Stuck & Solving for M: where do children get help?

 

Teachers make the best writers when it comes to capturing the feel of school.  Former educator, Jennifer Swender, completely strikes a chord of authenticity in her two middle grade novels: Solving for M and Stuck.  Each of these is told from the point of view of a student who is going through a tough time. Although each story is about a different child, the feelings, reactions, situations and people who are there to help or hurt, is realistic.  As a teacher, I think school stories can truly help improve my practice, especially in areas where trauma and other learning insecurities come into play.

 In Solving for M, the main character is a 5th grader named Mika who is just starting middle school.  Her favorite subject is art but she's surprised to find out that her class is heavier on art theory than actual art creation.  On the positive side, her math teacher is unlike any teacher she's ever had. He teaches with outside-the-box approaches and asks everyone to keep a math journal.  Mika's journal is her outlet to not only show that she understands the math concepts, but she connects everything to the news that her mom may have cancer.  Through drawings and writing down her feelings, Mika is able to get through the difficult year and that's all thanks to her teacher who noted what his students needed and followed through in a memorable way.

Solving for M won the Mathical Book Prize in 2020 and is nominated for the William Allen White Children's Book Award in Kansas for the 2021-2022 school year, along with more accolades!

Swender's newest book, Stuck, is a slim read compared to Solving for M. At only 133 pages, this story is from the perspective of a boy named Austin who is just finishing 4th grade at a new school right at the end of the year.  He's used to making up lies about why him and his mom move so much and he's ready to do it all again in his new school, except there are several people who welcome him without asking any questions: his new teacher and a classmate.  This is an interesting read because Austin tries to hide his reading disability in clever ways that I'm sure other teachers will recognize.  His relationship with his classmates is unique as he tries to figure them out based on their behaviors. One classmate receives special education services and support and Austin studies him the most trying to figure him out.  Over the course of his time he discovers that he wants to be a leader and to try out for their school's safety patrol. He wants to be looked-up to and it will take his friends and teacher to help him get there.  

I liked Stuck because of Austin's personality which is something not often seen in middle grade literature.  Many readers will be able to identify with Austin's neurodiversity and educators and parents can use his perspective to gain more empathy for others like him.  

Both of these books would be smart additions to elementary and middle grade classrooms, libraries and homes.  Austin and Mika's stories deserve to be told, shared & discussed!

And the Stuck cover doubles as a cool Book Face for #BookFaceFridays !