I always feel so blessed to be part of this incredible kid-lit community. Whether I meet folks in person at a conference or book event, connect via an online class, or read their wonderful submission to #50PreciousWords, it’s a joy! And today’s cover reveal is for a book written by long-time blog follower and #50PreciousWords participant, Alicia Meyers…it’s called TIC-ERRIFIC ME! and I know it’s going to be TERRIFIC!
What an affirming and positive cover this is!!! I love the joy and energy! Kids will want to pick it up…and the story will act as mirrors and windows, helping many children feel seen and heard, while helping other become accepting and empathetic.
Alicia was kind enough to stop by to chat about the book and the story behind the story, so let’s welcome her to Picture Books Help Kids Soar!
ME: Hello, Alicia. It’s so lovely to have you visit. Can you share a little bit about the book and it’s path to publication?
ALICIA: Thank you again for partnering with me to reveal this special book to the world!
I am honored to get to do this with you, as you have been such a support in the Kidlit community to me for so many years.
Short Summary/Synopsis:
Tics are what my body does, they’re part of who I am. In TIC-ERRIFIC ME, we meet a young neurodiverse child diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome: A condition of the nervous system that causes movement and sound tics in the body. She is a unique child with many talents–and any tics that decide to join her. She takes us through how her body responds when she has sounds or movements she needs to let out and talks about techniques that work for her. This story is a simple ode to being truly tic-errific! After all, our tics only add to how great we already are.
TIC-ERRIFIC ME also includes a backmatter board game that encourages readers to try different Ready, Set, Reset strategies that can calm their brain and body.
Why I wrote this book:
Like the girl in this story, I have Tourette syndrome. Some days, my tics fly under the radar. Other days, they are harder to control. Growing up, I felt embarrassed, and worried that the noises and movements my body made bothered people. I tried to hide my tics and hold them in—which only made them worse. But as I got older, I realized how my tics made me, me. There is no one exactly like me. I wrote this story to share my experience living with Tourette syndrome, as well as to empower readers to learn to embrace their tics, and show the world how truly tic-errific they are.
Humorous incident OR challenging moment to share about path to publication
In March 2023, I was a showcase finalist in Mindy Alyse Weiss’ PB Party contest with a fictional, rhythmic story called Tic, Tic, Stop, about a girl’s day-in-the-life with TS. Free Spirit requested the full manuscript, but when I later connected with them–they instead told me about an opportunity to write for their upcoming “Disability Books for Kids” series, where each author lives with the condition. Though Tic, Tic, Stop had to hit the shelf for a bit, this felt like the opportunity of a lifetime–a chance to share my story of TS with the world. I couldn’t say no!
Short Bio for me AND the illustrator:
- Alicia Meyers is a second-grade teacher in Washington, DC, and was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at a young age. As a neurodiverse author and teacher, she hopes to encourage those with TS to embrace their tics as part of who they uniquely are. When she’s not teaching or writing, she can be found singing loudly, curled up with a book, eating pasta, planning her next trip, or reminding others how totally tic-errific they are.
- Cait Brennan is an easily excited illustrator from the coastal town of Charleston, South Carolina. Cait credits much of her inspiration to growing up around great Southern storytellers who valued nature, food, family, and humor. At an early age, she discovered that drawing was a great way to make people smile—or, even better, laugh. As a total ham, that was very appealing. Her motivations haven’t changed much, and she loves celebrating joyful moments, big and small, in her work. When she’s not on a deadline, you can find her making big messes in the kitchen, trying to get a laugh, or planning her next trip.
My Social Media Links:
| Website: www.byaliciameyers.com |
| Instagram: @byaliciameyers |
| X: @byaliciameyers |
| BlueSky: @byaliciameyers.bsky.social |
| LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciameyers/ |
Pre-Order Links:
Releases June 2, 2026 during “National Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month”
Published by Free Spirit
This is all fabulous, dear Alicia. Thank you for sharing. I’m hoping we will get to meet in person at NCTE this week!
And thank you, dear blog followers, for spending your precious time with us. If any of you will be at NCTE, I hope you’ll check out my panel: IGNITING BOLD DREAMS: USING PICTURE BOOKS TO HELP READERS CONNECT WITH HISTORY AND FIND THEIR VOICE: Friday, Nov 21 at 11am to 12:15pm in Room 610 of the Convention Center. I’ll also be signing ONE GIRL’S VOICE on Friday, Nov 21 at 1:30-2pm at the Astra Booth #922.
And if you leave a comment and plan to be at NCTE, please include your panel or book signing times and locations if you would like to share them.
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 