Hi everyone, this week’s booklist will give you a delightful selection of reads featuring five awesome teachers. I call them awesome because I’ve always wished I had had them when I was growing up. I know, it would be impossible as these are characters in books, but you never know if they were inspired by actual teachers. Shall we delve inside to find out…
My first selection is Ms Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson (Walden Pond Press; 2016). A story about a unique teacher: Ms Bixby. She’s the sort of teacher who makes you feel like the indignity of the school is worthwhile. Who makes the idea of growing up less terrifying. Who you never want to disappoint. Topher, Brand, and Steve know this better than anyone. And so when Ms Bixby unexpectedly announces that she is very sick and won’t be able to finish the school year, they come up with a plan. Through the three different stories they tell, we begin to understand just what Ms Bixby means to them and what they are willing to go to such lengths to tell her. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and thought it was both moving and hilarious!! The three boys may be different, but they have the same in terms of courage and kindness, and the friendship they shared was definitely one of a kind too!! It’s no wonder that this title was nominated for both the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s book award and Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Book Award!!
My second choice is Karina Yan Glaser’s latest book, A duet for home (Clarion Books; 2022) where we meet a pair of young children who find themselves in a homeless shelter. June is still coming to terms with her new home, while Tyrrell, who has been at Huey house for three years, shows June the good things about living there: friendship, hot meals, and a classical musician whose practice they can hear through the windows. June’s connection with music is deepened when Domenika helps her out with a few extra lessons. June finally realises how Huey House could be the right place for her family, a new government policy begins to push families out before they are ready. I found this gorgeous read living past all of my expectations. Karina Yan Glaser has created another masterpiece which inspires and informs us to be aware of the strength of friendship and courage, and the different types of family we create for ourselves. The dual voices of June and Tyrell play a perfect symphony in delivering this amazing story!!
This next one, The best man by Richard Peck (Dial Books for Young Readers; 2016), gives another inspiring read. Archer Magill has spent a lively, funny five years of elementary school on the lookout for role models. Three of the best are in his own family: his grandpa, the great architect; his dad, the great car remodeler; and his uncle Paul, who is just plain great. These are the three he wants to be. Along the way he finds a fourth: Mr McLeod, a truly great teacher. But now here comes middle school, and a whole lot of change. Archer wonders how much change has to happen before his voice does! Filled with generous amounts of humour, sadness and good-old-fashioned middle school drama; this book won’t disappoint. It hits on some pretty serious topics: bullying for one, expertly explained and managed; loss of loved ones and how grief is shared by all in the family; homosexuality and its implications on one’s identity. For me, these were all expertly drawn out and explained in Archer’s own way. What stood out was of course Archer’s experience in Mr McLeod’s class. This will be another Just one of those stories you will never forget!!
I am drums by Mike Grosso (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 2016) is all about a young girl who dreams of playing drums. Sam knows she wants to be a drummer. What she doesn’t know is: how to afford a drum kit, why her parents argue all the time, why the budget for her school music’s program is cut. Sam would do just about anything to play the drums, but when she starts hiding the truth to take secret drum lessons, is the cost of chasing her dreams too high? I found this a truly delightful read!! For anyone interested in drums and learning the right way to play them this is the ideal read. Since I don’t have any knowledge about drums but an understanding of music this was quite an educational and fascinating read, especially the scenes where Sam gets drum lessons. The musical elements, details of the drum classes and even the school scenes are expertly crafted and interwoven into the family dynamics of Sam’s life. I especially liked Sam’s determination to pay for those drum lessons her own way.
This last book may not be about teachers, but the school librarian plays a vital part in it. For me, that was sort of close enough!!
Ban this book by Alan Gratz (Lothian Children’s Books; 2017) takes readers on a journey into the lives of a school library. When Amy Anne Ollinger finds out that her school library has begun banning books – including her favourite book in the whole wide world – she decides to fight back by starting a secret banned-books library out of her locker. Before long, Amy Anne and her friends find themselves on the front line of a battle over censorship and book banning. And now that they’ve found their voices, they are not afraid to use them. Everything about this story was l exceptionally crafted. Amy Anne is a phenomenal young woman who finds her voice and uses it for the ultimate battle!! What I loved the most was how passionate she was about books and how much she knew about them. The role the school librarian plays in Amy Anne’s life is portrayed nicely. Also I like how Gratz has described the librarian, not as the stereotypical ‘cardigan and glasses’ type but in a unique way!! A really good read that will get you thinking about what censorship means especially when it comes to children’s books.
So, there you have my short-ish booklist on awesome teachers for tweens. If anyone has read anything similar I’d love to hear from you.
Until then, stay safe and keep reading
Miss Mahee
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 