Novels in Verse in 5th Grade - Starfish & A Work in Progress

 It's been awhile since I have posted anything. However, being back in the classroom has inspired me to post about the books I am using with my students. 

My first novel study last year was Starfish by Lisa Fipps. Lisa Fipps is an Indiana author and this was her first published book. It won the Printz Award in 2022 and many other awards. I had parents reading this book along with my students. 

The students enjoyed reading this and it was not something I had to repeatedly ask them to do. There were students that cried at certain parts of the book. This book addresses bullying in a real way and talks about healthy ways to address it.

The other 5th grade class read A Work in Progress which was a great pairing for this book if you wanted to give students an option on which book to read. Jarrett Lerner's book focuses on body image and self acceptance which are amazing topics for 5th grade students to manage.

Both books are great to pair with a poetry unit as one is told in verse and the other in prose and verse. They are both great audiobooks as well. I encourage you to include these in your classroom.

Educator Guide for Starfish

Educator Guide for A Work in Progress

    

Resources

https://authorlisafipps.com/books/starfish/

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608212/starfish-by-lisa-fipps/
https://jarrettlerner.com/2021/05/14/a-work-in-progress/
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-Work-in-Progress/Jarrett-Lerner/9781665905169

Take an adventure through folktales, legends and myths.

I devoured the Percy Jackson series based on Greek mythology that Rick Riordan wrote and I love his Magnus Chase series based on Norse mythology even more. So I was quite excited to hear about the new Rick Riordan Presents line of middle grade books by a variety of authors that focuses on a wide variety of folktales and myths. Along with this line other authors have written books based on various mythologies, I was lucky enough to get Advance Reader Copies of the books.

The characters represent such a wide variety of cultures and places that I have fallen in love with them all! I think it is really amazing to see the diversity represented by these novels as well as female protagonists. I will say Sal & Gabi Break the Universe has probably been my favorite so far!

Next up are these three from Rick Riordan Presents.The Fire Keeper releases in September and Race to the Sun and Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky both release in 2020. 

Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older

The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu

Wonder By P.J. Palacio

If you were to ask me some of my favorite books of all time, this would definitely be in my top 5!

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

Wonder by R.R. Palacio

Hardcover, Books for Young Readers, 316 pages

Published February 14th 2012 by Knopf

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

This book has won too many awards to list here but if you are looking for a book for an upper elementary or middle school student to read, this is it!

Wonder is coming to theaters on November 17th! I got all the feels just watching the trailer, I will definitely be seeing this in theaters. It would be a great movie for the family to see over Thanksgiving.