One of the few nonfiction books I've actually liked recently! It reads like a 60 Minutes documentary and does a great job at keeping readers engaged and invested with real people. No sides are TAKEN, but each side has a story REPRESENTED well. There are so many valuable lessons/info. about racism, the impacts of social media, and how people in a community are all connected. I would definitely have this in my classroom; there's so much to learn!

“The thing that made it so surreal was that everybody knew each other...“ (p. 233). — The interconnectivity of every person and event in this book makes it even more of a microcosm of how social media can impact the greater community too. It gives an important lesson for students on how their actions impact others whether they know it or not. There's a lot of lessons to make here involving relationship dynamics, cause and effect, and social media!

Aside from the obvious topic of racism, I noticed the author discussing gender with the account's poster and followers. Their choices were often brushed aside b/c they were “just boys being dumb“ and trying to adhere to the dynamics of male friend groups, but this is not an excuse of their actions toward (primarily) women of color. With this, students could explore how privileged vs. nonprivileged identities experience these scenarios differently.

One of the things that actually made this nonfiction book a bearable and even ENJOYABLE read was the pacing. With short chapters each packed with a lot of information and new discoveries, I FLEW through this book, which surprised me given my hesitancy with nonfiction! There were also different formats of chapters, like poems and lists, which made it more entertaining too. Stuff like this can really boost engagement for newer readers to the genre!

This was actually a reread for me since I chose it for another of our classes last semester, but I still found so much value in reading it a second time. I was able to think more big-picture about Lily's intersectional identity, and I can also more deeply see the importance of historical fiction in connecting people, including our students, across time. This was such a great story with beautiful characters, intricate dynamics, and complex events!

While Lily's family's reaction to such a complicated situation isn't ideal, I can see how her family also has their own concerns, like her dad's papers. As unfortunate as it is, not everyone's coming out story is one of acceptance and unconditional support. Cultural context and other family stuff comes into play, too. Lo's depiction of Lily's family is realistic, and I think this may help students in similar situations relate to Lily more.

Lily's character arc is so REAL! Her coming-of-age journey as she realizes her sexuality demonstrates how intertwined emotions and self-discovery can be. Just like processing grief, processing one's self can take a similar journey. As Lily stares at the beauty queens in the very beginning, she is in denial, but the rest of the book shows how Lily grapples with her newfound queerness alongside Kath, eventually leading to a sort of acceptance.

On p. 23, Kittle describes a scenario in which a student would have been limited in reading about his interests if he had stuck to just the Common Core recommendations. Accessibility and diversity in reading are SO important, both in allowing students to explore their interests and new curiosities AND in letting them access “controversial“ books. They can't open their minds to new things if they don't have the freedom to explore (appropriately).

“No kid should be mindlessly, endlessly practicing parts.“ p. 18 — I agree with Kittle! New curriculum, even locally in Clarke County, is shifting to just using passages and not having kids read whole books. I think this is ridiculous and doesn't allow the student to foster a full, deep connection with the work and all it can contain over a whole story arc. Without this care for a book, they may be LESS motivated to read than they already are.

“Popular fiction can entertain, but it rarely leaves students stunned by insight or transfixed by the resiliency of humanity.“ p. 19 — I disagree with Kittle and noticed she frequently belittled popular fiction in favor of “literature.“ Yes, BALANCE is important, but I don't think this gives her a right to say there is no value in a more fun read. Popular books can discuss serious themes and have powerful writing just like classic “literature.“

Kittle stresses the importance of reading goals and the balance of pleasure reading vs. reading “literature.“ This is my personal reading goal for 2025 so far, and while it looks great, 15/19 books were for school—for obligation, not pleasure, though some I did really enjoy. Creating achievable goals is necessary to encourage reading, but I'm concerned about the line between motivation and obligation. Can this create pressure that takes away joy?

I was lowkey dreading this book because nonfiction has to be really catered to my interests to make me want to read it. It was a struggle to get through. I was definitely not the target audience, but I have to give props when it's due. For younger readers, this is a great book to introduce concepts of truth, facts, bias, and general media literacy—such crucial skills for today! I'd definitely consider using passages for lessons on related topics.

Storytelling is how we communicate. Everyone has their own perspective of everything they see, so we all have our own stories to tell. This was one of my favorite parts of Dr. Yasmin‘s book because she recognizes the facts of a story, but also the FEELINGS. Students could work with this, perhaps creating stories of their own to make us feel one way but have another meaning. It‘d be fun to experiment with this deeply human element of information!

Something I loved was Dr. Yasmin's use of comparison and examples. The virus analogy with “contagious information“ makes it easier for students to understand how information spreads, catches on, and impacts us. She also almost constantly has real examples of the phenomena she describes, from the “Great Moon Hoax“ to the Sidebars scattered in the book. This really helps cater to young audiences and center us in reality!

It's called “media LITERACY“ for a reason: this foundational skill can be applied to ANY information we may absorb, from nonfiction news articles to fictional character dynamics. For example, Dr. Yasmin's discussions of bias throughout the book are important for understanding facts presented to you, but talks of bias can be further expanded to encompass biases based on identity, too. The lessons from this book overall can be used in so many ways!

The focus Kittle places on keeping book talks REAL is very refreshing. They don't have to be COMPLETELY academic; they could just be a way for us to share fun YA reads with the class. However, there is still an academic GOAL behind our passion-fueled recommendations. We should advertise to our students to inspire them, but make things relatable and be honest if there are serious themes or if it's more advanced. This way, everything is authentic!

A beautifully written book! I went in blind so I wasn't expecting a novel in verse at first, but I LOVED it and think it was a great medium to highlight all of the symbols, metaphors, and emotions of Whimsy and Faerry's story. I also appreciate McBride bringing in many diverse cultural allusions and practices to Whimsy's life and her healing journey that help make her HER and teach her valuable lessons. “The only way out is through.“ ❤️

One thing I loved about this book was the attention it brought to Black mental health. Unfortunately, people of color are not as widely recognized for their mental health issues because of past (and ongoing) racial prejudice, but this book highlights their struggles and journeys navigating this complex topic. The fantastical garden allegory and inclusion of Black spirituality made this discussion unique but also digestable for younger audiences!

I noted an activity idea inspired by something from one of my classes that could work with this book too! Just like Whimsy calls upon fairy tale/myth/folklore characters with their own lessons that help her, students could research their own character, find a lesson they could teach or advice they could give for their IRL lives, and then write a letter or advice column “from“ that character. Maybe Whimsy's reflection strategy could help them too!

Something I felt very strongly about when reading this chapter was the balance of work and literature. Cart mentions how no one is reading for fun anymore and how we regard reading as a “task“ that no one is doing as deeply as we should, often blaming the Internet. I blame modern work culture for this, bringing the economy directly into our literary lives. Everything is so focused around WORK now, and a shift away would help bring reading back.

My favorite so far. I cried. It was an adorable and heartwarming story of love, justice, community, and acceptance, but it also brings the harshness of banning/contention over books in classrooms to light very mangagably and realistically. The multiple perspectives would be a GREAT mentor for how to interweave stories like this too, combining writing moves with meaningful and relevant themes that students can participate in THEMSELVES. 5/5! ⭐️

This was a fantastic book to introduce and exemplify book banning in classrooms! By including the text in question, Levithan's readers can come to their OWN conclusions but also have exposure to the represented community with Gideon/Roberto and see the reality of people combating inclusion with Donovan. This encourages seeing multiple perspectives and considering all ideas (including their own INFORMED ones) to make decisions about books.

This book, especially Donovan's story, was incredibly personal to me because I've been through something similar. I could relate to how humiliated or disappointed he was feeling in conflict with his family but also in how empowered he felt when he found that others were on his side when it came to reading queer literature. Ignorance isn‘t “protecting” children, it is impacting their future interactions with real people in a real community.

“'For years I have been yearning for a magazine entirely dedicated to me' (Palladino 1996, 91–92)“ (Cart 9).

Cart presents an enlightening history of YA lit, but something that stood out to me was the focus on audience, especially when defining a new genre with changing styles and ideas about life. It's important to know what THEY want or need to read so they can feel seen and understood, and this knowledge can help shape our classrooms too.

From just the summary, this seemed uninteresting to me at first, but I was endeared by this rich story and the Martín family's mission and antics. The characters were so lovable and I felt that they were a very realistic representation of a complex family. There were silly moments but also down-to-earth ones which brought topics like family, identity, war, and loss into the spotlight to learn from. This would be a great graphic novel to teach!

I loved Abuelito's ever-present role. Pedro idolized him, putting his achievements and history (while still noteworthy!) on a pedestal and exaggerating Abuelito's reality. He is someone to look up to for Pedro, but it also created a separation of “hero“ vs. not. When Pedro is in a situation closer to one like Abuelito's past deeds, he suddenly realizes the role that humanity plays, which I think solidified their bond as people, not superheroes.

The Martín family's border experiences sat heavy on my chest as I read, especially considering what is going on in the world now. Even though they are innocent, their experience was still tainted by corruption, and this affected them all later even after learning and growing and enjoying themselves in Mexico. This is very eye-opening to families' worries and traumas as they cross borders today, and it would be good for students to sympathize.

I was hesitant about this book because I do not usually lean toward realistic fiction, but I loved this diversity it showcased. Each story was different and highlighted different cultures and experiences, which means many students in the classroom can likely find at least one thing to connect to. There are great opportunities for mentor texts, but it was also just an enjoyable read: it was fast-paced and kept me engaged. I'd definitely recommend!

The format of “Main Street“ by Jacqueline Woodson was slightly different than other stories. This and Kwame Alexander's story in verse would be a great way to explore different writing formats and their impacts. “Main Street“ was very touching and I loved how it discusses connection, whether it be to a place or another person. It also touches on loss and missing people, and while that can feel isolating, it can also bring people together forever.

“Choctaw Bigfoot, Midnight in the Mountains“ by Tim Tingle was a captivating story, but it also highlighted this Native American culture beautifully. Tingle immediately immersed readers in Native culture as he focused on family, language, and the unity storytelling brings to all. This could be a great mentor text for introducing the genre of folklore and cultural legend, perhaps before students write their own myths or legends. I loved this!

“For while the path before me may be difficult, it will be my own.“

“The Difficult Path” by Grace Lin was one of my favorites. It had a bit of everything I love: historical fiction, pirates, female empowerment and solidarity, and the importance of education in finding a voice. This would be a fantastic story to show students the roles of women and/or the lower class in a diverse historical setting and demonstrate the power of sharing knowledge!