It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (7.18.16)

Every Monday bloggers all over the web participate in an effort to share books we have read and what we are excited about digging into. Thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee & Ricki at Unleashing Readers for hosting us all!

What I Read Recently:

Finding Perfect, by Elly Swartz
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux, October 18, 2016)

     Molly can't help but feel like she is losing more and more control of her world, riddled with her mom's sudden move away from the family, competing challenges with middle school friends, and these routines, and rituals, and numbers...yes, numbers. Molly realizes she needs help, yet, she is also unsure of where to turn and who to trust with the truth that scares her.
     Elly Swartz's debut-novel portrays OCD with sensitivity and honesty. Though Elly is not without her obstacles and challenges, the family and friends in Finding Perfect are loving and supportive. This is another middle grade book that will help build understanding and empathy by opening doors to the realities of mental health that are faced by our children and their loved ones.

Wish, by Barbara O'Connor
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR, August 30, 2016)

     Charlie Reese longs to have a family--the kind that looks like everybody else's and helps her to feel normal and loved. In fact, she has a looonnnggg streak of wishing so every single day in every possible way to wish imaginable. Now that she's living with extended family members who she doesn't know in a small town in the middle of nowhere, Charlie feels her wish is far from becoming a reality. But when her new dog, Wishbone, becomes the center of her universe, she just might start to see things differently.
     Barbara O'Connor's writing is every bit as easy and gentle and true in Wish as in her other novels, and Charlie will be a fast friend for our readers who are in need of one. Wish will push readers--just as it does Charlie--to broaden their definition of what family looks like and grow their hearts a little, too.

Sticks & Stones, by Abby Cooper
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR, July 12, 2016)

     Elyse has a condition in which names she is called appear on the skin of her arms and legs. At first, this is interesting, with words like beautiful and cute. But as Elyse has grown older--and now that she is in middle school--the words haven't always been painless. Negative words like loser and stupid form and itch in a torturous way. What's more, Elyse's newest realization is that even the words she thinks about herself are appearing. Certain she needs a bank of lasting compliments to help her perpetually feel good--and control her condition--Elyse sets out to win the competition to the the leader of her class's three-day expeditionary trip.
     Abby Cooper's first book will raise questions and important conversations in upper elementary and middle school classrooms. This is the kind of book that will have kids exploring themes of kindness and respect and talking about the standards they want to hold each other to. Elyse's understanding and perspective at the end of the book are the kind of growth and confidence we hope to encourage in our students, too.

The Slowest Book Ever, by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Kelly Murphy
(Boyds Mills Press, April 5, 2016)

     Across categories such as animals, plants, body, space, and more, this book is a collection of nonfiction information about slow things: snails, coral, digestion, dark matter, and more.
     April Pulley Sayre has compiled page after page of interesting (and sometimes obscure) information related to speed that will have students rushing to share "did you know's" with their friends or heading off in search of more evidence that validates their reading. Short sections of digestible information and a witty voice will make this nonfiction appealing to kids.

When Friendship Followed Me Home, by Paul Griffin

(Dial Books, June 7, 2016)     
     When Ben Coffin was adopted by his foster mom, things seemed to fall into place, and when she let him keep a dog he found, things got even better. 
     When Friendship Followed Me Home invites you into easy friendship with Ben and Halley (and Flip). The dynamic between these two characters is full of heart and a beautiful balance of reciprocal admiration and support without being too heavy. Paul Griffin's writing about loss and grief takes a hopeful stance.

Poor Little Guy, by Elanna Allen
(Dial Books, June 7, 2016)
     This "poor little guy" is adorable, quite frankly. On his adventure in the ocean this day, he encounters other sea creatures and appears to be overwhelmed and intimidated...until he takes matters into his own hands.
     You need to read this one for yourself. Really.

Rules of the House, by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Matt Meyers
(Disney-Hyperion, May 3,  2016)
     On a vacation, feuding brother and sister get an imaginative look at what might happen if the rules of the house aren't followed when broken rules come to life in monstrous form.
     An interesting idea, and the illustrations literally add life to the story. Curious to know what kids think, but I decided it was a little too creepy for my 4-year old nephew this time around.

Hensel and Gretel Ninja Chicks, by Corey Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Dan Santat
(G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, May 24, 2016)
     Ninja students return--this time, chickens--in the poetic retelling of Hansel and Gretel. The well-schooled ninja chicks are lured into the kitchen of the witchy fox, but true to the original fairytale, they outsmart that fox and get away.
     I love this picture book series by this team. I marvel at the craft of Corey Rosen Schwartz's rhyme and meter and humor. Dan Santat's illustrations are a perfect match for the fun of the story. Read it aloud.

Let Me Finish!, by Minh Le, illustrated by Isabel Roxas
(Disney-Hyperion, June 7, 2016)
      All this boy wants to do is settle down with a good book, but with each attempt, he is interrupted by well-meaning friends who can't help but talk about his selections. 
      A humorous portrayal of the risk we run when we talk (too much!) about the books we love and spoil them for those who haven't read them yet. Upbeat art and the repeated interjections will make readers--young and old--smile.

What Do You Do with a Problem?, by Kobi Yamada, illustrated by Mae Besom

(Compendium, Inc., July 1, 2016)

     When the character identifies a problem as the thing looming and inviting worry and fear, he must decide how to handle it. 
     The book is essentially one extended think-aloud about making the choice to dig into a problem to decide how to handle it, and finding that problems often come with a glimmer of light--opportunity.

The Storyteller, by Evan Turk

(Atheneum Books for Young Readers, June 28, 2016)

     In the tradition of Moroccan storytelling, this is the story of a boy who saved Morocco from the wrath of the Sahara desert. Only it is so much more. Rich with metaphor, The Storyteller is about the power of storytelling to nourish us and honoring traditions to keep culture alive and well.

     The art. The writing. The layers. The message. This book is beautiful.

Good Night, Baddies, by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Julie Kangas

(Beach Lane Books, May 17, 2016)

     Night has come and all across the castle, the villains of your favorite fairytales are getting ready for sleep.
     Each page has a gentle and easy rhyme that gives hints the readers can use (with the pictures of course) to recall the fairytales in which each "baddie" starred. Clever, fun, creative.

What I am Currently Reading:

Celebrating Writers, by Ruth Ayres, with Christi Overman

(Stenhouse, 2013)

The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill

(Algonquin, August 9, 2016)

What I am Looking Forward to Reading Soon (in no particular order):
Return Fire, by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Midnight Without a Moon, by Linda Jackson

Five Things I'm Celebrating About nErDcampMI

Parma, Michigan is not a short trip from my little town in western Maine. But it's a distance I'm willing to travel to spend time in a place where the energy for all-things-literacy runs high, a place where I can refill my cup and pocket seeds of inspiration alongside other nerdy folks from all over the country. nErDcampMI is a professional development opportunity that I am celebrating.

Five Things I'm Celebrating About nErDcampMI

Photo credit: #nerdyphotographer Justin

1. Connections. 
Some of the truest relationships I have built are with others who share the love of all things nerdy, and yet, in most cases, these important people are people I see only a few times a year--if that often. For my Voxer group, nErDcampMI is a gathering space for us to return to, to celebrate and to enjoy each other's company. And, true of my Voxer group and other nerdy friends, too, it is easy to pick right up where we last left off. I don't think any of this is an accident. It comes down to friendships that are seeded in deep-rooted passions...passions that are alive and thriving at nErDcampMI, passions that are so central to our identity. It is so important to know we are not alone. Not just to "know," but to feel we are not alone, and nErDcampMI provides a gathering space where we can feel our commonality pulsating. And while we're returning home this week feeding on the nErDcampMI energy, connections built here will be sustained all year long.

2. Story. 

For the second year, I was honored to present a session on Day One of nErDcampMI. In a session called Writing Mentorship, Beyond Mentor Texts, I showcased my students' learning and growth as writers that resulted from experienced writers (both published authors and *ahem* me) sharing our writing lives transparently. I am so lucky to be able to tell the stories of my students and my classroom and of my own learning in hope of inspiring others. (Not-so-)Secret: It makes me wildly nervous to prepare and present, but I will always swallow my fear for the opportunity to share the Story my students and I are writing.

But sharing stories isn't limited to organized sessions, and the informal, spontaneous conversations that I had with other teachers and writers have left me as hopeful as the opportunity to speak on this topic did. I hope my story and my example of transparency with my writing life can be even a small nudge that helps someone else discover the value of writing and sharing their writing life with their students. I sincerely hope I can cheer other teachers on as they begin to build a their writing lives bravely. I'd love to hear their stories, too.

I can't wait to tell new students 
about meeting Nora Raleigh Baskin 
& to share nine, ten with them.

3. Learning. And learners.
There are organized sessions and Nerd Talks preplanned for Day One, often by prominent names and podcasting to empowering student readers to strategies for teaching perspective in writing and beyond. (Find the notes from all of the Day Two sessions on the nErDcampMI Idea Board.) But the people. The people who come to nErDcampMI open and curious and with a mindset of growth and self-improvement. And that makes nErDcampMI a positive and refreshing climate of professional learning that leaves you inspired to try something new or different that what you knew (or thought you knew) before.

personalities we love and admire. There are always too many interesting and appealing options of pop-up sessions on Day Two to choose from. The opportunities for learning at nErDcampMI are abundant and diverse, ranging from

My students are BIG fans of 
Tracey Baptiste's The Jumbies.

4. Gratitude.
Something special about nErDcampMI is the make-up of the crowd. Sure, 1,200 people is A LOT of people. But in and among the hundreds of teachers, librarians, and other educators is a great number of authors and illustrators (and their editors, too!) who generously make the trip to connect with all of us, also. To have authors and illustrators accessible to lend expertise to panels and discussions, to field questions and compliments about their books, and to take endless photos with us that undoubtedly boost our star-status with students IS special. I am glad for the opportunity to express gratitude to these creators who make the books our students love, books that grow them as young people.

5. Magic.

Jenni Holm conferences a young writer's four-panel comic.

Possibly my very favorite part of living the nerdy life is making connections between readers/writers and the authors they love and admire, so having a chance to volunteer at nErDcamp Jr. is the perfect conclusion to filling my own cup at nErDcampMI. Overseeing a small group of young readers and writers as they rotate between author sessions and dinner is a fantastic "pit stop" in the middle of summer to talk to kids and to witness the magic of talking to and learning from published authors and illustrators. This year my group had mini-writing sessions with Jenni Holm, Ruth McNally Barshaw, and Louise Borden. The students were respectful, thoughtful, and engaged. I love thinking about my return to my own students and sharing with them that I could connect with new kid-friends in Michigan over a shared appreciation of the same books.

nErDcampMI organizers (Colby & Alaina Sharp, Suzanne Gibbs, and team) have a lot to be proud of with another successful year in the books. Congratulations...and thank you.

You can take part in reflecting and celebrating each week, too! Ruth Ayres hosts Celebrate This Week - the Celebrate Link-Up on her blog every Saturday. Take time to celebrate.

Ms. Bixby's Last Day Blog Tour

I think I always knew I was going to be a teacher.

I think knowing my destiny made me a little more attuned to thing my teachers were doing for my peers and me, too. Or, maybe this is better attributed to growing up as the daughter of two passionate and committed educators. Either way, I knew what teachers were doing for kids, and for better or worse, I always positioned my teachers on a pedestal.

This is to say: I understand where Topher, Brand, and Steve are coming from in John David Anderson's new novel, Ms. Bixby's Last Day when the boys embark on a day-long quest to give Ms. Bixby the "last day" they thought she most deserved. When Ms. Bixby's health deteriorated and her "last day of school" came sooner than expected, the boys felt robbed of their opportunity to show their appreciation for the impact she had on their lives. And even though their personal motivations varied, their commonality was this: Ms. Bixby saw each of these boys for the people they were and she responded to their needs.

I could say kind words and share recollections of many teachers who made an impression on me along the way--I guess I'm lucky like that--but to me, the invitation to participate in this teacher appreciation blog tour in honor of Ms. Bixby's Last Day is for commending the Ms. Bixby's of our lives, and for me, my Ms. Bixby was Mrs. Vanier.

Mrs. Vanier was our interactive drama advisor. The main purpose of the extra-curricular club was to create and deliver open-ended skits about hot topic issues that allowed for audience interaction and participation at student awareness programs throughout our region and beyond. The club met on an as-needed basis, but we seemed to "need to meet" a lot. Although Mrs. Vanier and I never shared the traditional student-teacher relationship (that is, I was never a name on her class roster, and she was never responsible for teaching me content), she is arguably the teacher who taught me the most.

She educated me.
Quite literally, she took me out to practice driving when I was nearing my driver's test, and she taught me more than I'd care to admit about friendships and relationships. But of greater significance, she educated me about solving my own problems by listening, probing, reflecting back, and questioning. Her door was always open and she made opportunities for me to sort through whatever needed sorting so I could make my own best decisions. When my perspective was too narrow or too shallow, she broadened it. She modeled hard work and respect for the students she served.

She empowered me.
She instilled confidence. When I was looming beneath ugly middle school self-doubt and high school intimidation, she continued to make time for me, communicating through her actions that she saw something in me worth believing in. She guided me with gentle direction, but she always let me be the one making the choices. And I knew that whatever my choice was, her support was there.

She inspired me.
When you have the opportunity to be shaped by someone the way I was by Mrs. Vanier, you hope with your whole heart that the universe will allow you to pay it forward. I knew one day I would be a teacher. But the kind of teacher I aim to be--not only educating students, but empowering and inspiring students to be kind and compassionate and their fullest selves--that has more to do with my mentor and model. I hope my students, given the chance to read Ms. Bixby's Last Day, would agree.

Mrs. Vanier was my Ms. Bixby: the teacher with whom one less day would have been too few. She is a teacher with whom I felt I had a close relationship. She knew me when it seemed nobody else did. I was her favorite. But I'm sure everybody thought themselves to be, because that is how she made each of us feel.

I can't remember the last time I spent with Mrs. Vanier, except I know it most certainly wasn't long enough.
If I had to think up Mrs. Vanier's Last Day, I'd make all our plans. (I always did.) I'd drive, she'd ride shotgun, and maybe I'd let some old friends ride along, too. We'd blast Pat Benetar and the theme from "Friends" on the stereo and stick our arms out the rolled down windows, flapping them to pretend we were flying. We'd go to my tree. The one standing tall and exposed in the field on it's own, apart from all the clustered pines. We'd shop for scarves and sunglasses (ahem, with a more colorful name), and we'd make something crafty (probably not a wall-sized mural this time, but maybe), mistakes included. We'd reminisce about little jokes and memories, things that seemed big and life-dependent 20 years ago but would be mildly humiliating now (at best), things a lot like this that would make little to no sense to anyone else. And there would be laughter. Lots and lots of laughter.

Whose face do you see when you think back on the Ms. Bixbys of your life? 

Comment below with a memory shared with your Ms. Bixby by July 5. One lucky comment-leaver will win a copy of Ms. Bixby's Last Day, generously donated by Walden Pond Press.

Congratulations, Brenda! You win!

Looking for more about Ms. Bixby's Last Day?
Read an excerpt of Ms. Bixby's Last Day.
Read John David Anderson's Nerdy Book Club post about Ms. Bixby.
WaldenTV has posted a video on their YouTube channel.
Connect with author John David Anderson on Twitter or Facebook.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (6.27.16)

Every Monday bloggers all over the web participate in an effort to share books we have read and what we are excited about digging into. Thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee & Ricki at Unleashing Readers for hosting us all!

Sidenote: This is two weeks' worth of reading. I've been feeling guilty about all the book thoughts I've been keeping to myself by not posting, so my intention is to participate weekly through the summer, and hopefully I'll toss in a few bonus thoughts about books I've read earlier this year that I think someone (everyone?) else should know about, too. Stay tuned.

What I Read this Week:

The Distance to Home, by Jenn Bishop

(Knopf Books for Young Readers, June 28, 2016)
     Quinnen was the star pitcher on her Little League Team. She used to live for baseball. But now, she doesn't play. The grief that set in after losing her sister Haley in a tragic car accident last summer has swallowed her passion for playing. Quinnen's parents sign up to host a player from the minor league farm team for the summer in hopes that the presence of baseball in their family will rekindle something for Quinnen. But grief is big. And it seems no one thought of all the reminders of Haley. Is a relationship with the minor league farm players enough to give Quinnen the courage to try again?
     Readers will make quick friends with Quinnen, will feel their own hearts whimper as they realize the immense loss she is fielding, and will read through the story with patient hope, willing Quinnen to make peace with the way things are now. 

Towers Falling, by Jewell Parker Rhodes
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, July 12, 2016)
     New York City. September, present day. Deja and her 5th grade class are about to enter into a study of state history, including the formidable events of 9/11. As her father's feelings about this controversial subject matter rise, Deja and her friends' curiosity grows about this significant event that had such a lasting impact on the adults in their lives, and which they know so little about.
     Jewell Rhodes writes from the perspective of today's youth, for whom 9/11 is history--a tragic event they know only second-hand. She captures the pain and long-lasting effects of the tragedy experienced by those who lived that day. Her father's concern and fear, his longing to protect Deja and her peers from the realities of destruction and loss, are representative of a growing question among adults in many forums these days about the right time for talking about big issue topics and how soon is too soon for talking about the enormity of this day with kids. Towers Falling is a book that provides and in-road to important, respectful conversations with middle grade kids.

Save Me a Seat, by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
(Scholastic Press, May 10, 2016)
     Two students, two cultures, two different points of view...one problem classmate. For Ravi, hopefulness is crushed. Although he identifies with Dillon because they are both Indian, he comes to realize that is where their similarities end. For Joe, a new student joining the class helps him to escape being the target, a little less often anyway. It takes a week's worth of lunches, but when Ravi and Joe finally see each other for who they are, the boys are able to offer one another a hand in friendship that helps alleviate the distaste of a classmate like Dillon.
     Save Me a Seat will offer readers a chance to consider how too-common school happenings can be seen differently from multiple students' perspective. As a shared read, this book will open the doors of discussion about diversity, respect, and setting shared expectations for the way students want to be treat and student-driven standards for respect owed to others.

Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier
(GRAPHIX, September 13, 2016)
     Catrina isn't taking well to her family's recent move to Bahia de la Luna. It seems the only redeeming quality of the move is the promise that the new town will improve her sister Maya's quality of life with conditions that are kinder to Maya's cystic fibrosis. Word of the ghosts that inhabit the town, on the other hand, are not helping Catrina to settle in this new place. In time, Catrina's relationship with Maya grows closer still as she learns more about her family's traditions, the Day of the Dead, and her connection to her ancestors.
     Fans will find the same satisfying qualities of Raina Telgemeier's other works in Ghosts. Though not autobiographical like Smile and Sisters, Raina has given readers characters who are just as vivid and feel as well-known as her own family. Not only will the girls' relationship touch readers, but this book will likely serve as a gateway to more reading and discussion about cystic fibrosis and Mexican culture and traditions.

How Writers Work: Finding a Process that Works for You, by Ralph Fletcher
(HarperCollins, 2000)
      With an honest and accessible voice, Ralph Fletcher speaks to young writers about facets of developing a writing process, for example: brainstorming, revising, and publishing. He provides stories and anecdotes from his own writing life as well as concrete interviews and excerpts from other published writers and kid writers alike. There are lots of healthy reminders in this short text for aspiring writers of all ages.

The Best Man, by Richard Peck

(Dial Books, September 20, 2016)

     Archer has grown up with admiration for the men in his life: his grandfather, his uncle, and his dad. As an adolescent boy, he knows about the man he wants to be and is impatient to get there. But in this first year in middle school, Archer builds a relationship with another man he surprisingly finds he aspires to emulate as well, his new teacher.

     There is so much warmth in the relationships Richard Peck establishes on the pages of Archer's story. While the book is speckled with humorous situations (some worthy of an honest out-loud chuckle) and knowing smiles of familiar middle school doings, the relationships radiate, between and among all of the men of Peck's newest novel. I can't wait to see what readers think.

Inspector Flytrap, by Tom Angleberger and CeCe Bell

(Amulet Books, August 2, 2016)

     If you have a Big Deal Mystery that needs solving, Inspector Flytrap will be the newest superhero detective to call on. (Unless you're a fly.) Inspector Flytrap and his sidekick, Nina the goat, will have you smirking as they set out to solve problems.

     Inspector Flytrap has the humor and silliness that will make this a sought after early reader for young students. Written as a series of short stories (or Big Deal Mysteries), students can digest smaller bits at a time. The format incorporates both traditional chapters and mini-graphic novel comics that relate to each of the mysteries.

The World from Up Here, by Cecilia Galante

(Scholastic Press, June 28, 2016)

     When her mother's health requires hospitalization at a center far from home, Wren and her brother move in with their aunt and cousin, Silver, neither of whom they know. Wren and Silver attend the same middle school, where the girls are trying to find their place, and their real selves. The girls form a bond over shared experiences, but none more lofty than to climb Creeper Mountain to interview the fabled Witch Weatherly whom all the local children fear. As they get to know one another, they mirror for each other the secrets of who they might really be.

     Wren and Silver are characters written so simply and so true. Their relationship falls into natural balance. This is a beautiful story of what it means to be brave and courageous and to act with empathy and friendship. These two girls would keep great company at a lunch table with Maggie (The Meaning of Maggie, Sovern, 2015) and Mattie and Quincy (Hound Dog True, Urban, 2012). I'd like to be their friend, too.

Soar, by Joan Bauer

(Viking Books for Young Readers, January 5, 2016)

     Jeremiah has never been unfamiliar with adversity, abandoned as an infant to be cared for by Walt (his adoptive father) and a successful heart transplant patient at the age of 11. Baseball has always been Jeremiah and Walt's shared passion, so when news comes of a relocation to a town that seems to eat, breathe, and sleep baseball, Jeremiah is optimistic and hopeful that this will be the place where he can again be involved with the sport he loves. Only news of dishonest coaching and performing enhancing drugs threatens to crash the town's outlook on baseball for good. Jeremiah, with the self-declared heart of an eagle, is determined to keep baseball soaring.

     Jeremiah is the character kids want to root for, the underdog with a hopelessly optimistic view and the leadership to go along with it. The aspiring young coach will have everyone cheering along as they page-turn to read the outcome of his goals.

Still a Work in Progress, by Jo Knowles

(Candlewick, August 2, 2016)

     Noah and his friends are trying to navigate middle school and everything that comes with the territory: homework, teachers, friends, girls, and relationships. All of that is enough to juggle, but Noah's world is further complicated by his changing relationship with his high school-aged sister who is growing increasingly moody and demanding about the family's food choices. 

     Jo Knowles so deftly brings a troupe of middle school boys to life in a way that you can't resist caring about them and their tribulations. Their antics are humorous and accurately outlandish. Jo honestly and sensitively conveys the emotional turmoil and conflict that arises as Noah's family confronts the crisis of his sister's relapse with an eating disorder. Still a Work in Progress is another 2016 book that sheds light on the real challenges and struggles today's families face and the need to attend to one another with compassion and empathy.

What I am Currently Reading:

The Way Home Looks Now, by Wendy Shang-Lu

(Scholastic Press, 2015)

A Writer Teaches Writing, by Don Murray

(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1985)

What I am Looking Forward to Reading Soon (in no particular order):
The Scourge, by Jennifer Nielsen
Wish, by Barbara O'Connor
Midnight Without a Moon, by Linda Jackson

On Using "The Seventh Wish" in the Classroom

I'm that teacher.
I'm the teacher in Maine who read Kate Messner's newest novel, The Seventh Wish, to all my students. Twenty-three 5th graders and twenty-two 6th graders.
I'm the teacher who said to my colleagues: You need to read this now, and we need to think about how to use it with our students this year, even though it isn't published yet.
Now all of our fifth and sixth graders have read The Seventh Wish.

And our students are all the better for it.

I read The Seventh Wish in October. October 14, the very day the advanced reader's copy (ARC) arrived from Bloomsbury as part of Kate Messner's kid-blurb project. I knew I had lots of Kate Messner fans in my two classes who would be lining up to read her much anticipated "next book." (Me too, if we're honest.) So I cleared my agenda for the night and hunkered down.

I was entranced by the natural beauty painted in the opening descriptions of the magical ice flowers on the lake and I was wrapped up in the adoration that Charlie had for her older sister, Abby. I enjoyed getting to know Charlie and her middle school world. I liked her. She reminded me of kids I know. Kids like mine who sit at my tables each day. Kids who want more than they have--be it understanding, attention, courage, or a solo dress for Irish dancing. Kids whose relationships with their real life heroes--older brothers and sisters, parents, babysitters--are everything to them.

I was enlightened, too. Aware that the book would also address the topic of addiction, I saw the signs as they played out, and then I learned. I learned about a life experience different than my own. Charlie's experience with her sister's addiction let me see the challenges and complications of addiction on a user's loved ones through her eyes. Deception. Brokenness. Sacrifices and loss. And that was when I knew there was a discussion to be had with my colleagues about plans for our Healthy Choices unit. On that first read, I had texted my colleagues, "We need to use this book," before I had even finished reading.

The next morning, our conversations started about how we would incorporate The Seventh Wish into the unit, which also included nutrition, digital citizenship, peer pressure, and the D.A.R.E. program. I passed my ARC along to my colleagues. Soon we were discussing this addition to our curriculum with the D.A.R.E. Officer himself. We put The Seventh Wish ARC in his hands. We asked him to please read it, too. We knew there would be lots of conversation, and we anticipated questions. Almost certainly questions we didn't know the answer to or for which there isn't an answer. But we were ok with that. We would do our best to respond to students, to consult resources (like Officer Jack) to investigate further, or we would grapple with those questions without an answer together.

We consulted with our administrator, to whom I also loaned a copy of The Seventh Wish. We revised the traditional notification letter that parents have received at the beginning of D.A.R.E. lessons for as many years as the program has been part of our school. And, we acknowledged that students would be talking about big topics and supplemented the letter with sites and ideas for families to have conversations with children about drug use and addiction.

D.A.R.E. lessons happened weekly in the students' STEM classrooms. In Humanities, we read The Seventh Wish daily for read aloud. Here's what happened:

• We researched ice flowers.
• We watched Riverdance videos (and amateur feis videos, too).
• We weighed out our own winners of the "thinking of a word" game.
• We laughed together over Charlie's haphazard wishing and Bobby's hopeless crush and Drew's Lake Monster routine.
• We decided we'd like to try eating insects to know what that's like. (And we did.)
• We pondered Mrs. McNeill's words of the wiser on each trip onto the ice.
• We talked about friendship, and our wishes for others, and secret-keeping.
• We connected the information we learned in D.A.R.E. to the actions and effects of Abby and her heroin use.
• We asked questions--thoughtful ones--and considered the human aspect of drug use as a choice and addiction as a disease.
• We built empathy and understanding for individuals and families facing the obstacles of a loved one's substance use.
• We internalized the power we have to make our own choices, to know and understand more fully what the consequences of our choices on ourselves and others.

See, when I read The Seventh Wish in October, I saw an opportunity.
The Seventh Wish is as much an example as any other that we are classifying as "windows and mirrors." The life of the Brennan Family is the life of many families today, even though we wish it weren't so. Some of my students live inside The Seventh Wish. Probably most don't. But this brave and honest book let us all be at times inside and outside of the story, providing us a safe distance and enlightened perspective to have important conversations about lots of big themes for kids, one of those being addiction. In reading The Seventh Wish together, we had the opportunity to open the door to unheard conversations, to say to our students, "It's ok to talk about This Big Thing here. It's ok to ask questions. We'll talk about this with you."

I don't think my students understand the adult perspective that the subject of heroin (or other substance) use is "too heavy" for them. They would disagree openly. They would argue that they want to know about "the hard stuff."
I know they would.
They did.
Yesterday.
When one classmate shared with the others that Kate Messner's school visit to a Vermont school was cancelled because the book was "too heavy" for the 4th and 5th graders there, my students were vocal.

Kate Messner is a familiar and much-loved author to my students with a reputation she's earned by publishing many books that they have read and loved and grown from. The students trust Kate as a middle-grade writer who will invite them into the story and lend them characters to befriend, take them through trials and troubles, and will bring them out the story's end knowing something a little deeper or having learned something about themselves they hadn't thought about before. The same is true for The Seventh Wish. She writes the truth about characters (like our students) and a world that includes harrowing truths (like ours). She sizes up her research and knowledge of the subject and writes it to be perfectly fitting for her middle-grade audience. The Seventh Wish is gentle in building readers' investment in the story and conflict, but the serious nature of the topic of addiction is not dulled or downplayed, speaking solidly to Kate's respect for her readers.

What was the impact of reading The Seventh Wish with our students?

Traditionally D.A.R.E. program has students complete a formulaic five-paragraph essay as a requirement for graduation. With Officer Jack's support, our 5th grade team revamped the culminating reflection and asked students to write a letter to their 18-year old selves beginning with "Dear Future Me." This year's end-of-unit writing was some of the most personal and convincing evidence that students internalized their learning. Tracings of The Seventh Wish appeared in almost every student's letter. As a teaching team, we isolated one-line excerpts from each students' letter, filmed these lines, and compiled their reflections into one collaborative letter that we set to music.

Take a look.