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Using the characters of the animated Movie Inside Out, Melissa Lagonergro created the book Journey Into the Mind. In this book, we are introduced to the characters and how they embody an emotion of the main character, Riley. Riley is facing moving to a new place and the emotion of sadness is being to touch all of the islands in Riley’s mind. This makes Riley sad and her actions become negative. It is up to Joy to change that.

Since there is an increase of mental health awareness in the recent 10 years, Pixar created the Movie Inside to address emotions with a younger audience. The way Pixar used characters to personify an emotion is critical and visually stimulating for children. Due to the personification, these characters can elicit conversations about these feelings and children now have an experience attached. They can identify they are feeling like a specific charter which helps self regulation. I think this is an excellent movie to watch as a class and translate the characters into classroom props and tools.

Since the book discusses emotions, this is excellent for a writing guide when we are trying to have are characters show an emotion. If we look at the circumstance the character is in, we can choose the correct emotion that might be elicited.

Save Me A Seat 

By Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan 

Publisher and date: Scholastic Press,  2016

This book is about two students who both happen to be starting the first week in the same fifth grade class in New Jersey. The book is told through the perspectives of both Joe and Ravi. Ravi has just recently immigrated from India to the United States, whereas Joe has lived in New Jersey his entire life. Ravi doesnt think he will have any issues adjusting since he was top of his class back in India. Joe doesn’t enjoy school as much as Ravi does and he struggles to participate and pay attention in school due to his auditory processing disorder (APD). The other problem is the school bully! At first, Ravi thinks that the bully is trying to befriend him but eventually realizes that he is not someone that Ravi wants to have as a friend . Throughout all of their differences physically & culturally, Joe and Ravi are able to surpass their differences, team up against the bully & become friends.  

I really enjoyed reading this novel. There are so many themes that are related to middle school social life. This is relatable to students as well as a great representation of friendship, diversity in schools, and acceptance of those diversities. I loved reading about the growing friendship even though the two boys were so different and originally thought they could never be friends, they eventually realize that they are living through similar experiences and turn out to be just what one another needed. I also loved the way the text was written, it was very interesting to see the views of the same experiences through both lenses of Ravi and Joe. One other factor I loved was that just like there were alternating chapters for both Joe and Ravi, there were also 2  glossaries with accurate terminology of their cultures (Indian and American) and lives. 

Classroom applications:

Students can determine the similarities and differences between the views on Ravi and Joe and their experiences of school. This could also be a great character study book as we get to know the main characters very well throughout the book. 

This could be a great book for the beginning of the year. We can learn to understand what others may be going through and develop empathy for others. Throughout this book there are many parts in which this can apply. Some of these can be: seeing the difficulties of someone coming to a new school, friendships with others and how it’s not always easy, dealing with the bully, not being able to perform as well in school as others. This is also a good window book for many students. (new students at school, students who may have immigrated from another country, students who may have had similar difficulties in school such as APD or any other learning struggles, etc.) It can also be helpful to them to realize its okay to have feelings and express themselves. 

This book is also great for teaching students not to judge someone based upon first impressions or “to not judge a book by its cover.” When we do that, we often see later on that this was not an accurate representation of who the person is.  

Since a common theme of this book is the food of different cultures, it would be awesome to try some of the recipes the book provides or even have a food celebration of the characters in the book or cultures represented in the classroom. 

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is the story of finding your voice, inner peace, acceptance, and yourself. Starr Carter has just witnessed her second friend die from a gunshot, only this time a police officer is the one with the gun. In an innocent act of following the law, Starr watches her close childhood friend fall to the floor. What is she to do? She wants to speak up, but fear of others knowing she was the witness weighs on her. On top of these life events, she has to wear two hats, Starr from Garden Heights who can speak slang and kick it with her friend Kenya and Starr at Williamson, the suburban prep school where being black automatically makes you cool. How is a seventeen year old supposed to comprehend all that?

The book was a phonemail read. The reader instantly develops a relationship with Starr, who  you are rooting for the entire book. With every challenge she faces, you learn more about her and yourself. This book can be looked at from many angles. Beginning with race issues that are seen in schools, to police brutality social issues, and even mental health. The way Starr is able to use her voice as a platform for expressing herself is one many students can benefit from. People need a purpose in life, and speaking about issues that impact your life directly could be one.

Just As You Are: A Teen’s Guide to Self-Acceptance & Lasting Self-esteem by Michelle Skeen and Kelly Skeen is a chapter book that gives adolescents the chance to be metacognitive. With personal takes and perspectives given throughout the entirety of the chapters, the reader is able to look at real world applications on problems that arise. The aim is for teenagers to realize that it starts with you and your headspace. This inner dynamic is what radiates out to the rest of the world and the situations we are put in. The book gives tips and personal ways that you can change your thinking from self deprecative thoughts to positive, confident actions. 

This book is important for all teenagers because it makes them aware that they are not alone. Mindfulness parallels to the strategies given in this book because it revolves around removing yourself from the negative self talk and moving toward being present. The inner conversation is what students need to focus on and work on, and this book gives an excellent look into how to improve self-talk. I also believe that at the adolescent level many students might feel meditation is not going to work, so approaching being mindful from a different approach, like looking at social issues, would be more effective.

I am Perfectly Designed

By Karamo Brown with Jason “Rachel” Brown

Illustrated by Anoosha Syed

Publisher and date: Henry Holt and Company, 2019

This book is about an African American father and son duo who have an inseparable bond. The father relays the message that his son is “perfectly designed.” And throughout his life reminds him that. I thought that this book was very powerful with such a simple message. Students need to be reminded that they themselves are ALL perfectly designed. This book also shows to value your family members and how important it is to love yourself exactly as you are.  Throughout this book there is also representation of all races and different types of  families doing what they love to do. This is a beautiful depiction of a diverse neighborhood and society.

Classroom Applications:

I am Jazz 

By Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings 

Illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas 

Publisher and date: Penguin Group, 2014

This is a story about a transgender child who was born a boy but realized that she wanted to be a girl. In their words, Jazz knew she had a girls brain in a boys body. This is a true story of a girl and the process she went through to transition to her true self. 

I feel that in a society like today’s it is important for everyone to have a mirror book that they can see someone like themselves in a positive light. This book shows a young transgender girl going through the tough process of finding herself. What I enjoyed about this book is that it is shown in a very positive light and shows the feelings of the main character as well as the feelings of the people around her. I think that it is so important for students who may know someone going through this process or see themselves in this process and notice that it is okay to express who they are and accept others for who they identify also. 

Classroom Applications:

Provide this book on our shelves or as a read aloud for students who need it as a mirror book or a window book. 

Use this book as a way to teach acceptance of those around us no matter what their identity may be. Help others to understand about transgender individuals and we all have a common humanity and it is up to us to accept anyone for who they are. 

Riding Freedom 

By Pam Munos Ryan 

Drawings By Brian Selznick

Publisher and date: Scholastic, 1998

This novel is a historical fiction one about a girl, Charlotte, who is an orphan at an all boys orphanage. She doesn’t mind because she isn’t interested in the typical things that girls usually like. Later in the story she is banned from working in the stable or riding horses, which is one of her most favorite things to do, because it is a boys job.  She had a dream of working in the stables and one day owning her own ranch. She decides the only way she will get what she wants is to dress up like a boy and that way the things she loves cannot be taken from her. She runs away and lives her life undercover as a boy. Throughout her journey she was in an accident with the horses where she lost sight in her eye. She was then not able to drive, but she practiced and practiced until she knew the road better than anyone else with two functioning eyes did. The story is about never giving up and having the courage to do so no matter what the costs.

As I was reading this, I imagined that a book such as this one would have her eventually reveal who she really is. To my surprise, the book ends with her still portraying a male. This story is based upon the real life story of Charlotte Packhurst, with her male name Charley. She also died without ever being revealed her true identity. After I finished reading this book I considered picking another book to go along with my identity theme but then I realized there is a lot that we can teach students through this book.  I found that reading this even though it isnt a clear and direct “be yourself” book,  it gives us inspiration to teach children that you should go for whatever dreams you have by embracing who you are on the inside.

Classroom Applications:

We can educate students about stereotypes and gender norms of the past and how the differ from the present. Also we can teach them that we should not let these stereotypes and gender norms define who we are. 

We can have students write their own alternate ending to Riding Freedom and allow Charley to be seen as who she really is and embrace her identity as a female. Her story teaches us to go for our dreams no matter how far they may seem from reality. 

The student constructed book, Master of Mindfulness: How to Be Your Own Superhero in Times of Stress with support from Laurie Grossman, Angelina Alvarez and Mr. Musumeci’s 5th Grade Class, outlines what it means to be mindful and how to practice it. The illustrations enhance the authenticity of the students work. The book discusses mindfulness from the student perspective, like instances where mindfulness would be helpful and when they have applied it in their own lives. The book even includes some of the scientific research behind mindfulness. This book is ultimately a guide for how to implement mindfulness in ones life.

A strategy that I love in this book is the “sharkfin”. This is when the student puts their hand vertically and focuses on their center and surroundings. This would be an excellent signal to use as a way for the teacher to non-verbally communicate that the student is stressed and needs to take a moment.

The fact that this is a student constructed book shows students they too can make their own informative book. On the topic of mindfulness, the real world application makes students see how being mindful is attainable and can be done with practice. After mindfulness has be taught and practiced in the classroom, students can create their own mindfulness bulletin board or book that details how each student uses mindfulness in their lives.