and stronger.

The story:

Amelia Hester McLeod is named after two of her mum’s favourite fearless explorers: Amelia Earhart and Lady Hester Stanhope. But Amelia doesn’t always feel very brave. She lives on the tiny Scottish island of Dark Muir, her mum has abandoned her and she’s about to start at a whole new, scary school. Her dyslexia means she’s a target for the school bullies, too.

When she makes a wish on her birthday to be reunited with her mum, she finds herself quite literally disappearing at times of stress and reappearing elsewhere on the island, where she finds clues of her parents’ past.

Can she harness this strange magic to find her mum? Will her Dad, sad and silent since her mum’s departure, start to pay her more attention? Will she find the courage to forge her own path?

Lightning Chase Me Home is out now. You can get a copy via here:

Get to know more about the author, follow her @AmberLeeDodd │ #LightningChaseMeHome │ @ScholasticUK


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