#IMWAYR November 18, 2019

Each week I try to join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee from Unleashing Readers to share all of the reading I've done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. I am currently a first round Cybil judge for the middle grade fiction, so expect to see a lot of middle grade fiction for the next few weeks. A lot of middle grade fiction.

Here's what I read this week:

Picture Book

I loved this story about the pride a younger sister felt when her older sister wore her hijab to school for the first time. This is a definite must read for every classroom.

A wonderful story about accepting differences and all the ways we can be unique. 

Middle Grade

Karina Chopra hasn't wanted to talk to her neighbor Chris since his friends teased her for being Indian. But when Karina's grandfather is assigned as Chris' math tutor, they start to see each other in a new light. When the two of them are witness to a racially motivated attack on Karina's grandfather, they bond even further and start a movement. This book is a must read and could be paired with the two picture books above and the book Wishtree.

Mrs. Graham is not your typical teacher. First, she makes the students stay in the same seat all year to "build community." Second, she expects them to change the world. When one of her groups takes that inspiration too far, Mrs. Graham's class must use what they have learned to make real change in their local community in order to save Mrs. Graham's job. A wonderful story told in multiple points of view and multiple formats. 

When Kaede's mother is killed in a car accident, he became angry at the world. That anger led him to make a number of serious mistakes. Not knowing what else to do, his grandfather reaches out to his father and stepbrother in Japan - who Kaede has not been in touch with in years. Invited to spend three weeks with them, Kaede goes to Japan with an assignment to write a journal about the meaning of home in order to pass the year. A story about the meaning of home and family.

Lulu's family hasn't been the same since her baby sister died when Lulu was three. Her parents think she can't remember what life was like before but Lulu has HSAM - a memory condition that gives her the ability to remember every moment of her life as if she's replaying scenes on an iPhone. When Lulu's grandmother starts losing her own memory, Lulu is determined to use her special memory to help her grandmother. But the more she learns about her grandmother's past, the more she learns she may not know her grandmother's life story as well as she thought.

Fina's practically lives at the US Capitol building because her father is a US Congressman from California. But while exploring the Capitol crypt, she comes across the legendary Demon Cat, which is thought to bring bad luck. When one thing after another goes wrong, Fina becomes determined to find this Demon Cat and change her luck. This story will take kids behind the scenes at the Capitol.

Maddie considers herself part of the popular girls at her school but when they dare her to do something mean to another girl - and she does it, she suddenly finds herself wondering whether being popular is more important than being kind.

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Stacy Barnett Mozer is a teacher and a middle grade author. If you like what she's been reading follow her on Goodreads. Please leave a comment below.