Diverse Reads in Children's and YA Literature

Summary Adele Reiner is a sixteen-year-old who finds herself spending two weeks at a youth reform camp. Her drug-addicted mother is in rehab and her father is distant and estranged. Adele just wants to get through camp and not get into any additional trouble. Soon she meets two teenage boys, Fergus and Andy and finds herself engulfed in a love triangle that leads to a dangerous situation. Justification This text was featured on the 2023 list of Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. It also received favorable reviews from School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews . Even though it is a Young Adult read, it is a very quick book with just 113 pages, a draw-in for reluctant or struggling readers. What does the text have to do with the reader personally? Many social issues were addressed through this short read. Issues such as drug addiction, parental abandonment, abuse, murder, and crimes committed by minors. So, if a young reader has been affected any of these issues, whether dir...

  Summary This informational text highlights sexual behaviors of animals, homosexual sexual behaviors, in particular. The book incorporates comical illustrations and interviews conducted by the author, Eliot Schrefer with scientists. Schrefer also relates his own experiences as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and how society perceives it and ties it in to animal behavior. Although this is an informational text, the narrative is presented in a language and style that is relatable to its intended audience (Grades 9 and up). Justification This book is a Printz Honor Book and received favorable reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Booklist . Unusual Viewpoints There are many books on the sexual behaviors of animals, but not very many, if any, that particularly focus on homosexual activities of animals. This aspect of the text is enough to grab readers attention. The textbook, Children's Literature, Briefly states that "the unusual viewpoint, whether on the cover or inside ...

  Summary Set in D-Day, June6, 1944, this text highlights the lives of Dee Carpenter, an underage United States Army private who heads for Omaha Beach in a quest to seek revenge for an uncle who was captured by Nazis when he was a little boy, and Samira Zidano, an eleven-year-old French-Algerian girl who is seeking the French resistance and goes on a quest in rescuing her captured mother. Justification  The author, Alan Gratz is a New York Times Bestselling author of other highly-acclaimed historical fiction books. His 2018 book, Refugee was a Bluebonnet and Lone Star  Award-winning book. The text also received favorable reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Booklist . Presenting Multiple Perspectives This text is considered to be a historical fiction book. One unique ability that author, Alan Gratz has is being able to create characters who are from different eras experiencing the effects of different historical events and tying together the commonalities of their struggl...

  Summary Eleven-year-old Rick is dealing with the challenges of navigating his first year of middle school as well as having a friend named Jeff who objectifies girls and bullies other students, especially if he sees them as different from him. Rick, who feels no liking toward girls or boys, discovers a club on his campus called the Rainbow Spectrum which welcomes students of different gender orientations and identities. As everything plays out, Rick has to decide if his friendship with Jeff is beneficial to him and he also has to figure out how to navigate as a kid who is asexual and aromantic. Justification My justification for including this text is the fact that it has received favorable reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journa l. Also, students in Grades 3-6 could also gain awareness about fellow classmates who may be in the LGBTQ+ community and how to properly interact and engage with them (i.e., by addressing them by their preferred pronouns). Accurate Rep...

      Summary Sixteen-year-old Yamilet's life is turned upside down after she comes out to her best friend (also her crush) and becomes alienated. In an attempt to rebuild her life she assumes the identity of a straight girl at a Catholic high school. The text chronicles her challenges to keep her same-sex attraction a secret, especially as she develops a crush on Bo, a girl who is out and boldly wears rainbow attire and openly confronts homophobic teachers. Other issues pointed out in the text are racism, religious differences, mental health struggles, peer pressures, and familial ties. What does the text have to do with the reader personally? If the reader is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, they can easily identify with Yamilet. Throughout the text, Yamilet experiences many forms of alienation from her former best friend and her father after she comes out to both of them. She also fears that she will be kicked out and forced to support and provide for herself if she c...

Summary    This text unlocks the mystery of what happens with animal waste at the zoo. Filled with many zany facts about the shapes, sizes, and colors of different kinds of zoo animals. The text also teaches readers about where the waste is transported and what it is used for once it is disposed of.   Justification for this text   I chose this text because just the title enough is attention-grabbing for many young readers. The inclusion of simple rhyming words in this informational picture book makes it an easy and enjoyable read. The text also includes a good number of descriptive terms to help students visualize the different types of "poo" for the animals. Attractive Design/Read the Pictures The illustrator, Allison Black provides vivid pictures that serve as an effective narration that could tell the information without the words. As the book describes the different types of "poo," the illustrations support these descriptions accurately. Little-Known Facts Ac...