Special Themes in Literature: Middle Grade Literature

Navigating the middle school years can be especially stressful for many kids because it’s a time defined by changes in hormones, social dynamics, and academic expectations. Join me in exploring how these pivotal years are depicted through the perspectives of diverse authors and characters from the BIPOC and LGBTQ communities.  Course work includes reading journals, discussion leader groups, two papers, and a creative project. There are no quizzes or exams.

Required texts:  Ghost by Jason Reynolds; Guts by Raina Telgemeier; The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcarcel; Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga; Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff; and Trapped in a Video Game by Dustin Brady.