BLOGS > JULY 22, 2024
BY LORIE BARBER
Middle grade readers often go through times of trauma, adversity and change. Lots of change! Kids will often put on that “everything’s fine” face both at home and at school, when in reality, they're coping with losses or struggles that make them feel really alone. To that end, I chose middle grade books and picture books across genres I simply couldn't live without that may help kids feel a little less alone.
I culled through hundreds of books, paying special care to two aspects of reader’s lives.
First, I wanted all students to see themselves in this list. I included books with protagonists of color, such as A Good Kind of Trouble, Count Me In, and A Promise of Change, so all students can see themselves in strong, independent characters who advocate for positive change in their schools and communities. I included books with characters with physical and emotional struggles like The Spinner of Dreams, Kat Greene Comes Clean, and Focused, so kids can see that things aren’t always as bad as they seem right at that moment. I included books with a variety of families, like Smart Cookie, Blended, and The Parker Inheritance, so all students can see that the meaning of family doesn’t just include “mom and dad.” And I chose books in which characters may have suffered tragedies but have come out on the other side stronger. These include Super Jake and the King of Chaos, A Bridge Home, and Missing Mike.
The second aspect of literacy to which I paid special care was the authors of the books I chose. I felt it was important to include a wide variety of authors and illustrators of color, such as The Undefeated, a masterful picture book written by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, and Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes by Wab Kinew, a Canadian Indigenous leader and member of the Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation. These are both incredible picture books that happen to be written and/or illustrated by Black and Indigenous authors and illustrators. Most importantly, they celebrate the resilience of oppressed groups of people throughout North America. I also chose to include books written by women, so that the boys and girls who read them can understand the capability and talent of female authors throughout the world. Part of my work as an educator is to lift the voices of women and Black and Indigenous people of color in the book industry, because those voices are often less heard than those for which the structure was built.
These books are absolutely beautiful. I’m sure you haven’t heard of some of them, but I’ve read them all, and recommend every single one to middle grade readers to help them feel hope and know that struggle is part of growth.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: LORIE BARBER
Lorie’s goal is to facilitate students’ lifelong love of literacy. A voracious reader, she’s a member of #bookexpedition and has blogged for Nerdy Book Club. She's a fifth grade teacher in Illinois.
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