Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true
diary of a part-time Indian. NY: Little Brown.
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Sherman Alexie tells us the story of Junior, a young man who lives on
the Spokane Indian Reservation. Junior isn’t the most popular kid on the rez,
but he is smart. After realizing that he will never be able to make something
of himself on the reservation, Junior decides to take his future and
education into his own hands. He enrolls at Reardon, a rich white school,
even though he will be viewed as a traitor by his fellow Indians and an
outcast by his new classmates. Though he encounters struggles along the way,
Junior is able to find balance between his life on and off the rez. The
intended audience for this book is grades 9 through 12.
I found this book to be humorous and heartbreaking at the same time.
I feel like many students would be able to relate to the main character and
his struggle with fitting in. The narrator’s sense of humor and use of
illustrations will also keep readers engaged throughout the story. I couldn’t
put this book down! The link below includes a sample lesson plan from
Scholastic.com.
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Angleberger, T. (2010). The strange case of origami yoda. NY:
Amulet Books.
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Dwight, the weirdest kid in the 6th grade has one thing
going for him: He makes origami. Not only does he make origami, his origami
Yoda provides the whole 6th grade with answers to life’s most
important questions. Tommy, who doesn’t quite buy into Yoda’s advice,
compiles a case file to determine if Yoda is real. Tommy collects evidence
from his classmates, and he and his best friend Harvey, who is a major skeptic,
provide commentary at the end of each case. Because Dwight is so weird, the
boys can’t believe that his Yoda’s advice actually works! When Dwight’s
popularity increases, Harvey creates his own Yoda which doesn’t give quite as
good advice as Dwight’s. Dwight eventually becomes upset with the boys and
their constant picking at his strange habits. Tommy wins back Dwight’s
friendship just in time for the big dance. Yoda’s advice gave Tommy the
courage to walk up and dance with his crush, Sara, who actually had a crush
on him the whole time! This book is among the most popular in my library. My
students love this book, and I do too!
The intended audience for this book is grade levels 3 through 7. Follow-up
reads include Darth Paper Strikes Back
and The Secret of the Fortune Wookie.
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Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. NY: Penguin.
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Melinda begins her high school career as the most unpopular kid in
school. After being sexually assaulted at an end of summer party, Melinda
calls the cops which results in the party being busted. Melinda is too scared
to report her attack, so the whole school thinks she called the cops just to
bust up the wild party. Even her best friends mouth ugly comments when they
meet her in the hallway. The trauma of her attack causes Melinda to feel that
silence is the only way to be safe. Her grades drop which leads conflict
within her parents. When her ex-best friend starts dating her attacker,
Melinda struggles with the decision to save Rachel or simply hope that Rachel
doesn’t suffer her same fate. In the end, Melinda finds the courage to talk
with Rachel. Even though Rachel is cruel and doesn’t believe her at first,
the truth comes out when “IT” strikes for the second time in an old
janitorial closet. This time around, Melinda puts up a fight and “IT’s” true
self is revealed to the entire school.
This book felt real and authentic. Its intended audience is students
in grades 7through 12. This book can lead to some in-depth discussions among
student readers, especially about internal conflict.
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Bell, C. (2014). El Deafo.
NY: Abrams.
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Through graphic novel format, Cece Bell tells her story of growing up deaf. Cece begins school in a
special education class to learn how to hear her new hearing device and how
to us visual clues to communicate with others. When Cece’s family moves to a
new town, she desperately wants to fit in. While she does make new friends,
Cece becomes annoyed by their flaws. Laura is just plain mean and Ginny puts
too much emphasis on Cece’s deafness even though she is very kind. When at
school, Cece must wear a bulky hearing device called the Sonic Ear. Though it
is hard to hide, the device gives Cece super hearing powers! She can even hear
her teachers in the lounge and bathroom! Cece imagines herself to be “El
Deafo”, a super hero who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself. Cece finally
meets Martha who doesn’t make any fuss about her disability. A cute boy named
Mike even moves in next door! When her new crush, Mike, learns about the
power of her Sonic Ear, Cece’s popularity soars. Her classmates don’t think
it’s weird: They think it’s cool! Cece no longer feels like an outsider. She
feels normal, accepted, and happy. The intended audience is for students ages
8 to 12. This adorable book teaches a lesson of acceptance. It could
especially be helpful for younger readers who feel different and struggle
with fitting in.
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Black, H. (2013). Doll bones.
NY: Margaret K. McElderry Books.
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Alice, Zach, and Poppy are best friends who share a similar struggle:
a troubled home life. To escape the struggles of home, the three friends
escape by playing with figurines. When Zach’s father throws away his
figurines, he doesn’t let the girls see his devastation. He simply leads them
to believe he has outgrown the game. Poppy pulls him back in by telling him
about her crazy dreams involving the Queen figurine being possessed by a dead
girl whose ashes are housed within the doll. To avoid being permanently
haunted by the dead girl, the three friends set out on a journey to fulfill
her wish: to be returned to her grave. They escape many obstacles along the way
including breaking into a library and stealing a boat. The story ends as the
three friends return the haunted doll to her grave, despite the haunting
encounters she caused throughout the journey. While reading this book, I
thought about the inner child mentioned in the text book. Alice, Zach, and
Poppy had difficulty coping with the thought of their game ending as they
weren’t quite ready to give up their childhood. The intended audience is
grade levels 5 through 9.
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Through graphic novel format, Don Brown tells the story of the Great
American Dust Bowl. Brown uses images and text bubbles to explain the
beginning process which later lead to the dust bowl including the shift of
tectonic plates, the formation of the Rocky Mountains, and the drought that
began in 1931. The wind blew the dry dirt high and fast causing a giant black
cloud to fill the sky. At times, the storm was so bad the air was still black
even when it was light outside. Usually beautiful white snow looked like
chocolate mush. Cars and homes were destroyed, animals were harmed, and even
people were suffocated by the thick, black air. No matter how hard they tried
to keep it out, dust filled homes and even got in the food. Many people died
from ingesting too much dust over time. The dust bowl caused harsh winters
and summers which caused an overabundance of ants, spiders, grasshoppers, and
rabbits. Desperate for rain, the people gave into superstitions such as
hanging dead snakes on fences for miles and miles. People gave what little
money they had to rainmakers who claimed they “could coax water from the
heavens” (p. 52). To help those affected by the dust, The U.S. Government
planted millions of trees to block the wind, replanted the land with Buffalo
grass, and taught farmers to work the fields so that the soil was not
injured. Ten years after it began, the drought came to an end and with it
came hope for the future. The intended audience for this book is grade levels
7 and up.
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Textbook:
Lesesne, T.S. (2003). Making the match. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
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