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Invisible

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Bibliography Gonzalez, Christina Diaz. 2022. INVISIBLE. Ill. by Gabriela Epstein. New York: Graphix/Scholastic. ISBN: 9781338194545 Plot Summary Invisible follows a group of bilingual Latinx students who are thrown together for community service and quickly bond over shared misunderstandings, stereotypes, and school pressures. As they help a woman in need, they uncover their own strengths and learn how learn how powerful their voices are when people take the time to listen. Critical Analysis This graphic novel captures bilingual identity with honesty, humor, and cultural nuance. Gonzalez and Epstein balance quick pacing with real emotional stakes, allowing each character to shine as an individual rather than a stereotype. The bilingual dialogue feels natural and validates students who move between languages every day. This book feels especially important for schools with diverse cultural backgrounds because it lets students see themselves as helpers, leaders, and fully developed charac...
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Echo

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Bibliography Ryan, Pam Muñoz. 2015. ECHO. Narrated by Mark Bramhall, David de Vries, MacLeod Andrews, and Rebecca Soler. New York: Scholastic Audio. Unabridged. ISBN: 9780547228896 Plot Summary Echo is about 3 children living in different places, during different time periods whose lives become connected through a mysterious harmonica. Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each face difficult personal and historical challenges. Thri stories intertwine together into one narrative about courage, family, and how music can heal. Critical Analysis Listening to Echo on Audible added a completely different depth to the story. Since music is woven into the plot, the unabridged audiobook captures that atmosphere perfectly. Each of the narrators do an incredible job bringing each of the children to life. The harmonica pieces, soundtrack movements, and layered vocals make the fantasy element feel more immersive that reading it in print. The sound quality of course is v...
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Smile

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Bibliography Telgemeier, Raina. 2010. SMILE. New York: Graphix/Scholastic. ISBN: 9780545132060 Plot Summary Based on the author’s childhood, Smile follows Raina as she navigates through middle school, friendships, crushes, and a very long dental journey after an accident. Her experiences with braces, retainers, headgear, and insecurity shape the story while she learns how to trust herself and chose healthier relationships. Critical Analysis Telgemeier’s strength is her honesty. She breaks down universal feelings about embarrassment, confidence, and friendship into visuals that make the emotions feel real for young readers. Her illustrations carry as much weight as the text. Currently in my 5th grade classroom, Smile is consistently one of the most popular books read by my students. They love the humor, the drama, and the feeling that someone finally understands what growing up actually feels like. The graphic novel formal also supports readers who need visual scaffolding but still crav...
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Frizzy

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Bibliography Ortega, Claribel A. 2022. FRIZZY. Ill. by Rose Bousamra. New York: First Second. ISBN 9781250259639. Plot Summary Frizzy tells the story of Marlene, a Dominican American girl who is tired of the weekly salon visits that straighten her natural curls. As she pushes back against expectations from her family and community, she learns how to embrace her true self and redefine beauty on her own terms. Critical Analysis This is a quiet but powerful story about identity, culture, and confidence. Ortega’s writing is heartfelt and patient while Bousamra’s illustrations capture every shift in emotion. The mother daughter dynamic is honest and layered, giving readers a chance to witness generational beliefs being challenged with love. One of my students requested Frizzy last year, and I am so glad I bought it at the time because reading it for this module showed me how thoughtful and important this story really is. It feels validating for any child who has ever felt pressured to chang...
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Elijah of Buxton

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Bibliography Curtis, Christopher Paul. Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780439023443. Plot Summary Elijah is the first child born free in Buxton, a Canadian settlement founded by formerly enslaved people. He is known for being sensitive and a bit fearful. When a man steals money that was to be used to free an enslaved family, Elijah sets out on dangerous journey into the United States. What he sees there forces him to see what his parents escaped and changes his idea of freedom. Critical Analysis Christopher Paul Curtis tells this historical truth in a way that feels incredibly human. The first part builds on Elijah’s everyday life, then transforms to darker events by the time the readers feel connected to him. As a historical fiction, this novel helps students understand the emotional impact of slavery and freedom without constant trauma seen in most retellings.  Review Excerpts Starred Review from Children’s Literature: “Elijah’s heroism is believable, g...
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Kent State

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Bibliography Wiles, Deborah. Kent State. New York: Scholastic Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781338356281. Plot Summary This book is written in verse, but set up similar to a documentary to retell the events of May 4, 1970, when the Ohio National Guard fired on student protestors at Kent State University, the story is told through a group of conflicting voices that argue, interrupt, and correct one another. They all try to make sense of what has happened as well as the emotions of fear and anger, on top of the misinformation that surrounded it. Critical Analysis Deborah Wiles uses multiple competing narrators to show how messy, emotional, and devastating real history can be. Instead of hearing one perspective of the event, Wiles gives readers multiple to experience how all the conflicting stories existed at the time. All though in free verse, this style allows readers to access historical fiction through poetry, while still respecting the seriousness of the subject. The book encourages students t...
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All He Knew

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Bibliography Frost, Helen. All He Knew. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020. ISBN: 9780374312992. Plot Summary During World War II, Henry, a boy who is Deaf, is mistakenly labeled as incapable of learning and placed into a state institution. His story crosses into Victor who is a conscientious objector working at the institution. They both begin to challenge the mistreatment they witness and begin to connect with one another. Critical Analysis Helen Frost uses poetry to create this story that feels gentle, yet reveals quite painful realities of institutional life. She sways back and forth from free verse to structure sonnets to show how Henry and Victor are different. Frost shows a part of American history that gets overlooked a lot. A time when people with disabilities were not only misunderstood, but mistreated. The writing is simple but powerful. It allows readers to process the emotional weight of the story carefully. It is a unique way to allow historical fiction to be a bit...
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