The Incredibly Busy Mind of Bowen Bartholomew Crisp by Paul Russell Nicky Johnston

Bowen Bartholomew Crisp's mind doesn't work like that of most children - it's almost as big as his name! When he is asked about the colour of the ocean, his is not the first hand up to answer because he is thinking - he knows that the top can be green or blue depending on the sky, that the waves crash white but in the depths where no sunlight reaches it is black as the darkest night; he's heard of the Black Sea, the Red Sea and the Yellow river; he knows that algae can turn oceans green, brown, red or blue - but by the time he has decided on his answer the teacher has picked someone else.

The most ordinary, everyday things spark deep questions to ponder on and consider but while he is doing that, his teachers, his friends, his family have all moved on. Except his mother - she seems to have the patience to appreciate the moment, be in the here and now and understand her son's need to wonder and takes the time to let him have the time.

This is a unique story that follows Bowen as he grows up, always the outsider because of his propensity to look at all the angles, to see the world through a different lens. And it is not until he is grown up that his thought processes come into their own, and are at last appreciated. Bowen finds his place in the world.

There are many children like Bowen who don't "fit the mould". who take a different path to their peers and who often fall by the wayside, succumbing to all sorts of mental health issues as they struggle to be what other people expect rather than themselves, doubt their self-worth and underestimate their potential. The teachers' notes offer great insight into the story behind this story and suggest how we can put ourselves into Bowen's shoes by putting ourselves into one of the situations he finds himself him and using a variety of thinking tools such as De Bono's Six Hats to gain a new perspective. Instead of paying lip-service to diversity we can experience it and develop greater understanding and empathy.

Bowen Bartholomew Crisp's incredibly busy mind shows the need for us to open ours and even enables us to do so.

Barbara Braxton