Courage I Am Not Starfire There are a lot of reasons to love I Am Not Starfire, written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Yoshi Yoshitani. The art is fantastic, the characters are sharp, and it is both
Antiracism Prairie Lotus Prairie Lotus, written by Linda Sue Park, tells the story of Hanna, a girl who is half-Chinese and living on the American frontier in 1880. Hanna and her father settle in LaForge, hoping
Courage Pet Pet, written by Akaeke Emezi, tells the story of a Black transgender girl who must uncover a monster who is endangering her friend. The main character Jam lives in a city that seems
Environment Music for Tigers Music for Tigers, by Michelle Kadarusman, tells the story of Louisa, a Canadian middle schooler who is sent to the Tasmanian rainforest to stay at her family's remote camp. There she learns about
Gender Maybe He Just Likes You Maybe He Just Likes You, by Barbara Dee, is an important middle grade book that all students should read. It tells the story of Mila, a girl who deals with harassment by a
Human Rights Anger is a Gift Anger is a Gift, by Mark Oshiro, tells the story of Moss Jefferies, a black Latinx teen, and his activism against police brutality at his high school. Traumatized by the murder of his
Human Rights White Rose White Rose, by Kip Wilson, is based on the true story of Sophie Scholl, a member of the German resistance during World War II. This novel in verse tells the story of the
Canadian No Fixed Address Maybe you have seen the signs before. A child in your class does not bring a lunch to school. They rarely seem to wear clean clothes. They often seem tired and have difficulty
Gender Books about Poverty and Abuse Recently I read two books that have striking similarities: The Benefits of Being an Octopus, by Ann Braden, and Eleanor and Park, by Rainbow Rowell. Both books feature main characters who are living
Peace Grenade Grenade, by Alan Gratz, tells the story of the invasion of Okinawa during World War II. The book features two characters' perspectives: Ray, a young American soldier, and Hideki, an Okinawan boy who
Courage Hello, Universe Hello, Universe is a Newbery Award winning book by Erin Entrada Kelly. It tells the story of four middle schoolers whose lives collide on the first day of summer vacation. Ultimately it is
Human Rights Love, Hate & Other Filters Love, Hate & Other Filters, by Samira Ahmed, is a coming of age story for young adults. It tells the story of Maya Aziz, a Muslim teenager who is straining against the strict
Courage Heroic Journey Lit Circle Overview I have written a number of entries that analyze specific books from my Heroic Journey Literature Circle unit. To sum it all up, here is an overview of the unit, along with my
Courage Number the Stars I am amazed that it took me so long to read Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry. I read The Giver long ago and was blown away by the book. I've since recommended
Courage The Power of Visual Texts Visual texts are great jumping off points for discussion and reflection during literature circles. Since students are reading a variety of books, it is useful to have common texts to help anchor the
Courage When a Book Fails Not every book is going to be a winner and not every story will grab hold of a reader's attention. Back when I used to teach whole class novels, this used to be
Courage Nimona: Heroic Journey Lit Circle Book 4 One of my favourite books in our heroic journey literature circle is the graphic novel Nimona, by Noelle Stevenson. Originally created as a webcomic, the graphic novel focuses on Nimona, the shape shifting
Courage Peak: Heroic Journey Lit Circle Book 3 The third book in our heroic journey literature circle is Peak, by Roland Smith. Peak is about a boy of the same name, who is initially arrested for scaling skyscrapers. To avoid jail
Courage Devil's Pass: Heroic Journey Lit Circle Book 2 In our Heroic Journey literature circle, another book that students enjoy is Devil's Pass, by Sigmund Brouwer. It tells the story of Webb, a teen who is struggling with an abusive stepfather. After
Courage How To Be A Hero This week, my grade seven classes started our Heroic Journey literature circle unit. During this unit, students will discuss what it means to be a hero and analyse books using the heroic journey
Identity One for the Murphys Book Review Every once in a while, I pick up a book that makes me view students differently. One for the Murphys, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, is one such book. The novel focuses on Carley
Courage Books for the Resistance The past week I have been fascinated by the student movement in the United States that has risen up to advocate for gun control. Their passion and arguments for their cause are commendable.
LGBTQ Lumberjanes: A Book for Hardcore Lady Types When I was a kid, good comic books were just for boys. The only comics I ever managed to read were Archie comics, and even back then I was pretty skeptical about Betty
Human Rights Refugee by Alan Gratz Every once in a while you come across a book that is equal parts tragedy and triumph. Refugee, by Alan Gratz, is one of those books. It is a gripping account of three