REALISTIC FICTION

Summary: Frankie’s mama is leaving to cover a breaking news story. Frankie, Papa, and Frankie’s teenage sister, Raven, are all proud of Mama, even though they miss her when she’s away. But Frankie has a great idea: she can make her own news show! (from the publisher)

Summary:  Oh, snow day, snow day, what a very fun no-school day! Jo Jo Makoons is back in the third book in this favorite chapter book series, and she’s planning the very best version of the winter Olympics that her Ojibwe community has ever seen… (from the publisher)

Summary: What are the essential ingredients that make a family? Eleven-year-old Mo is making up her own recipe in this unforgettable story that’s a little sweet, a little sour, and totally delicious. (from the publisher)

Summary: Selah knows her rules for being normal.

She always, always sticks to them. This means keeping her feelings locked tightly inside, despite the way they build up inside her as each school day goes on, so that she has to run to the bathroom and hide in the stall until she can calm down. This is a moving and unputdownable story about learning to celebrate the things that make us different. Good Different is the perfect next read for fans of Counting by 7s or Jasmine Warga. (from the publisher)

I AM GOLDEN
Eva Chen

This joyful and lyrical picture book is a moving ode to the immigrant experience, as well as a manifesto of self-love for Chinese American children. (From the publisher)

This would be a wonderful book to include when studying cultures around the world as well as discussing the power in being different and stronger as a whole. (Grades K-6)

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THE YEAR WE LEARNED TO FLY
Jacqueline Woodson

A brother and a sister, living with their grandmother, grow bored in the cool stormy spring. As summer comes, they fight over chores, and autumn winds bring cold, lonely vibes. In winter they move, leaving the lives they know behind. The grandmother, while acknowledging their feelings, encourages the children to find strength and a way to really fly. 

The beautiful illustrations provide opportunities to make predictions and inferences, especially as the faces of ancestors appear in the leaves of plants. A great opportunity to discuss our pasts, migrations, and exploring new places. This book is a wonderful way to see yourself in a mirror or others through a window. (Grades K-6)

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JUST HARRIET
Elana Arnold

Harriet is not looking forward to spending the summer at her grandmother’s home on Marble Island while her pregnant mother is on bed rest. That is, until she finds an old key and is determined to discover its lock. In the process, she begins to unravel a mystery of her father growing up on the island. 

This novel would be beneficial when discussing emotional growth, lying to others, and how our past plays a part in our future. It would be great to explore elements of a mystery as well. (Grades 3-5)

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NEW FROM HERE
Kelly Yang

When the coronavirus hits Hong Kong, ten-year-old Knox Wei-Evans’s mom makes the last-minute decision to move him and his siblings back to California, where they think they will be safe. Suddenly, Knox has two days to prepare for an international move—and for leaving his dad, who has to stay for work. (From the publisher)

This novel would be an interesting way to look at pandemics in the past and how they compare and contrast with COVID-19. It would also be a great addition to guidance lessons as the characters explore their feelings of anxiety from starting fresh in a new space and how to cope with a life change. (Grades 3-6)

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 Isaac and Marco already know sixth grade is going to change their lives. But it won’t change things at home—not without each other’s help.(From the Publisher)

A great companion to guidance lessons, this novel sparks discussion in perseverance, empathy, and inclusion. (Grades 5-6)

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A fresh start. That's all Evan Pao wants as he, along with his mother and sister, flee from California to Haddington, Virginia, hoping to keep his father's notoriety a secret. But Haddington is a southern town steeped in tradition, and moving to a town immersed in the past has its own price. Although Evan quickly makes friends, one boy, Brady Griggs, seems determined to make sure that as a Chinese American, Evan feels that he does not belong. (From the Publisher)

This novel would work well when learning about the Civil War, its causes, and effects. It would also begin a discussion of racism and treatment of our peers who may look like us as well as those who look different. (Grades 5-6)

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OUTSIDE, INSIDE

LeUyen Pham

On an otherwise unremarkable day, the remarkable happened.  Everyone who was outside, went inside, and stayed there.  Outside, the world changed, becoming quieter and wilder.  Inside, we waited and changed; we grew, we coped, we did our best to protect those we love.  This is a simple story of the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and the way it changed our world. 

This is a simplistic yet graphic way of explaining the way Covid-19 affected the whole world.  Young students can relate to any number of examples of how their lives changed; how they spent their time, how they felt emotions differently and how their family life and social habits changed, even in little bits.  This book fits into the concept of literature as a window and a mirror, as it shows the emotions, the hobbies, and ultimately the hope that we all share as a global community.

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TEN BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Molly Beth Griffin  

Lily is moving into her grandmother's farm in Iowa, and she is sad about all the changes necessary in her life--but on the long drive her grandmother challenges her to find ten beautiful things that they can share together.  Lily’s search for beauty reminds her that she isn’t empty when she has the love of her grandmother.

This beautiful picture book encourages students to find beauty in nature, in small things, and in relationships.  This ties in with social-emotional learning, using positive attitudes to “fill your bucket” with goodness and beauty.   It encouraged dialogue about what each student considers beautiful.

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THE ONE THING YOU'D SAVE

Linda Sue Park

Ms. Chang gives her class 1 simple homework assignment: to think of the one thing they would save if their house was burning down.  Each student in the class takes this assignment to heart, thinking carefully about what is most prized for them.  As the class lists off their choices over the next two days, they think hard and debate about what is most important, something expensive, or something personal that is irreplaceable. 

This would fit into units that talk about what we value as a community, or for starting discussions in a morning meeting or a class discussion. 

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FLY ON THE WALL

Remy Lai

Henry Khoo is convinced that the reason his friends started avoiding him is that his “helicopter” family babies him.  His mom picks out his clothes, his sister drives him everywhere, and his grandmother only wants to talk about her favorite dramas from Singapore, wuxia dramas.  Henry hatches a plan to become independent once and for all–traveling by himself to his father’s house in Singapore from his home in Perth, Australia. Henry’s parallel comic-diary chronicles his journey in the style of a classic wuxia drama, complete with sensei, arch nemesis, and the path of the warrior.  

As a combination of illustration, graphic novel-style storytelling, and prose, this is a great example of how authors use multiple story-telling techniques.

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Twelve-year old Della Kelly struggles under stress brought on by her parents’ worries.  Her mother is slowly sliding into a schizophrenic relapse and her father is fighting disease and drought on their family’s watermelon farm.  Della takes on more and more responsibility caring for her baby sister, the family farm stand, and the household chores while trying to hide her worries and her mother’s illness from her friends and neighbors.  

This is a novel that would fit well into lit circles about mental illness or about the stigmatization of mental health problems.  It also is a good example of the importance of sharing your worries and stress with trusted people who care about you, instead of ignoring the problems or trying to resolve them all alone.  

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A novel in verse. Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules—like "avoid eating in public," and "don't move so fast that your body jiggles." And she's found her safe space—her swimming pool—where she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life--by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.

As a novel in verse, this ties in with the poetry curriculum.  This also has excellent tips about how to defeat a bully, by standing up for yourself without putting others down, and for looking at yourself with love and acceptance, rather than the pressures of other’s perspectives.

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I AM EVERY GOOD THING

Derrick Barnes

This book gathers the good things a boy thinks about himself. It points out the things in life that make him feel strong. The boy does admit to feeling scared sometimes, but his strength comes back full force when he tells himself, “I will not answer to any name that is not my own. I am what I say I am.” 

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EVELYN DEL REY IS MOVING AWAY

Meg Medina

This is a sweet story of Daniela and her mejor amiga, her numero uno best friend, Evelyn Del Ray. The escapade throughout their apartments is their last hurrah before Evelyn moves. While the end is sad, it’s always hard when a friend moves, we know that the girls will be friends forever. Because that’s what numero uno best friends do. 

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EFRÉN DIVIDED

Ernesto Cisneros

In a matter-of-fact voice, we learn about the tenuous situation immigrant families might face, the heartbreaking impact of deportations, and the helpful and resilient nature of the close-knit Mexican American community. 

THE ONLY BLACK GIRLS IN TOWN

Brandy Colbert

A tender, humorous, and suspenseful story about navigating the turbulent waters of middle school friendship. Alberta and Edie prove that Blackness is not a monolith and remind us that if you keep looking, there's always more to see and learn about the people and places we love. (from Renée Watson) 

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