El Deafo- Children's graphic Novel

 

El Deafo -Children’s Literature- Graphic Novel

                                            Written and illustrated by CeCe Bell

 

This graphic novel is a loose autobiographical story about the author’s childhood growing up deaf.  CeCe Bell wore hearing aids and often felt she wasn’t accepted by other children; she felt she was different.  CeCe is frustrated and depressed because of how she is treated, but too scared to say anything because she doesn’t want to lose the few ‘friends’ she does have.  The characters are represented as bunnies, and she uses her hearing aid as a superpower.  Sometimes her teachers forget to turn off their tiny microphones that allow her to hear them in her hearing aid, and she is privy to conversations and information she probably is not supposed to hear.  She adopts the secret nickname “El Deafo”.  As she gets older, she becomes more confident about her impediment and even confronts those people who treat her differently.  She discovers that many of those individuals do not realize how hurtful their actions can be.  She even gains a new friend and sidekick after she reveals her secret persona, “El Deafo” to her new friend.  With age, comes confidence and CeCe realizes that she doesn’t have to hide or be ashamed of her disability, rather she has a different ability and can proudly share her superpower with others. 

 

This link has a read aloud by the author herself, as well as the inside scoop of the story.

https://youtu.be/q5vx-V8SFL4

An extension activity with this book would to be for the class to do a research project on the deaf community.  The students could also learn sign language to learn how some individuals with a hearing impediment communicate. 

This One Summer- Young Adult Graphic Novel

 

This One Summer

Graphic Novel

Young Adult

    This One Summer is a graphic novel for young adults.  Prior to searching for a young adult graphic novel, I had never heard of this book.  As I searched to find where this book was available, I can across articles that suggested there was some controversy surrounding this book, and this instantly piqued my interest.  In 2016, this book was removed from libraries in Henning, Minnesota and Longwood, Florida after parents complained about the books’ use of profanity and mature themes.  The author, Mariko Tamaki said the book is most appropriate for readers 12-18, but that it is an important book for young adults to read. It was featured in 2018 on a list of “Top ten most challenged books” as the 7^th most challenged book in 2018 and number 1 challenged in 2106.  It was challenged for “profanity, sexual references and certain illustrations”. 

        In 2014, This One Summer won the Ignatz award for outstanding graphic novel and the Eisner Award in 2105 for Best New Graphic Novel.  It also received a Caldecott Honor in 2015 and a Printz Honor as well. 

This coming-of-age story follows two young girls, Windy and Rose.  They are both on summer vacation in a beach town named Awago.  Rose is the narrator of the book.  She reflects on the previous summer in Awago and her experiences and insights as she has now matured another year. Rose cannot remember a summer where she didn’t spend her time at Lake Awago with her summer friend Windy.  Rose and Windy love to explore the beach and watch rented movies….remember when renting movies from an actual store was a thing?  The girls reminisce about their past summers and how they are eagerly awaiting for their bodies to mature and grow boobs.  Rose meets an older teenager named Duncan and soon develops a crush.  At Duncan’s they meet other older local kids.  They once hoped that they would grow up to be like them, but quickly begin to question this when they learn new derogatory words used by these older kids, like “slut” and “blowjob”. 

        The story shifts towards to some turmoil at home, where Rose’s mother and father have intensified conflicts.  Her mother is depressed, and Rose’s father leaves the house for several days after an argument between her parents.  Rose is very angry with her mom and calls her mom selfish. Later in the summer, Rose’s father returns back to the summer cottage, but the tension in the air can be cut with a knife and neither parent act like the other is there. 

        Windy and Rose also discover that Duncan’s girlfriend, Jenny is pregnant.  Duncan denies this claim and also suggests that the baby is not his and has another father.  He refuses to make doctor’s appointments too.  Duncan still refuses to accept responsibility for the child and tells Jenny to never speak to him again.  Jenny is distraught and runs off.  Rose goes to look for Jenny and discovers that she is drowning in the ocean.  Rose yells for her mom to save her; she saves Jenny.  This is where Rose’s mom’s source of pain is revealed.  Last summer, Rose’s mom had a miscarriage while swimming in the ocean.  Rose feels horrible for how she treated her mom and forgives her.  The novel ends with Rose and Windy reminiscing and wondering what the next year will hold for them at the lake.

        Because of the mature themes and language, this book is suggested for ages 12-18.  After reading the novel, I can understand why many parents wanted it banned from libraries.  Personally, I feel there is worse language on content more readily available to preteens and teens daily on tv, YouTube and social media.  The story provided in this novel is something that is very prevalent in today’s world and is very important for youth to read.  I would find this graphic novel most appropriate for high school students.

For classroom activities, I would suggest doing a character analysis.  Duncan, Jenny, Rose, Windy, Rose’s mom and Rose’s dad would all be great choices for the character analysis.  Another activity could be for the students to predict what might happen or change when Rose and Windy return to Lake Awago next summer.  What might be the same and how will things be different.   

We're All Wonders- children's literature Boys and Books

 

"Look with Kindness and you will always find wonder!"

    This beautiful picture book helps bring the wonderful message about choosing kindness to young readers everywhere.  This children's book about being kind has the same character and plot from NEW YORK TIMES best seller, WONDER.  The young character in this book is teased and bullied because he looks different from all the other kids.  When he feels sad, he puts his helmet on and his dog Daisy's helmet as well.  He is transported to Pluto where he looks back on the Earth.  He reflects on how the Earth is home to all different kinds of people and is big enough for all different kinds of people. There are people who are different and look different too, just like him!

He realizes that he cannot change the way he looks, but maybe, just maybe, people can change the way they see.  They'll see that they're wonders too.  We're all wonders!

Click on the link below for this wonderful read aloud by Books with Blue

https://youtu.be/xmmfWcR65kI

This is a fun activity to help students connect the reading to a craft and writing activity.  Check out Teacher's Pay Teachers for this great craftivity. 

Wonder- Boys and Books

 

    Before you begin this book, make sure you have Kleenex tissue handy.  This novel by  R.J. Palacio is a read that you won’t want to put down.  It’s witty, raw, and gripping.  This book was written after the author had a chance encounter with a young girl at an ice cream shop.  The author wanted to write the book to help parents and other children who may also have facial deformities or abnormalities.  The book is titled Wonder because it makes you wonder about life if you were the main character or his parents.  This New York Time’s best sellers list novel was also made into a Hollywood box office hit.  This novel is appropriate for all young adults.  Its’ story is about overcoming fears, diversity, bullying and the strength and love of family.

                August Pullman is a 10-year-old boy who lives with his parents, sister, and dog “Daisy” in Brooklyn New York.  In most ways, he is just like any other 10-year-old boy, except for the fact that he has severe facial deformities.  When August was born, the doctors rushed him away from his parents immediately. He was born with a genetic condition, Treacher Collins Syndrome. In his 10 short years on Earth, Auggie has endured numerous surgeries to try to help his facial deformities.  

Because of his constant surgeries, Auggie has not attended schooled has been homeschooled instead, that is until this year.  He and his family have decided that he will attend Beecher Prep for the fifth grade.  Auggie visits the school and meets the principal along with a few students.  He is apprehensive, scared, nervous, and decides that maybe he does not want to go. He hits it off with a young man named Jack; Jack befriends Auggie.  Jack is leery of Julian, and rightfully so.  Julian acts like an angel in front of adults, but bullies Auggies when adults are not around.  An  incident occurs at Halloween where he overhears his friend Jack joining in saying awful mean comments with Julian and others.  The reconcile over winter break and Jack admits to the awful things he said about Auggie.  Unfortunately, Auggie once again overhears a conversation not intended for his ears.  He overhears his sister, Via, tell her mom that she is glad that Auggie does not go to her new school and that she does not wish for him to attend her school play.  She is nervous that others will know that he is her brother. 

                I have been reading this book during quiet time to my summer camp students.  Even my most talkative students listen intently to this novel as I turn each page, patiently waiting for the next challenge Auggie will face to be revealed. 

    A great activity to complete with this novel is to create Wonder portraits

Students will create their own wonder drawing and think of 15 ways they can be kind.  They paint the 15 different sections and then write a way they can be kind on each ray.  

Students can also take the pledge to choose kind.  The pledge would involve reading the book and a taking a pledge to choose kind always.  

Diversity- Not Quite Narwhal

 

Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima

This sweet children's book is about a narwhal, well, not so quite narwhal, who is discovering that he is a little different from his fellow narwhals.  

Kelp was not the best swimmer    .....               

His tusk was not as long as the others...

                 

He liked different food.....

He knew he was different very early on.  One day, he saw a creature that looked just like him on land.  He had never been on land before.  He decided to swim as fast as he could towards land; however, he was not a very fast swimmer.  He was a little nervous about walking for the first time, but he thought the land creatures made it look easy.  Once he got on land, he found many land narwhals! He was so excited, but he soon discovered that the land narwhals were actually..... UNICORNS... and so was HE! They taught him how to gallop and that the thing on top of his head was called a horn.....and don't forget unicorn delicacies.. yummy!!!  He was having the best time and didn't want to leave.  Kelp suddenly remembered all of his friends under the sea, and he missed them terribly.  Would the narwhals still love him and like him, even though he was a unicorn??!! Once he got back home, he was surprised that all of his narwhal friends missed him and that his new identity was not such a secret after all.  In fact, they always knew that he was a unicorn.  Kelp was so relieved that he was still accepted, even though he was different.  Although he was happy to be home in the ocean, he missed his land narwhal friends...oh wait, they are actually called unicorns.  He missed his unicorn friends!  How would he pick between his land friends and under the sea friends.  He found a way that he didn't have to choose.  He could have the best of both worlds!!

Check out this link to see how Kelp figured out to have the best of both worlds

https://youtu.be/IBOWaQSuGl4

A great activity to use along with this book is a lesson about comparing and contrasting.  Use a venn diagram to compare features about a narwhal and unicorn.  How are they different and how are they alike?

Young Adults- Buddha Boy

Buddha Boy is a young adult novel that tells a story about a young high school teenager, Michael Martin.  He enters a new school, Edward Rucher High School, where he is surrounded by wealthy white kids. The problem??? He is not white, not rich and considered the new "weird" kid.  Isn't high school grand?  Teenagers can be so welcoming, kind and non judgmental (I hope you sensed the severe sarcasm in that last statement).  

The story is told through the voice of Justin.  Justin is considered an outcast himself.    He watches as the new weird kid is teased, mocked and called "Buddha Boy" by the rich white kids in his school. He wears oversized tie-dyed dragon t-shirts, shaves his head and is always smiling.  He is intrigued by this new student.  He looks like a monk with his shaved head and seems to be unphased by the school bullies.  Who is this weirdo?! Justin learns that the new kid's name is Jinsen.  Later in the story we learn that "Buddha Boy" has a past and was actually given the name Jinsen by his Buddhist teacher.  The name means fountain of God. The boys are assigned to work together on a school assignment, and Justin feels a connection to Jinsen.  He is fascinated by Jinsen's ability to remain calm and unphased by the bullies, but it really angers Justin when the students are cruel to his new friend.  How does this not bother Jinsen?   

As the story unfolds, we learn about Jinsen's past.  Jinsen was actually an unkind person himself.  He was just as mean as the bullies at their high school, or maybe even worse.  Jinsen reveals that his parents died, and he was catatonic from grief.  So much grief, that it made him weak and unable to move. His therapist, Kim, helped him discover his love for art and also taught him about Buddhism.  This is where the name Jinsen was given to him.  Even though he is treated so unkindly, Jinsen never condemns the bullies or looks down on them.  Justin is in awe of Jinsen's ability to be forgiving and nonjudgmental.  Justin begins to question his own beliefs.  Being friends with an outcast is not particularly easy.  Justin has to decide if he can continue to be friends with the weird kid, or if he wants to fit in with the other kids at school.  

At 117 pages, this wonderful novel about diversity, loss, and acceptance is a quick read that you won't want to put down.  It is suitable for middle school and high school students alike.  

This novel is told through flashbacks by Justin. Students could create a timeline of events to help retell the events of Jinsen's life.  This book would also be a great book to have students create character traits lists.  Teachers Pay Teachers have wonderful resources for this novel to help enhance student comprehension.  

  Follow this link to access these wonderful resources for your classroom:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Search:buddha%20boy

Social Emotional Learning: Children's Literature

                                                           

"Life begins when you get back up" - Humpty Dumpty    

Kindergarten...say no more about social emotional learning.  It is THE place that children really hone in on learning and applying social emotional skills they have learned.  As a Kindergarten teacher, most of our day is redirecting and re-enforcing social emotional learning.  Children are coming from many different home environments, family structures, cultures and have varying levels of school experience.  Some schools have counselors that help teach SEL and some do not.  Finding books that help teach these skills and also engage the students can be difficult.  I am so glad I found this book; it is simple, familiar and encourages students to face their fears and never give up.  After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again" by Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat takes us to the moment after Humpty Dumpty has a great fall.....

What happened to Humpty Dumpty after his great fall?! It sounds like something grand and enjoyable, right?  On the contrary, it was a terrible accident; however, all the Kingsmen were able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again...well, most of him.  The book mentions that some things glue and bandages cannot fix.  Is a children's book addressing mental health and anxiety?? Why yes, yes it is!! 

     This sequel to the very popular children's story follows Humpty after his tragic fall and the difficult emotions he experiences as he faces his fears.  Due to his fall from the wall, Humpty was troubled with a fear of heights, something very unfortunate for an avid bird watcher. He walked past the ladder each day instead of climbing the ladder to watch birds, one of his most favorite activities.  Accidents can happen, so he settled for watching the birds from the ground.  It just wasn't the same though. 

    An idea flies by in the air; a paper airplane inspired him to make his very own flying bird.  He tried day after day and did not give up, until he finally made the perfect bird.  He was so overjoyed and happy again. He was reminded that accidents always happen and Humpty's bird went up over the wall.  We all have something that speaks to our fears, and sooner or later we must face them if we want to reach our goals or make new ones.  Humpty Dumpty faces his fears step by step and climbs the ladder again.  Even though he was scared, he knew that giving up was not an option.  

This book can be used in both early childhood classrooms, but I also think it would be great to use in middle school classes as well.  The message of encouragement is apparent for young students, but older students can dig deeper on the topic. Mental health and anxiety are both topics I believe extremely important to discuss with young adolescents.  

It would also be fun to use this book to complete a STEM activity and build Humpty a protective jacket or box to keep him from breaking if he falls again. Kindergarten and first grade students can sequence events.. first, next, then, last.  Middle School students can write a story about Humpty Dumpty and what would happen if he decided to not try again. This would be fun to have students work collaboratively on in small groups.  Where is Humpty now?  What is he doing?  Does he have a new hobby?  The possibilities are endless!

Watch the read aloud here:

https://youtu.be/dUKt1a6I3yw

Need additional resources, similar book suggestions,  book companions?  Click the link below for all of that and more

https://childrenslibrarylady.com/after-the-fall/

  

Social Emotional Learning: Young Adults

 

" When I was a kid, I'd draw to get attention from my family.  In Junior high, I drew to impress my friends. But now I am in my teens, I fill sketchbooks just to deal with life. To survive......" - Jarrett

   Grab your tissues... this one is a tear jerker.  The harsh realities of the life of a young man born to a troubled mother, an addict, are detailed in this award winning autobiographical graphic novel.  Jarrett, the main character of this book, who is also the author and illustrator, tells the accounts of his trauma filled childhood.  Born to a young heroin addicted mother and a father whom he never meets, Jarrett lives with his mother who gets involved with men of less than stellar characters and parties while partaking in drugs and alcohol.  His mother relinquishes her rights, and he moves in with his grandmother and grandfather.  His grandparents have their own troubles and often fight in front of Jarrett, but they genuinely love him.  When his grandparents drink, just a little warning, their language is as colorful as a rainbow. 

Due to his traumatic experiences as a child, Jarrett often suffers from nightmares.  Monsters chase him down the street while he sees the decapitated heads of his grandparents. This nightmare continues to visit him throughout his childhood and young adolescence. 

Throughout the book, he refers to his mother as "Leslie".  He yearns for his mother and often questions why she doesn't come around or visit him. As she finds her way in and out of rehab and half way houses, Jarrett finds stability living with his grandparents.   One day, they finally reveal to Jarrett that his mother is a drug addict and the reason she has not been around is due to her being in jail and her drug abuse.  Jarrett is able to use his experiences and pain to inspire his art.  His grandparents encourage his talents along with teachers and mentors.  This  graphic novel shares his experiences through moving words as well as descriptive pictures.  If you look closely, the pictures tell more of his story that words cannot necessarily describe. As a mother of a foster child who's background is eerily similar to Jarrett's, it was easy to feel connected to this story and understand the pain and trauma the author felt.  It was also reassuring to see how Jarrett was able to have a stable and successful life even though he was not dealt the best hand in life.   This novel can be a beacon of light for students who may have experienced similar situations or are currently experiencing something similar.  

This book would be most suitable for high school students due to the language and subject matter. This may be a trigger for some students, but also an excellent opportunity to discuss the reality of substance abuse and the impact it has on children and families. Because of the possible triggers it may cause some students, it would be best to teach this book in small groups first.  This would allow for intimate discussions with smaller groups of students. Through troubles, Jarrett was able to focus his pain in the form of art by creating comics.  Students can write a graphic novel about an incident in their life. This activity could be done individually or as a group.  

BOOKRAGS also has several more wonderful suggestions for lessons, activities, quizzes, and more to do with your students.  Click on the link to access all these wonderful ideas   

http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/hey-kiddo/funactivities.html#gsc.tab=0

Check out this video for a read aloud of Chapter 1 

Learn more about Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

https://heykiddobook.com/