Recently I discovered two books that I am eager to pass on to my 10 year old son:
Out of my Mind and Wonder feature remarkable 5th and 6th graders who feel like everyone is staring at them, talking about them, and avoiding them. Granted, most kids this age have this terribly self-conscious feeling -- but in these two titles, the main characters aren’t exaggerating.
Melody (in Out of My Mind) is a disabled student who finally has a chance to tell others what she is thinking and feeling. Her wheelchair and tantrums draw stares, but her words and intelligence finally steal the show.
Then Auggie (in Wonder) leaves the safety of being a little-kid as he enters middle school. Hard enough for your average person, Auggie has a facial deformity that draws gasps from his new classmates.
The characters in both these titles are terribly alone and yet fiercely loved by their advocates. The stories that unfold are fast-paced page-turners that make readers pause when they see themselves in the protagonist AND the antagonists. This is good reading for all ages.
Melody (in Out of My Mind) is a disabled student who finally has a chance to tell others what she is thinking and feeling. Her wheelchair and tantrums draw stares, but her words and intelligence finally steal the show.
Then Auggie (in Wonder) leaves the safety of being a little-kid as he enters middle school. Hard enough for your average person, Auggie has a facial deformity that draws gasps from his new classmates.
The characters in both these titles are terribly alone and yet fiercely loved by their advocates. The stories that unfold are fast-paced page-turners that make readers pause when they see themselves in the protagonist AND the antagonists. This is good reading for all ages.