Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education.
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My students are in middle school, which can make things a bit awkward. It can be difficult to find books that they find interesting or engaging enough when competing with cell phones, social media, and the constant barrage of mobile communication. I myself struggle with finding a balance between losing myself in a good book and being pulled towards spending hours on social media! I was pulled out of my reading slump by books that were magical and created entire new worlds and realities within their pages. "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" is one of those books. This magical book follows seventh-grader Tristan Strong and asks the readers to consider the question "What makes us strong? What makes a hero?"
My goal is for students to lose themselves in this book and use it as a gateway to spark some joy in reading through the combination of folktales, incredible worldbuilding, and captivating storytelling.
About my class
My students are in middle school, which can make things a bit awkward. It can be difficult to find books that they find interesting or engaging enough when competing with cell phones, social media, and the constant barrage of mobile communication. I myself struggle with finding a balance between losing myself in a good book and being pulled towards spending hours on social media! I was pulled out of my reading slump by books that were magical and created entire new worlds and realities within their pages. "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" is one of those books. This magical book follows seventh-grader Tristan Strong and asks the readers to consider the question "What makes us strong? What makes a hero?"
My goal is for students to lose themselves in this book and use it as a gateway to spark some joy in reading through the combination of folktales, incredible worldbuilding, and captivating storytelling.