Diverse Reads in Children's and YA Literature

    Summary   Barry Tucker and his family attempts to evacuate before Hurricane Katrina hits their home in New Orleans. However, during the evacuation, his little sister becomes ill and they are forced to return home and attempt to wait out the storm. At first, Hurricane Katrina doesn't seem to be that bad of a storm, but as the levees break overnight, the family is forced to climb to the top of the roof and Barry gets swept away by the floodwaters, separated by his family; he has to fight to stay alive.   Justification The text is a graphic novel depiction of the popular historical fiction series, I Survived by Lauren Tarshis. Graphic novels tend to be a great go-to recommendation for dyslexic, struggling, or reluctant readers because the illustrations and the dialogue adequately support the text's narrative. Attractive Design The illustrations presented throughout the text could easily carry the story without dialogue or narrative. Young readers can easily visually...

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...