The words ‘maths’, ‘test’ and ‘next week’ are all it takes to put Arun into a state of absolute gloom. It doesn’t matter how many times his family, teachers and neighbours tell him not to worry, he’ll do well, he just gets more and more anxious. Although he tries everything possible to get out of it – pretending to be ill, even staging a one-boy protest in the playground – nothing works and the day of the test comes round, like they always do.
Two things help Arun through it – wise advice from his kindly neighbour; and reassuring a classmate who’s even more nervous about it than he is. Serena Patel’s story is just the thing for anyone who worries, especially as Arun, his friends and family are such warm, recognisable characters, the setting so very real. Written for dyslexia specialists Barrington Stoke, it’s accessible to all readers too.
Arun will stop at nothing to get out of taking his Math’s test, even staging a protest again exams in his school playground. However, with a little help from an unlikely ally, will Arun realise that sometimes it’s better to face your fears, and discover that they’re perhaps not quite as scary as you first expected?
With a diverse cast of characters, Test Trouble fosters empathy and understanding and helps readers to realise they are far from alone in feeling anxious and stressed about performing academically under pressure.
Maths test? Nightmare! Arun is determined to get out of a Maths test at school. But how? A school-wide protest against all tests? Pretending to be sick? He’s ready to try anything, but maybe he’s not the only one who feels this way, and maybe in the end it’s better to face your fears?
Watch Serena introduce Test Trouble
Barrington Stoke is the foremost publisher of dyslexia friendly books and those for reluctant readers. Here on Lovereading4kids we are constantly selecting new titles and refreshing our special dyslexia friendly category.
Click here to view our current selection which is broken down by age range.
'A fabulous read, and a reminder for children – especially in the age of social media – that other people’s lives and families are just as imperfect as their own.' – BookTrust
'Lighthearted and perceptive... Serena Patel delivers a heart-warming, modern and chaotic family comedy' - A Word About Books
Author
About Serena Patel
Serena Patel is the author of the bestselling Anisha, Accidental Detective series, the first of which won the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Award in 2020. Her books revolve around friendship and family, and she believes all children deserve to feel seen in the stories that they read.
She was shortlisted for the Asian Writer Short Story Prize in 2017 and was a finalist in the Undiscovered Voices Anthology in 2018. She is also a member of the Golden Egg Academy and SCWBI.
