by Cat Patrick
My wish is that Tornado Brain helps neurodivergent readers feel more connected. Frankie sees the world in a unique way—I hope readers gain a new perspective from her story. And I hope Tornado Brain reminds neurotypical readers to practice empathy. Neurodivergence is invisible; reading more books featuring neurodivergent characters is a step toward understanding.
A Wired magazine article from 2013 said, “In a world changing faster than ever, honoring and nurturing neurodiversity is civilization’s best chance to thrive in an uncertain future.”
Civilization’s best chance to thrive.
There’s nothing stupid about that.
Acknowledgments
IF YOU’RE A person who reads acknowledgments, you’re my kind of person. Even still, I’ll attempt to keep this brief.
Thank you to the team that helped make Tornado Brain happen, including Dan Lazar, Cecilia De La Campa, Torie Doherty-Munro, and Alessandra Birch at Writers House; and Stacey Barney, Jen Klonsky, Chandra Wohleber, Caitlin Tutterow, Vanessa DeJesús, and the entire marketing, sales, and publicity machine at G. P. Putnam’s Sons. Stacey and Jen, our conference call the day the book landed at Putnam is tucked into my heart for keeps. Thank you, also, to the thoughtful agents and editors around the globe who’ve connected with Frankie and introduced her to readers far away.
Special thanks to the contributors of several websites for reminding me of tornado facts I learned as a kid or teaching me new ones, including National Geographic, HowStuffWorks, Scientific American, LiveScience, and Weather.com. To Superbetter author Jane McGonigal for introducing me to the idea of turning my palms up to feel less stressed. And to my sister for leaving Superbetter on my doorstep precisely when I needed it.
Speaking of sisters, I’d also like to thank my village . . . my siblings and siblings-in-law, parents, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, co-parent extraordinaire, century-old grandpa, and the rest of the branches of my family tree—blood or not—in Oregon, California, Wyoming, Colorado, and, of course, Washington.
On the topic of The Evergreen State, I must thank the residents of the town of Long Beach for cultivating such a perfect setting for Frankie’s world. Like something a middle schooler might write in a friend’s yearbook, “Never change.”
You either, Jon. For me, Long Beach equals you. Thank you for introducing me to my happy place and for making it even better, lighting fires in the rain, patiently detangling kites, leading bike tours, committing to reconnaissance missions, and laughing with me when Clue is the most terrifying game on Earth. Thank you for being there through the emotional birth of this book, and always.
And especially, thank you to my daughters. You are, simply, my everything. You inspire me and support me in a way no one else can—L, with your creativity and honesty, and C, with your constant encouragement and editor’s eye. This is our book, and it wouldn’t have happened without you. I love you both more than you can imagine.
Finally, I want to thank the Frankies out there for striving to thrive in a world that wasn’t built with you in mind. Life can be challenging when you think differently. Though it may feel like it sometimes, you are not alone.
Together we can embrace our differences. We can celebrate the creative genius and unique perspectives of people like Frankie instead of trying to shove everyone into the same box. Because if you ask me, if we were all the same, we’d make up a dreadfully boring box.
So thank you, reader, for being uniquely you.
Whatever brand of brain you’ve got.
About the Author
Cat Patrick and her family live near Seattle but spend as much time as possible four hours west setting marshmallows on fire and tangling kites in the curious town of Long Beach. There, Tornado Brain was born.
Cat is the author of several books for young adults including Summer 2011 Kids Indie Next List pick Forgotten, which sold in 23 countries; ALA 2013 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers selection Revived; and others. Tornado Brain is her middle grade debut.
Find her online at www.catpatrick.com.
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