For Editors and Agents
Sample pages for Outside the Box: The Dyslexia Graphic Novel
PAGE 1
PANEL 1
We see a close-up of fingers holding a pencil so tightly that the index finger is bent back a little.
NO DIALOGUE
PAGE 2
PANEL 1
We’ve pulled back a little to see ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) writing a report in class. She has difficulty physically writing – a common problem in dyslexics – so she hunches over her paper to support her writing hand. The index finger holding the pencil is bent back.
ZARA wears a head scarf because she is Muslim.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 2
In ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)’s imagination, she sees a natural sandstone arch, a beautiful bridge, a sculpture, a clown fish, and in the foreground, a bat.
ZARA has written “The wrl is ful for wuntrfl thins …”
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
The world is full of wonderful things …
PANEL 3
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) is devastated. The paper on her desk has a “D” on it, with lots of red marks in felt-tipped marker. Beneath that is “See me after class.”
ZARA’s best friend, LEIA (FLUENT GIRL), sits to the right of ZARA as they look at their returned papers. LEIA is Hispanic. The paper on her desk has an “A” and a happy face on it. We can see LEIA’s name written at the top.
ZARA calls her bestie “Le” because ZARA can’t hear the separate sounds of the word.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Le, you read so easily! The letters all look the same to me.
LEIA (FLUENT GIRL)
Maybe you’re like Nate …
PAGE 3
PANEL 1
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) and LEIA (FLUENT GIRL) are in the background, looking at NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY).
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is in the background, filming the class with a camera on a tripod.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) and HENRY (FLUENT BOY) read in class.
NATE is White. He is wearing a superhero T-shirt.
HENRY is Asian-American.
NATE’s book is about trebuchets (pronounced “TREB oo shays”), medieval siege weapons that flings heavy objects into castle walls to break them down. His book reads “… stone balls thrown from trebuchets to break down castle walls.”
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) (SMALL)
… thrown … for … treb … u … chets … it …
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
… no, that’s not right …
PANEL 2
HENRY (FLUENT BOY) looks at NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY).
NATE responds.
HENRY (FLUENT BOY)
Nate, you’re so smart. How come you have so much trouble reading?
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
I have trouble reading because I’m dyslexic …
HENRY (FLUENT BOY)
What does that even mean?
PANEL 3
MS. TATE stands at the front of the classroom, gesturing with her felt-tipped pen. She is wearing a tasteful sweater-blouse ensemble in a pastel color. The light-colored sweater is important later.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is packing up his camera.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL), NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) and HENRY (FLUENT BOY), as well as other kids are putting their things away and standing up.
MS. TATE (TEACHER)
Time to put your things away! See you tomorrow …
MS. TATE (TEACHER)
Remember … if you are doing the extra credit science fair, be thinking about a partner and a project …
PANEL 4
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) stops NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) outside the school. Nobody else is nearby to overhear her question. ZARA is worried somebody will know she thinks she might be dyslexic.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Nate, can I ask you a question?
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) (SMALL)
How do you know if you’re dyslexic?
PANEL 5
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) explains to ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL).
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
Letters and words float around on the page. And I have trouble remembering the right word sometimes.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Me too!
PANEL 6
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) talks to NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) outside the school.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
You know Malik, the guy who’s been studying learning disabilities here at the school?
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Yeah … he and his assistant have even been filming in our class!
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
He’s putting up his first YouTube video on dyslexia tonight. I’m going to watch it. Maybe you should, too.
PAGE 4
PANEL 1
This panel stretches across the top of the page.
Mid distance shot of NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) as he walks home with GYRUS, his DOG.
In his imagination, NATE wears a superhero costume, and carries a futuristic crossbow.
There are lots of random images and ideas floating in NATE’s imagination — shoes, a cat, the word “dyslexia”, water spraying, tacos, fire, and the “great idea” light bulb. The ideas wander, unaware that NATE is hunting them. As many as possible are represented as realistic images, not abstractions, cartoons or words.
GYRUS (DOG) is a border collie — smart, sleek, stylish. He has a white face with small dark eyebrow-like patches – called ‘pumpkin seeds’ — above his eyes so we can see his expression.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) (THOUGHT)
Imaginario is stalking an elusive idea … he lets his mind wander … he’s on the hunt!
PANEL 2
As NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) walks GYRUS (DOG), he lets his mind wander. In his imagination, some of the random ideas bump into each other with a flash — shoes and water spraying on NATE’s face.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 3
In NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)’s imagination, the shoes and water sprayers merge to produce a pump in his shoe with a hose that runs up his back to spray water onto his face.
NATE looks cool and relaxed, with a slight smile on his face.
NO DIALOGUE
PAGE 5
PANEL 1
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) walks GYRUS (DOG). He lets his mind wander. He’s relaxed. The floating ideas are still there in his imagination, unaware that he is stalking them. Random ideas of tacos and fire bump into each other with a flash.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 2
In NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)’s imagination, tacos and fire bump together to produce flaming tacos — to NATE’s delight, but to the alarm of the other diners in his imagination.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 3
As NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) walks GYRUS (DOG), his thoughts continue to drift. The word “dyslexia” and the “great idea” light bulb bumps into each other with a flash.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 4
In NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)’s imagination, he’s skewered “dyslexia” and the “great idea” light bulb with a crossbow bolt. The light bulb glows in fabulous colors. NATE is satisfied.
SFX
FHTOOP!
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) (THOUGHT)
Aha! I’ve got it!
PAGE 6
PANEL 1
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is getting ready for his YouTube video.
MALIK is wearing a superhero T-shirt, different from NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)’s.
His ASSISTANT glances at MALIK’s superhero T-shirt as she hands him a lab coat.
MALIK reluctantly takes the lab coat.
A camera on a tripod is pointed towards a SMARTBOARD. Around the stage are photographs of successful dyslexics in fancy frames, a poster of various Fibonacci-sequence spirals, an Escher print and a large abstract photograph. Later in the book we will zoom in on each of these.
ASSISTANT
You shouldn’t be wearing that T-shirt …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Why not? It shows my super-hero inner self!
ASSISTANT
It doesn’t look very science-y.
PANEL 2
MALIK puts the lab coat on. We can still see the T-shirt underneath it.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But good science needs both facts we know, and creative solutions we imagine …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
… and it can take a superhero to put them together!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Sigh.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT) (SMALL)
I’m still a superhero.
PANEL 3
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) starts his YouTube video. He is wearing the lab coat over his superhero T-shirt, and we see it periodically through the book as the lab coat gapes open.
His ASSISTANT stands behind the camera so she can keep it trained on MALIK as he moves around his set.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Welcome fellow dyslexics, and those who love them!
I’m Malik Johnson. I study learning disabilities … and I’m a dyslexic myself!
PANEL 4
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) watches Malik’s YouTube video on dyslexia on her laptop.
Montage of MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) as he moves around the set to his smartboard and various pictures of famous dyslexics and images of the brain (all discussed later in the book).
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
What it takes to read fluently …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Dyslexics brains are wired differently …
PANEL 5
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) sits up and points excitedly to her laptop screen.
Laptop shows a clip of ZARA working at her desk.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Hey! That’s me he’s showing on the screen!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (OFF)
… they have lots of ideas at once …
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
And that’s how I think!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (OFF)
… gives them amazing creativity …
PANEL 6
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) is watching the YouTube video on dyslexia.
Her head is spinning with all the ideas MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) has suggested — the inner workings of brains, the Fibonacci sequence, the abstract painting, fireflies, Archimedes (all discussed later in the book).
MALIK concludes his YouTube video.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Thank you and good night …
PAGE 7
PANEL 1
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) and ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) talking outside the school.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
I can’t stop thinking about Malik’s YouTube video last night …
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
His special effects were awesome! It was like he was inside my head, explaining everything!
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Right!
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) (CONT)
And I keep thinking about parts of my life that make sense now …
PANEL 2
PANEL has cloud borders to indicate that this is a memory.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is in an inset in ZARA’s memory.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) remembers when her bestie LEIA (FLUENT GIRL) was about 6 years old and learning to write. LEIA switched “d” for “b” to write “bog” beneath a picture of a dog. Their first grade TEACHER, MS. IRRY, told LEIA that was a dyslexic trait.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
There are so many misunderstandings about dyslexia, it’s often hard to recognize it.
MS. IRRY (FIRST GRADE TEACHER) (IN ZARA’S MEMORY)
You flip your “b”s and “d”s, Leia. You must be dyslexic.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (JAGGED)
WRONG!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Many people flip letters when they are learning to read — it doesn’t make you dyslexic.
PANEL 3
Picture of Caitlyn Jenner in fancy frame.
CAITLYN JENNER
“Many people think dyslexic people see things backwards. They don’t see things backwards.”
CAPTION
Caitlyn Jenner, Olympic Gold Medalist and Media Personality.
PAGE 8
PANEL 1
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) and NATE’s FATHER in NATE’s bedroom. NATE is at his desk.
NATE’s backpack is on the floor. We can see a book titled Trebuchets: Castle Killers of the Middle Ages peeking out. He is left-handed.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) looks in the window.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
This is hard! Why do I have to learn to spell all these stupid words?
NATE’ S FATHER
Because how well you spell shows how smart you are, Nate.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (JAGGED)
WRONG!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Having dyslexia doesn’t mean that you are stupid. How smart you are is totally separate from dyslexia.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
In fact, many people who have dyslexia are brilliant.
PANEL 2
Picture of Carolyn Greider in her cell biology lab, with test tubes and flasks in the background. Her picture is in a fancy frame.
CAROLYN GREIDER
“… I remember having a tutor come down and take me out of class and bring me to a different room. It certainly felt like I wasn’t as good as the other kids.”
CAPTION
Carolyn Greider, Nobel Prize winner for Medicine for research on how cells age.
PANEL 3
NATE’s FATHER and NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) in NATE’s bedroom.
NATE is at his desk.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) in the window.
NATE’S FATHER
If you’d just apply yourself …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (JAGGED)
WRONG!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Having dyslexia doesn’t mean that you are lazy.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
If you are dyslexic, you’ve probably worked harder than most people, just to keep up with everybody else.
PANEL 4
Picture of Max Brooks, in a fancy frame. He is fighting off zombies.
MAX BROOKS
“… it was just ‘laziness,’ ‘goofing off,’ ‘you’re not trying hard enough.’ ‘You can do it but you don’t want to do it’ — that was a big one of my teachers.”
CAPTION
Max Brooks, author of The Zombie Survival Guide, World War Z, and lecturer at the Modern War Institute at West Point Military Academy.
PAGE 9
PANEL 1
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) at an eye exam. She is looking through an eye machine at an eye chart, and above her head we see what she perceives — all the capital letters on the chart are box outlines, so she can’t tell them apart. This is a dyslexic trait we learn about later.
The eye exam chart on the wall has the word “B A T” hidden in it — later, we discover that ZARA is fascinated by bats. At this point, it can be very subtle, but as we go through the book, ZARA’s fascination with bats will become more obvious.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) stands next to the eye chart, pointing to a line.
ZARA’s MOM is to the side. She is wearing a head scarf, too. She is a small business owner, so she is holding her briefcase.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) (THOUGHT)
[Lines of box outlines, each line getting smaller, mimicking the eye chart]
ZARA’S MOM
My neighbor says that dyslexia is a problem with your eyes.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (JAGGED)
WRONG!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Glasses may help you see better, but they will not fix dyslexia.
PANEL 2
Looking down from above, so we can see a diagram of a trebuchet in the book NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) holds.
HENRY (FLUENT BOY) scratches his head, while holding a paper that is titled “Extra Credit Science Project”. Beneath that it says “Find a partner.”
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is to the side.
FLOATING TEXT
Dyslexia means you don’t understand what you read.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (JAGGED)
WRONG!
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
… when you release the pin, the weight pulls the arm down. How far the projectile goes depends on a lot of things …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Dyslexia is not a comprehension problem. You understand what the words mean.
PANEL 3
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) and CHLOE (MEAN GIRL) (not her bestie LEIA whom we met above) walk down the hall.
ZARA is shocked by what Chloe says.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is very angry.
CHLOE (MEAN GIRL)
Dyslexia happens in your brain, Zara, so you must be crazy.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (JAGGED)
WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Dyslexia is a learning difference, not a mental illness. It doesn’t cause you to act or feel differently, you just have trouble reading.
PANEL 4
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) and CHLOE (MEAN GIRL) walk away down the hall.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) stands in the hall, speaking directly to the viewer.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. You did nothing to cause your dyslexia. It’s just the way you are … unique!
PAGE 10
PANEL 1
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) watches MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)’s YouTube video on his laptop.
MALIK stands next to his SMARTBOARD.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
We know what dyslexia isn’t. But experts don’t agree on exactly what dyslexia is.
PANEL 2
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) has written bullet points on the SMARTBOARD. “What Scientists Agree On” is underlined.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But here’s what we know …
SMARTBOARD
What Scientists Agree On
Dyslexia is a learning difference.
Dyslexics have trouble recognizing written letters that represent sounds for different words.
Dyslexia makes it hard to
● remember the right word when speaking, or
● sound out the right word when writing.
PANEL 3
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) kneels next to the SMARTBOARD. He sets this point off with big stars on either side of what he’s written.
SMARTBOARD (SET OFF WITH STARS)
Many people with dyslexia have profound insights and amazing creativity.
PAGE 11
PANEL 1
PANEL frame is a border of a laptop computer screen.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) looks at smudges across a page of writing while talking to the viewer.
FLOATING TEXT
What Dyslexia Looks Like
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Dyslexia has been called “word blindness” because some dyslexic people, like me, just don’t see the words.
PANEL 2
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) is trying to read, but the letters float around on the page.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) points to the floating letters.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Other people, like Nate, see letters that float on the page. The phrase “I have dyslexia” might look like “I hayx dsliae”.
PANEL 3
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) reads a book. Line 1 reads: “I have dyslexia.”
Line 2 reads: “It is a learning difference.”
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) points to Line 1 with one hand and “difference” on Line 2 with the other.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Or entire words might float.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
I have difference.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) (CONT)
WHAT?
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Confused? “Difference” floated up from the line below onto the one Nate was trying to read.
PAGE 12
PANEL 1
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) watches MALIK on her laptop screen.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) puts a sign on an easel that has the words “I have dyslexia” written on it. The words are outlined.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Some dyslexics are landscape readers. They only see the outline of the words.
PANEL 2
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) takes the original sign with the words “I have dyslexia” off the easel, so just the outline is left.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) tries to make sense of the outline.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
The sentence “I have dyslexia” might look like empty boxes.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
L … b … e … n …
PANEL 3
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) lets his original “I have dyslexia” sign rest on the ground, but we can still read it.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) steps into the scene to fill in the outline with “L bena hjeiaxe”.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Or the brains of landscape readers might plug in any letters of the right height. They might write the sentence as “L bena hjeiaxe”.
PAGE 13
PANEL 1
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) puts an all caps version of “I HAVE DYSLEXIA,” over the “L bena hjeiaxe” outline that ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) was working on.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
These readers have even more trouble when they have to read a word in ALL CAPS because everything is the same size.
PANEL 2
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) gestures to the easel.
The letters on the sign have faded, leaving just the outline of the all caps words — a bunch of boxes that are all the same size.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) tries to fit other letters into the all caps outline — “J KAWB BKCEFTX”.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But all these problems are just symptoms of the fact that your brain has trouble making sense of written words.
PANEL 3
1900 photo of William James with a book in front of him. The photo is in a fancy frame. Dr. James has his finger under the word “letter”. This word is legible. The other words in the phrase “…can seldom call to mind even a single letter of the alphabet…” are just outlines on the page.
WILLIAM JAMES
“I must trace the letter by running my mental eye over its contour in order that the image of it shall leave any distinctness at all.”
CAPTION
William James, professor of Philosophy, Anatomy and Physiology at Harvard, 1873-1907; often called “the Father of American Psychology.”
PAGE 14
PANEL 1
PANEL frame is a laptop computer border.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) and ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) stand in front of MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST), demanding to know “Why me?” He is giving them their full attention.
The outline of “I HAVE DYSLEXIA” is still on the easel, with a few of ZARA’s letters dangling off it.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Why me?
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
I’m dyslexic, and I asked the same question. It’s the big question for most dyslexics.
PANEL 2
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) and ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) stand in front of MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST).
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But people also want to know if it is something genetic …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
… and they want to know if it happens in other writing systems too.
PANEL 3
Classroom.
LEIA (FLUENT GIRL), HENRY (FLUENT BOY), NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY), ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL), CHLOE (MEAN GIRL) and five other kids are reading silently. But ZARA and NATE are having trouble.
ZARA has her finger underneath a line of text.
NATE is whispering to himself as he reads more of his book on trebuchets — “… trebuchets were used in …”.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) stands behind ZARA and NATE.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Between 10-20% of all people are dyslexic.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
That means that out of ten kids in your class, one or two of you are struggling to decode or remember words.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) (SMALL)
… trebuchets where used on … That’s not right.
PANEL 4
PANEL frame is a laptop computer border.
Montage of people struggling to read in Japanese setting, Israeli setting, Russian setting. The words on the pages don’t match the words in their thought bubbles:
Russian words on page: Я дислексия
Japanese words on page: 私はディスレクシア
Hebrew words on page: יש לי דיסלקציה
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) gesturing to the struggling readers.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
All cultures have dyslexics.
PERSON READING RUSSIAN (THOUGHT)
R лексиядис…???
PERSON READING JAPANESE (THOUGHT)
はィ私スレデクシア…???
PERSON READING HEBREW (THOUGHT)
יש לי סדילקציה…???
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
People who read Japanese characters are just as likely to be dyslexic as people who read English, Russian or Hebrew.
PANEL 5
Classroom.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) has withdrawn into drawing animals in bright pinks, purples, blues and oranges, in a Lisa Frank-style. Her drawings includes a bat.
She isn’t paying attention to MS. TATE (TEACHER), who is gesturing with her marker.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is in a corner, filming ZARA.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Both boys and girls can be dyslexic.
PANEL 6
Classroom.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) has made a catapult out of a plastic spoon, pencils and rubber bands, and is shooting balls of paper at HENRY (FLUENT BOY).
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is in a corner with his camera, gesturing to NATE.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But dyslexia is noticed sooner in boys because we tend to act out more when we’re frustrated.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
I know I did.
PAGE 15
PANEL 1
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) watches MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) in a YouTube video as he writes on the SMARTBOARD. “What You Need To Read Fluently” is underlined.
SMARTBOARD
What You Need To Read Fluently
Decoding: Sound out words
Rapid word recall: Recognize words quickly
Comprehension: Understand what has been written.
PANEL 2
We zoom in so that all we see is MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) as he gestures to the SMARTBOARD.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Fluent readers are good at
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
sounding the word out,
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
recalling the right word quickly, and then
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
connecting the word with the correct meaning.
PANEL 3
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) gestures to the SMARTBOARD.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
If you can do these three things, you can read fluently. You can be pulled into the story.
PANEL 4
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) circles the first two points on the SMARTBOARD
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Dyslexia is a problem with the first two reading areas: recalling words and sounding words out.
PAGE 16
PANEL 1
Picture of William James in a fancy frame. He is trying to remember a word. He is thinking of a book titled “The Principles of Psychology, by Dr. William James” in it.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) stands in front of James’ picture.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Dr. William James was the first to describe when a word is just out of reach of your memory.
WILLIAM JAMES
… it’s a big black thing … has pages … hard cover … I can’t think of the word …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
A word being on the “tip of the tongue” is something that Dr. James, as a dyslexic, may have experienced a lot.
PANEL 2
PANEL has a cloud border to indicate that it is a memory.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) remembers when she was 8 years old, being tested orally by MS. IRRY (FIRST GRADE TEACHER). She’s not wearing a headscarf, so we need to know that this is obviously a younger version of the same girl we met earlier. Young ZARA has an image of a bat above her head.
MS. IRRY is sitting at eye level.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is in an inset in ZARA’s memory.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Some dyslexics just draw a blank.
MS. IRRY (FIRST GRADE TEACHER)
Zara, what is a flying mammal called?
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
A flying mammal is called …
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) (CONT)
…
PANEL 3
Picture of Caitlyn Jenner in fancy frame.
CAITLYN JENNER
“When the time comes for your brain to process the information, the second word comes up faster than the first one. So when it’s in your head, all of a sudden, it comes out backwards and you think of the word backwards.”
CAPTION
Caitlyn Jenner, Olympic Gold Medalist and Media Personality.
PANEL 4
PANEL has a cloud border to indicate that it is a memory.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is in inset in her memory.
MS. IRRY (FIRST GRADE TEACHER) is not amused.
Young ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) holds up her hand to her teacher.
MS. IRRY (FIRST GRADE TEACHER)
What is your …
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
I’m not done talking yet.
MS. IRRY (FIRST GRADE TEACHER)
Then why’d you stop?
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
I was trying to remember the right word.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
You might not do well answering questions in class, on oral tests, or presentations.
PANEL 5
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) is in his room, trying to read about trebuchet counterweights.
A picture in the book shows a medieval crew loading rocks into a bucket. Text in the book reads “… the crew put rocks into the bucket as a counterweight…”
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is filming NATE.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Poor or slow word recall can show up when dyslexics are talking, but it is especially common when we are reading.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
We just can’t remember the words!
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
… put rocks into the … the …
NATE (SMALL)
I know what this is. Why can’t I remember the word?
PAGE 17
PANEL 1
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) is in his bedroom, looking for something. His shoes are in his hand.
NATE’s MOM is in the doorway of NATE’s bedroom.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) looks in the window.
GYRUS (DOG) is next to mom, with NATE’s socks in his mouth.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
Where are my shoes?
NATE’S MOM
Do you mean your socks?
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
Socks! Yes! Socks!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
For most people, it’s easy to recall the right words in the right order. For dyslexics, not so much.
PANEL 2
Picture of Carolyn Greider with microscope. Her picture is in a fancy frame.
FLOATING TEXT
While Carolyn was in school, sometimes the wrong words came out in place of what she meant to say.
CAPTION
Carolyn Greider won the Nobel Prize for Medicine for her research on how cells in the body age.
PANEL 3
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) is putting on his shoes in his bedroom.
NATE’s MOM is in the doorway of NATE’s bedroom, talking to MALIK.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) looks in the window, talking to NATE’s MOM.
GYRUS (DOG) is next to her, with his tongue hanging out.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Poor word recall varies a lot … in each person it shows up elephant.
NATE’S MOM
I think you mean ‘different’.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
See … this is what I’m talkin’ ’bout. My brain brought up the wrong word.
NATE’S MOM
No problem. I knew what you were trying to say …
PAGE 18
PANEL 1
PANEL frame is a laptop computer border.
MS. TATE (TEACHER) orally testing ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) in the classroom.
ZARA sounds out a word while puzzle pieces swirl in her head. Puzzle pieces are labeled – “vuh” “ow” “el”. She puts “vuh” and “el” together.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) behind them.
FLOATING TEXT
Have to Sound it Out
MS. TATE (TEACHER)
Zara, spell the word “vowel”.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
… v … o … l … vole.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
The other puzzle for dyslexics is that you often don’t hear the right sounds of the words.
PANEL 2
HENRY (FLUENT BOY) in the classroom, looking at a page that shows a list of vocabulary words.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is behind him.
HENRY (FLUENT BOY) (THOUGHT)
Prob ab ly. Probably!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
To learn to read, everybody must learn to break words down into their separate sounds.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Most people learn to sound out and spell words easily.
PANEL 3
We pull back a little to see NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) sitting next to HENRY (FLUENT BOY). NATE is reading the same vocabulary list as HENRY above.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is behind them.
FLOATING TEXT
Dyslexics Don’t Hear the Parts
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But most dyslexics like me don’t hear the separate parts of a word. When I can’t distinguish it, I can’t sound it out.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
Hey, Henry? What’s that word?
HENRY (FLUENT BOY)
Probably.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
Probly.
PANEL 4
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) sits next to HENRY (FLUENT BOY).
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is behind them.
HENRY (FLUENT BOY)
No. Prob ab ly. Probably.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
That’s what I said.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Even if dyslexics can break the word apart, we might not hear all the sounds, or we hear the wrong sounds.
PANEL 5
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL), LEIA (FLUENT GIRL) and CHLOE (MEAN GIRL) walk down the hall.
CHLOE (MEAN GIRL)
Why do you call her Le? Her name is Leia.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
That’s what I call her …
CHLOE (MEAN GIRL)
You don’t even know your best friend’s name!
LEIA (FLUENT GIRL)
Cállate, Chloe. It doesn’t matter. No importa.
PANEL 6
Head shot in fancy frame of Carolyn Greider with a microscope.
CAROLYN GREIDER
When I was in elementary school I was considered a poor speller and somebody who couldn’t sound out words …
CAPTION
Carolyn Greider, Nobel Prize winner for Medicine for research on how cells age.
PAGE 19
PANEL 1
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) sits at the kitchen table, trying to spell out the word “Leia”.
ZARA’s MOM is baking cookies. Her briefcase is nearby.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) steals a cookie.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
“L E … Le.”
ZARA’s MOM
Not quite, Zara. Your best friend’s name is spelled “L E I A.” I’ve seen it written.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Why does it have letters that don’t make any sounds!!!???
ZARA’s MOM
That’s just the way English is.
PANEL 2
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) sits at the kitchen table.
ZARA’s MOM is baking cookies.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) gestures with the cookie, speaking directly to the viewer.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Whoever made English was mean and stupid!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
It can feel like that …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
English has lots of words that don’t follow the spelling rules.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Our dyslexics have a much harder time than people reading Spanish or German because those languages follow their spelling rules better.
PANEL 3
Picture of Agatha Christie with Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot behind her. A steam locomotive is in the background. Image is in a fancy frame.
AGATHA CHRISTIE
“I, myself, was always recognized … as the ‘slow one’ in the family. It was quite true, and I knew it and accepted it. Writing and spelling were always terribly difficult for me. My letters were without originality. I was … an extraordinarily bad speller …”
CAPTION
Agatha Christie, author of Murder on the Orient Express and other mysteries, whose books have sold over two billion copies.
PAGE 20
PANEL 1
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) watches MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)’s YouTubes.
LEIA (FLUENT GIRL) reads a book in the classroom. Montage of her being sucked into the book, literally. Last panel shows her in the action of the book.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) is to her right, also reading, but she isn’t pulled into the book.
MALIK is behind ZARA.
FLOATING TEXT
Dyslexics Have Trouble Becoming Fluent Readers
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Reading fluency is when a reader is able to sound out and remember words easily. When that happens, you have brain power leftover to understand the story.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
It’s that wonderful feeling of being pulled completely into a book.
PANEL 2
LEIA (FLUENT GIRL) in the action of the book.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) is frustrated that she is left behind.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) isn’t too happy, either.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But because people with dyslexia have trouble sounding words out or remembering words quickly, we don’t become fluent readers.
PANEL 3
Headshot in fancy frame of Caitlyn Jenner.
CAITLYN JENNER
“The biggest problem with dyslexic kids is not the perceptual problem, it is their perception of themselves. That was my biggest problem.”
CAPTION
Caitlyn Jenner, Olympic Gold Medalist and Media Personality.
PAGE 21
PANEL 1
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) stocks shelves in a grocery store.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) and LEIA (FLUENT GIRL) look for something to eat.
LEIA hands an orange bag to ZARA.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Like most people with dyslexia, you probably use lots of tricks to make up for your poor reading skills.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Where are my Snackos? I can’t find them …
LEIA (FLUENT GIRL)
Here they are … see? They just changed the color of the bag.
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
But I look for the blue bag! I don’t read the words.
PANEL 2
MS. TATE needs to go someplace. She is trying to imagine the route ZARA’s MOM is describing, but she thinks in words, not images, so street signs are clear in her mind, the dragon not so much.
ZARA’s MOM gives directions to MS. TATE. ZARA’s MOM has a memory of a building with a really dazzling green dragon painted on the side. She’s never bothered to look at the street names. She’s holding her briefcase.
ZARA’S MOM
You go down the street until you come to the building with the big green dragon painted on the side …
MS. TATE
Is that 8th Avenue?
ZARA’S MOM
… I think so …
PANEL 3
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) with his family in a fancy seafood restaurant.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is taking their orders as their waiter.
NATE’s father is across the table.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) (THOUGHT)
I can’t read any of these words … everybody is waiting …
PANEL 4
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) with his family in a fancy seafood restaurant.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is taking their orders, but he is talking to the reader.
NATE’s father is across the table.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
I’ll just have a hamburger.
NATE’S FATHER
A hamburger? At a seafood restaurant?
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) (THOUGHT)
I am really sick of hamburgers …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But not reading fluently can be very frustrating.
PAGE 22
PANEL 1
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) watches MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)’s YouTubes.
DNA double helix with lots of spots on it marked “Fluent” or “Dyslexic” is on the SMARTBOARD.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) points out these spots.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Because reading is such a new skill for humans, there is no single “reading gene”.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
That means that there are several genes that can cause dyslexia.*
FLOATING TEXT
* See end of book.
PANEL 2
ZARA’s MOM and ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) back in the kitchen. ZARA’s MOM has her laptop computer open, but is talking to ZARA.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) looking in the window, speaks directly to viewer.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But dyslexia genes do run in families.
ZARA’s MOM
… my brother is dyslexic …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
If one of your parents, or a brother or sister has trouble reading, you are more likely to be dyslexic, too.
PANEL 3
NATE’s DAD and his ten sons, four of whom are dyslexic.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) stands among them, his trebuchet drawings in his hands.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) writes on the SMARTBOARD.
SMARTBOARD reads: 4/10 = .4
<new line> .4 X 100 = 40%.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
If your father is dyslexic, you and your brothers have a 4 in 10 chance of being dyslexic. And it can look different in each person.
NATE’S FATHER
I can’t remember the right bird.
DYSLEXIC BROTHER 2 (THOUGHT AS OUTLINES)
I see the outline of words.
DYSLEXIC BROTHER 3
Trouble … putting … sounds … to lett … ers.
DYSLEXIC BROTHER 4
Words order come in wrong out.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
Letters and words float for me.
PAGE 23
PANEL 1
Parent-teacher conference: MS. TATE (TEACHER), ZARA’s MOM and ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) sit around a table.
MS. TATE explains.
ZARA’s MOM realizes she’s dyslexic.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is next to his camera, speaking to the viewer.
MS. TATE (TEACHER)
… Zara just sees the outline of the word …
ZARA’s MOM (THOUGHT)
Wait … I look at the shape of the word too … Am I dyslexic?
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Dyslexia is a life-long learning difference. But years ago, it often went un-diagnosed in kids.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Many adult dyslexics only find out that they have a learning disability when a teacher explains their child’s diagnosis.
PANEL 2
Picture of Max Brooks, in a fancy frame. He is fighting off zombies.
MAX BROOKS
“Dyslexia in the late 1970s, 1980s was unheard of. Dyslexia — they didn’t even call it a disability back then …”
CAPTION
Max Brooks, author of The Zombie Survival Guide, World War Z, and lecturer at the Modern War Institute at West Point Military Academy.
PANEL 3
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) gets tested while MS. TATE (TEACHER) pushes a doctor out the door.
MS. TATE (TEACHER)
Medical doctors can’t diagnose dyslexia, because it isn’t a medical condition. It is a learning difference.
MS. TATE (TEACHER) (CONT)
You need to be tested by a clinical or educational psychologist.
MS. TATE (TEACHER) (CONT)
Your public school might be able to test you, or they can give you names of people in your area who can.
Following panels are a montage.
PANEL 4
Picture of Dr. John “Jack” Horner, with a flesh-and-blood dinosaur in the background, in fancy frame.
CAPTION
Dr. John “Jack” Horner is a paleontologist (dinosaur scientist) who won the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. He wasn’t diagnosed with dyslexia until he was in his thirties.
PANEL 5
Picture of Charles Schwab, with the Dow-Jones Industrial board in background, in a fancy frame.
CAPTION
Financial wizard Charles Schwab has made billions of dollars. He wasn’t diagnosed with dyslexia until he was 40.
PANEL 6
Picture of Victor Villaseñor holding one of his books, with a view of Mexico in the background, in a fancy frame.
CAPTION
Victor Villaseñor was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 40. Seven years later, his book, Rain of Gold was published, and became a national best seller. And twenty years after he was diagnosed, he was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Burro Genius.
PANEL 7
Picture of Stephen Spielberg, with a Transformer bearing down on him, in a fancy frame.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) stands to the side of the picture, looking at it.
CAPTION
Steven Spielberg, producer of the Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and Transformer movies, wasn’t diagnosed until he was 60.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
These people struggled for years before they realized they were dyslexic.
PAGE 24
PANEL 1
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) watches Malik’s YouTube video on dyslexia on her laptop.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) in his YouTube video. He points to the words on the SMARTBOARD.
SMARTBOARD
Where Reading Goes Wrong
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
There’s a lot that experts don’t yet know about the brain or how people read. This is because …
PANEL 2
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)’s face fills the panel.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
… the brain is a complicated place!
PANEL 3
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) in his YouTube video.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Because the brain is so complicated, nobody’s brain is wired perfectly for all of the jobs we need it to do.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
But experts are beginning to understand how the brain reads.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
That’s why I study the brain — to find out why I can’t read easily.
PAGE 25
PANEL 1
A big open space in a park. In the background, we see a surveyor’s flag marking where their longest shot has landed.
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) sets up their trebuchet.
HENRY (FLUENT BOY) looks in the Guinness Book of World Records.
GYRUS (DOG) sniffs around.
FLOATING TEXT
Speaking is natural, reading is not.
HENRY (FLUENT BOY)
What is this thing called, again?
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
A “TREB oo shay”.
PANEL 2
Same as panel one, but
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) loads a tennis ball into an early version of their trebuchet.
HENRY (FLUENT BOY) reads the Guinness Book of World Records.
GYRUS (DOG) sniffs around.
HENRY (FLUENT BOY)
There’s nothing in here about how far Science Fair trebuchets throw stuff…
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
Then we’ll be the first to set a record!
PANEL 3
Same as panel one, but
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) has pulled the pin on their trebuchet.
The tennis ball sails off as HENRY (FLUENT BOY) runs after it.
GYRUS (DOG) races in front of him, barking with excitement.
HENRY’s book is in the grass by the trebuchet. We can see “Guinness Book of World Records” clearly.
SFX
FWHOOSH!
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
How far was that?
GYRUS (DOG)
Arf! Arf arf!
PAGE 26
PANEL 1
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) watches MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)’s YouTubes.
Two non-verbal people signing to each other.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) to the side, with his fingers in air quotes.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
All humans talk. Even non-verbal people use signs and movement to communicate. Speaking is natural … nobody has to teach you how to do it, you just pick it up.
PANEL 2
Early agricultural settlement with people going about their daily lives. Houses are wattle-and-daub, with thatched roofs.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is in the scene, in period costume. GYRUS (DOG) sniffs other dogs.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
For most of human history, nobody was dyslexic. That’s because nobody had invented writing yet.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Everyone’s brains were wired a little differently. But early people hunted, farmed, wove and cooked without any trouble …
PANEL 3
Boys sit in an agora (marketplace) in Ancient Greece, being taught to read.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) in the scene, in period costume.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But reading is not natural. You have to learn how to do it.
PAGE 27
PANEL 1
Dark Ages King Charlemagne in a castle, being read a letter by a monk.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is in the scene, in period costume.
GYRUS (DOG) chews on a bone in the corner.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
For a long time, only a few people could read and write.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Even royalty might not know how. It took so much time and effort and there were so few books … it just wasn’t worth it.
PANEL 2
People buying a newspaper as a printing press works in the background.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is in the scene, in period costume. GYRUS (DOG) is there, too.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Only as printing became widespread that more people learned to read and write.
PANEL 3
Close up of a newspaper in MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)’s hands. The letters and words have jumped around.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Then the traits that we now call dyslexia became a problem.
PAGE 28
PANEL 1
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) watches Malik’s YouTube video on dyslexia on her laptop.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) in his YouTube video, holding an open book.
FLOATING TEXT
How We Read
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Dyslexia makes it hard for some people to learn to read.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
To understand why, we need to know a little about HOW our brains read.
PANEL 2
Brain, front view, showing two hemispheres, labeled left and right. Because we are looking at the front view of the brain, the right and left sides are switched.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) points to the right side of the brain, talking directly to the viewer.
MS. TATE (TEACHER) on the left side of the brain.
FLOATING TEXT
A Tale Of Two Hemispheres
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
The brain is divided into two halves, called the right and left hemispheres. The two sides of the brain are connected.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
They share information. You need both sides working together to function well.
PANEL 3
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) introduces MS. TATE (TEACHER).
MS. TATE (TEACHER) waves to viewers.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
You all know Ms. Tate! She will be my assistant while we tour the brain …
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
She will always be on the brain’s left side, while I will always be on the right.
PANEL 4
HENRY (FLUENT BOY)’s brain hemispheres, side views, back to back.
Both sides of HENRY’s brain have spoken words coming in through the ears and being processed through different areas, which are colored.
Brain areas highlighted have their jobs described in a couple of words — hearing; understanding language; speech production and hand movements; secondary meanings, similes and metaphors; and body language and tone of voice.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) gestures to HENRY (FLUENT BOY)’s brain.
(Draft illustration available from author)
FLOATING TEXT
What’s The Problem?
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Spoken words come into the ears and go directly to the nearby language areas of the brain to get processed right away.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Simple, fast and easy.
CAPTION
Fluent Reader Listening to Words
PANEL 5
Both sides of NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)’s brain have spoken words coming in through the ears and being processed. His brain is identical to HENRY (FLUENT BOY)’s except, of course, for faces.
(Same image as above)
CAPTION
Dyslexic Reader Listening to Words
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) gestures to NATE’s dyslexic brain as it listens to a word.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
It’s the same for dyslexics.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
This is what our brains evolved to do.
PAGE 29
PANEL 1
PANEL has a computer monitor border.
Both sides of young HENRY (FLUENT BOY)’s brain have written words coming in through his eyes to both visual area at the back of the brain, then going to both of the language areas above the ears to recognize the word — a longer, more complicated route than listening. Notice that the path that the word takes through the left hemisphere, from the word analysis area to where the word parts are put together, is through the middle part of the brain.
Brain areas have their jobs described for beginning reading instead of listening — vision, word app storage area, and word analysis in both hemispheres; putting word parts together in the left hemisphere only.
CAPTION
Beginning Reader Looking at Words
MS. TATE (TEACHER), on left side of the brain, takes a spoken word and moves it over so it goes in through the eyes.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST), on right side of brain, measuring the distance a written word has to go from eyes to the vision areas at the back of the brain with a tape measure.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Writing is a way of turning sounds into something that makes sense when you look at letters … mixing two different brain systems together.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Written words have to go to the vision areas before they get processed into language.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT.)
Reading uses a lot more brain than hearing!
PANEL 2
Left side of middle-grade HENRY (FLUENT BOY)’s brain shows parts and pathways used for reading fluently. There is no activity in the right hemisphere beyond the vision area – he sees the word with both sides, but all processing is in the left hemisphere. Notice that the path the word takes from the vision area to the word analysis area is through the lower part of the brain.
Brain areas have their jobs described for fluent reading instead of listening — vision; word app storage; word meaning.
CAPTION
Fluent Reader Looking at Words
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST), on right side of brain, speaking to viewer.
MS. TATE (TEACHER) puts out labels that read “vision,” “word app storage” on appropriate brain parts. “Word analysis” is already there.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
To learn to read fluently, the brain has to learn to link different areas together. None of these areas evolved to read. They all have other jobs already.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
For most people, these areas adapt well to reading. Fluent readers use a streamlined system of reading, using just the left side of the brain.
MS. TATE (TEACHER)
It’s so much simpler!
PANEL 3
Both sides of middle-grade NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)’s brain have written words coming in through his eyes and going to the visual area in the back. Brain areas have their jobs described for dyslexic reading instead of listening — vision, and word analysis — on each side of the brain.
Dyslexics use both sides of the brain in a manner similar to beginning readers. Notice that the paths that the word takes from the vision areas to the word analysis areas is through the middle part of both hemispheres of the brain.
But instead of shifting to the left as fluent readers do, the word is processed on both sides of his brain. Notice that the red area — the word app storage area — that fluent readers use is not used by dyslexics. But dyslexics also send the information to the right frontal lobes to analyze the context of the word.
CAPTION
Dyslexic Reader Looking at Words
MS. TATE (TEACHER) points to pathways on the left.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) points to extra pathways on the right.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
But dyslexics don’t switch to the left.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
For dyslexics, the information goes through BOTH sides of the brain, and even to the right frontal lobes to analyze the word.
MS. TATE (TEACHER)
That’s even more brain to go through!
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
We don’t learn to recognize or analyze words quickly.
PANEL 4
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) as a phone operator, sitting at an old fashioned switchboard with wires crossed.
There is a little sizzle of a great idea where some of the wires cross.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
Fluent readers’ brains make the quick connections to read.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
Dyslexic readers get those connections crossed.
PAGE 30
PANEL 1
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL) and NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY) in the YouTube video confront MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST).
NATE (DYSLEXIC BOY)
What’s the problem?
ZARA (DYSLEXIC GIRL)
Why is it so important to switch sides?
PANEL 2
Brain hemispheres, side views, back to back, so that the left hemisphere is on the left side, and the right hemisphere is on the right. Under the left hemisphere is the label “Automatic/Fluent/Expert” and beneath that “Details … just a few parts”. Under the right hemisphere is “Exploring/Learning/Beginner,” beneath it “Big picture … all the parts”.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) on the right.
MS. TATE (TEACHER) on the left.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
The right and left hemispheres of the brain have different strengths. They process information in very different ways.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
The right brain looks at all the parts to see the big picture.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
The left brain works with just a few important parts to be fast and efficient.
PANEL 3
On right side of page: HENRY (FLUENT BOY)’s right brain has lots of unrelated ideas — sandwich, school bus, trebuchet diagram — floating around in it. The ideas can be shown as abstractions – cartoons or clip art.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) is talking directly the viewer.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST)
The right brain works with huge amounts of information coming in from all the senses.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
It is slow and takes a lot of energy, but it explores the big picture, and is insightful. It considers all the options.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT)
For the right brain, anything is possible.
PANEL 4
On left side of page: HENRY (FLUENT BOY)’s left brain profile. Left hemisphere has a few ideas in it — “Homework due.” Indented beneath it is a list: “Math; Report on science project next week.” No indent “Soccer practice at 3:00”. No indent “Buy a new game?” Indented beneath “Not enough money” — in a logical order. “Buy a new game?” didn’t work out, and is neatly crossed out.
MS. TATE (TEACHER) is crossing out “Not enough money”.
HENRY (FLUENT BOY)
I don’t have enough money for a new game.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (OFF)
The left brain is where we store a skill once we’ve mastered it. The left brain thinks in details, is logical, analytical and fast.
MALIK (DYSLEXIC SCIENTIST) (CONT) (OFF)
To do this, the left brain focuses on just a few factors.
//Ends
Amy Law 