I chose this book to read because when my son came home with his 8th grade honors ELAR syllabus this novel was listed for them to read this year. I like to see what other teachers recommend, and I enjoy reading what my son does, so we can discuss it (he may not enjoy this as much). I am a big Jacqueline Woodson fan, and although I thought this book was fine, it is not my favorite by her. I do understand why the teacher chose this book, however. The novel centers around Haley and five of her friends who are part of a special class of students who need additional supports. They forge a bond over the school year with each other as their teacher creates a weekly space for them to talk. Through their discussions the reader learns about their family concerns as well as their societal concerns. Issues like death of parents, parents in prison, illegal immigration and how it can impact families, bullying, racial profiling and more. Some deep conversations can be had while reading this book; although, I am not convinced my son and his class are going to enjoy this book. I hope they do. I hope they have some enlightening conversations and learn about issues that teenagers often face behind the scenes. Maybe it will help them build some empathy and understanding for others. Approximate Grade Level - 5th-8th - The reading level of the text is something that could be handled in 4th or 5th grade; however, I am not sure most students of this age will be able to grasp all of the concepts discussed within the novel. I would personally recommend the book for middle school aged kids.
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I chose this book because I had heard it is funny, but unfortunately, I did not find it to be all that humorous. The book is a reflection on Sara's upbringing in the United States as an undocumented immigrant from Iran. Sara does not realize she is undocumented until she is 13, and when she learns she can be deported at any time, her stress level rises. Sara's reflections are full of 80's and 90's references to television and film stars as well as teenage angst wrapped up with her anxiety and challenges of being an immigrant. Sara also shares some insights on Persian culture. The book contains some profanity as well as discussions of drugs, so this book might not be suitable for all readers. There are many positive reviews of this book, and it is apparently being developed into a television series for ABC. I just did not love it, but maybe you will. Approximate Grade Level: Although the reading level is not super high, content-wise I would not suggest for students under high school level. I would give it a 15+ rating |
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