With the long Labor Day Weekend upon us, you may be looking for a great YA reading recommendation. If so, you've come to the right place!
 McKenzie Munson, Nora Delong, Mara Brydges, and Alexandra Garcia | Dr. Briana Asmus's ELA education students from Aquinas College bringing the recommendation to us. This year, Aquinas College preservice teachers found some exciting middle grade texts while they completed a 30-day reading challenge. They reflected on how each story could draw in even the most reluctant reader, and thought carefully about ways teachers might leverage social emotional learning. Their selections are sure to open up conversations that will foster academic and personal growth. |
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
 | Because of Winn-Dixie, written by Kate DiCamillo, is a heartwarming story that follows a little girl, Opal, who meets many friends in unlikely places while facing unknown questions about her mom. When meeting Winn-Dixie, Opal’s story leads to learning more about the unknown, meeting new friends, and finding new adventures along the way. This, in turn, helps her to find a greater understanding of what others are going through. This story is a timeless classic that can be seen most commonly in the 3rd to 5th grade curriculum. The text offers a meaningful way to build comprehension, vocabulary, and character analysis skills. Its themes are quite relatable, making students connect deeply with the text, and allows teachers to use it to address standards like RL.3.3 by exploring how Opal’s relationships shape her actions. The story also has an emotional rhythm that lends itself well to fluency practice through partner reading or reader’s theater. Overall, the book naturally supports both academic growth and social-emotional learning, making it a versatile choice for any literacy block of instruction. |
| Friendship is the main theme of this book, which can be seen in how Opal interacts with everyone in town and all of the friendships she has created once she met Winn-Dixie. Opal is a young girl navigating a new town with her father. In this town, she feels loneliness and has curiosity about her absent mother. The unexpected bond that she creates with a dog she meets at the grocery store sets the stage for all of the meaningful connections with different community members. Opal starts to have interactions with different people in town, which helps her gain empathy, confidence, and a deeper understanding of herself and others. The theme presented in Winn-Dixie can relate to students who might be introverted, or struggle making new friends. |  Kate DiCamillo |
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