How to Find What You're Not Looking For

Written By: Veera Hiranandani

Published: 2021 by Kokila

Audience / Grade level: 3-7

Age level: 8-12

Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction Novel

Award: Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner, Jane Addams Peace Association Award Winner, National Jewish Book Award Finalist

Suggested Delivery: Read aloud or small group read to support Historical Fiction

Summary

Ariel watches her family fall apart when her older sister goes against her Jewish parents' expectations and elopes with a young Indian man. Struggling with her learning disability and her family's prejudice views, Ariel learns to find her voice and true identity through writing poetry. Determined to rekindle her family, unknown truths are revealed to Ariel.

Key Words to Describe Book

Layered, Historical, Nuanced, Authentic, Insightful

Common Core State Standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3

Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

Key Vocabulary

Challah: a type of bread often served on Jewish holidays

Farkakte: lousy, ridiculous

Goy: a mean name for a non-Jewish person

Kvetching: to complain

Kugel: a baked noodle or potato pudding

Mazik: a mischievous child

Mishegas: craziness

Oy: an expression similar to “oh no!”

Shabbos: Sabbath for people of the Jewish faith

Tsuris: trouble

Prejudice: a negative opinion of another person for no reason

Racism: a belief that some races are superior to others that results in the unequal treatment

Antisemitism: a negative belief or negative behavior toward Jews just because they are Jewish

Allyship: speaking out against injustice and supporting marginalized groups and individuals on their own terms

Teaching Suggestions to Increase Comprehension

Before: Explicitly teach unfamiliar Yiddish vocabulary words above.

write words on board
create an anchor chart with the words for students to reference as they read

During: Students can sketchnote, or create visual notes through drawings, to summarize each chapter, and take note of areas they liked, disliked, and/or were confused about.

After: Have students research their family background / history and write a response that answers these questions:

In what ways has American history influenced your family tree?
What languages does your family speak? Do they choose not to speak a certain language?If so, what is the reasoning behind it?
Have significant historical events impacted your family’s story?
In what ways is your family history alike or different from Ariel and Leah's, and Raj's?

Extend The Text Before, During, or After Reading

This website provides a video of the author describing the book, as well as sharing her inspiration on making Ellie, the main character, have Dysgraphia!

How To Find What You're Not Looking For | Dysgraphia LifeVeera Hiranandani talks to Dysgraphia Life about her new book, "How to Find What You're Not Looking For" where the main character is an intelligent 12 year old whose dysgraphia allows her to see the world in a different way.

The website to the right is Veera Hiranandani's author website. It provides context on her background, other books she has read, along with their summaries!

Below is a Vimeo created by the author as she explains poetry and how to write it. She refers back to Ellie's process of learning how to write poetry, and provides motivational tips to aid students in their poetry writing!

HomeLearn more about the writer Veera Hiranandani