School Shopping List:
Most important? The last. Why? The learning will last long after the paper’s gone and the pencils are nubs.
Two humorous stories open conversation and diffuse fears about feeling different. Erica Perl’s Dotty (Abrams, ages 4-6) stars Ida, a young girl who comes to school with her imaginary friend Dottie. Ida’s peers have fantastical buddies too and Julie Denos’ whimsical drawings and the behaviors of the silly beasties set a playful mood. By mid-year, however Ida’s friends mature and mock her beliefs. Thank goodness for Dottie who comes to her defense as does as Ida’s quirky, empathetic teacher.
Jeremy’s not so lucky with his teacher, Mrs. Nuddles, in Candace Ryan’s Animal House (Walker, ages 5-8). She won’t accept his explanations about how the “shrewler” gnawed on a project (pictures show his ruler turned beastly and hungry). Her perception changes when she visits Jeremy’s house where readers appreciate how the author and illustrator have wrought a comedic transformation of reality. Mrs. Nuddles’ gasps as she skirts the “floormingos” and the “refrigergator” jumps at her. Wordplay and animal slapsticks make great vehicles to explain potential differences between home and school.
Jacqui Robbins’ Two of a Kind (Atheneum, ages 5-8) are sneering antiheroes Kayla and Melanie who decide Anna is “cool after all”, welcome her into their exclusive clique while they mock Anna’s best friend, Julisa. After manipulations and threats, Anna breaks free from these bullies and regains her simpatico relationship with Julisa. Author and illustrator Matt Phelan get the details just right—Anna’s tummy hurts at lunch, Anna sits at a distance from her new friends and finally readers see the reunited friends “laugh until our glasses fall off.”
I Repeat, Don’t Cheat (Simon and Schuster, ages 5-8) is Margery Cuyler fifth story about the worrying Jessica. When her Lizzie cheats and lies, Jessica tries ignoring, considers tattling and finally explodes. Resolution comes from a kindly male teacher who listens and explains a better action plan.
Melody, the heroine of Sharon Draper’s Out of My Mind (Atheneum, ages 9-12), has cerebral palsy and at almost eleven, she’s never spoken a word. Brilliant thoughts and stunning words swirl around in her head like beautiful snowflakes that she can’t voice to her parents, sister, sitter and most definitely not to peers. Their prejudice is the heart of this book and the view from Melody’s perspective is certain to engender compassion. Highly recommended for a read aloud.
Kathryn Erskine’s heroine of Mockingbird (Mok’ing-burd) (Philomel, ages 9 and up) has Asperger’s as well as a brother who’s just been murdered at a school shooting. Ten-year-old Caitlin, who has difficulty understanding how the crazy world works in normal times struggles to understand The Day Our Life Fell Apart and the meaning of Closure. Erskine effectively scatters capitals throughout Caitlin’s narrative as if they are screaming in her head for her to Get It, or control her TRM (Tantrum Rage Meltdowns).