Maddy and Her Great Big Wave

Quick Look

• Maddy's overwhelm is represented through the metaphor of a wave which builds with sensory triggers before crashing down and flowing away again
• Kelpies Prize-winning author Rebekah Fieschi writes from her own personal experience with neurodiversity and big emotions
• Promotes empathy and understanding, emphasising that Maddy sometimes feels like sparkly fireworks and sometimes like choppy seas, and that it's okay to be both
• The lively and delightful story naturally highlights common coping strategies while also showcasing Maddy's acceptance of herself and understanding from those around her
• Expressive illustrations from Valerya Milovanova are full of colour, energy and motion, beautifully conveying Maddy's fluid internal world

Maddy is often as sparkly as fireworks but, on some days, her sensory overload feels like a Great Big Wave. An expressive, authentic and sensitively written picture book about an autistic child's experience of the world, with evocative illustrations.

Description

Maddy is often as sparkly as fireworks. But sometimes she is as choppy as the sea...

When the lights are too bright, the cereal too soggy and the room too busy, Maddy feels overwhelmed, and that's when her wave rolls in.

Sometimes she can calm the wave by jiggling her legs, running around or singing a song, but sometimes it's too loud and too MUCH and the swirling water becomes a Great, Big, Wave.

But when the wave passes, Maddy can sparkle again.

Inspired by her own experiences, Rebekah Fieschi shares a warm, accepting story of a neurodivergent child's everyday world, where highs are sparkly and overwhelm ebbs, flows and sometimes crashes. Expressively illustrated by Valerya Milovanova, this insightful picture book encourages both children and caregivers to understand and empathise with a different way of experiencing the world.

Author

Rebekah Fieschi is a writer and filmmaker from Corsica. Her award-winning short films have played in festivals around the world. Rebekah's debut picture book, Maddy and Her Great Big Wave, was developed after she won the Kelpies Prize for Writing in 2023, and aims to normalise the experiences of neurodivergent children. Rebekah lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she lives with her husband and their chatty cat.

Valerya Milovanova is an illustrator and university lecturer who has illustrated numerous books for children. Passionate about STEM education and history, she loves creating illustrations that make complex ideas engaging for young readers. Valerya is based in London, England.