Below is an annotated list of children's literature for the elementary classroom. The books are organized by the Six Elements of Social Justice Curriculum Design (Picower, 2007). It is based on work by pre-service teachers at Montclair State University. They have read and reviewed these books and provided insights into how they can be used in K-5 settings.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

The Invisible Boy

 


The Invisible Boy

Written by Trudy Ludwig

Illustrated by Patrice Barton

Grade Level: 1 - 4 

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers 

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Summary:

  • Trudy Ludwig’s The Invisible Boy, tells the story of Brian, a shy and quiet boy who is often left out from interactions his peers engage in. When a new student comes to school, Brian makes an effort to be seen although it ends in futile attempts. When his classmates make fun of a student’s lunch, Brian’s kind words in the form of a note make a big difference. In turn, Brian’s brave but gentle decision to speak up stops the bullying and introduces him to a friend. Brian is invisible no more. Utilizing this book as a resource in the classroom allows educators to highlight ways in which students can create social change within their classroom community. Issues such as bullying and being left out deeply affect our young population so this book can be one way to introduce social-emotional aspects of social change.

Elements of Social Justice:

  • This book exhibits Element 4 by displaying the small ways one can take to enact social change within their school community. One child’s initial usage of kind words then trickled down to other children they adjusted the ways they spoke to one another. Educators can use this book to prompt a healthy and friendly school environment where all friends are included. This way, there are opportunities that students take advantage of when it comes to issues that affect their peers, especially one such as bullying. With the matters of bullying and exclusion, educators can easily understand how this book would support their teaching of this element as it pertains to the experience their students can relate to. With this familiarity, students learn about the many ways they can create social change in methods that they are most comfortable with. Whether it’s like Brian with a slip of a note or expressed more outwardly, both are powerful when used for the intention of changing for the better.

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