{"product_id":"the-reward-roller-coaster-james-contreras-9798277381717","title":"The Reward Roller Coaster: A Journey Inside the Brain and Addiction","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Reward Roller Coaster\u003c\/b\u003e takes readers on an unforgettable journey inside the teenage brain-where neurons send messages, dopamine crews fuel motivation, and security keeps everything safe. Told through the eyes of Doppi, a hardworking dopamine engineer in \"Brain World,\" this illustrated story uses adventure and metaphor to explain the science of addiction in a way everyone can easily understand.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt first, Brain World runs smoothly. The Reward Roller Coaster speeds up when Jim (the human who owns the brain) laughs, learns, or accomplishes something meaningful. But when \u003cb\u003eThe Drug\u003c\/b\u003e bursts into the Reward Center and forces open the dopamine vaults, everything changes. The roller coaster rockets out of control, dopamine floods the system, and Brain World scrambles to restore balance. Readers witness how drugs hijack the reward system, why tolerance and dependence develop, how withdrawal affects the brain, and how healing happens through time and healthy habits.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInstead of fear-based messaging, this story presents clear science through characters and metaphor, helping readers better understand drug addiction and it's effects on the brain. It builds empathy, awareness, and practical understanding of how powerful and delicate the reward system truly is.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe book also includes a \u003cb\u003eglossary of key terms\u003c\/b\u003e, a \u003cb\u003echapter-by-chapter science guide\u003c\/b\u003e, and a \u003cb\u003ediscussion guide\u003c\/b\u003e for meaningful conversations in classrooms, counseling settings, or at home.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect for health classes, prevention programs, parents, and teens, \u003ci\u003eThe Reward Roller Coaster\u003c\/i\u003e makes complex neuroscience accessible, memorable, and emotionally meaningful.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e James Contreras\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798277381717\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 12\/16\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 44\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.16lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.09d","brand":"James Contreras","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48801196245247,"sku":"9798277381717","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-reward-roller-coaster-james-contreras-9798277381717","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}