5183 Fall 2025 Information Resources and Services for Children discussion
Reading Responses 9 (Wk12: 11/4-11/11): Realism
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1. Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
2. Stanley Yelnats is sent to a juvenile offenders camp after being wrongly accused of stealing a famous athlete's shoes. Throughout his stay at camp, Stanley learns the true meaning of friendship and courage in this Newberry Medal award winning book.
3. Holes does honestly portray the realities of today’s children. There are so many kids who end up in juvenile camps or detention for things that they were either doing to survive or were taught to do by adults taking advantage of them. And those kids are often mistreated by both the adults in charge of the detention facilities and by their own families. In my opinion, reading realistic portrayals of children’s lives helps them. I know it helped me. Often a prevailing thought is that you’re alone and you’ll never be free of the bad things happening to you. Reading books like Holes helps you see that you’re not alone and there is hope, no matter how small.
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1. Craft, J. (2019). New kid. Quill Tree Books.
2. New Kid is about Jordan Banks, a seventh grader who moves to a renowned private school where he is one of the few Black students. The comic novel uses humor and compassion to talk about identity, relationships, and dealing with microaggressions at school.
3. New Kid is an honest and relatable look at what a lot of kids of color go through these days, such feeling out of place and coping with subtle racism and stereotypes. The novel doesn't sugarcoat these problems, but it does balance them with hope, comedy, and progress. I think kids benefit from reading genuine stories like these because they show true feelings and help people understand how others feel. Keeping kids from seeing the truth doesn't help them; it makes it harder for them to grasp. Books like New Kid help people understand themselves and others better, which helps them be more conscious and caring both in and out of the classroom.
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1. Palacio, R.J. (2012). Wonder. Alfred A. Knopf
2.Auggie was born with a facial difference that makes him stand out. As he starts 5th grade, he struggles to fit in and find friends, but learns more about what makes him special.
3. I think this book does honestly portray the realities of life for children today. This book deals with bullying, standing out, feeling different, and numerous other themes and situations that children today deal with. Wonder follows the journey of one little boy, but his experiences will resonate with children everywhere who have at one point or another felt different or apart from their peers. I think children are helped by reading realistic fiction. They can learn more about the experiences of those different from them, or can see their self in the characters and themes explored in contemporary fiction. Books like these help children feel a little less alone.
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1. Holt, K. W. (1998). My Louisiana sky. Henry Holt and Company.
2. This coming-of-age novel was set in 1950s rural Louisiana, following Tiger Ann Parker as she navigates the difficulties of growing up in a family defined by her parents’ intellectual disabilities and choosing between staying with her parents or moving to the city with her sophisticated aunt after her grandmother's death. Through her journey, Tiger grows to appreciate her family, her hometown, and the importance of accepting herself and those she loves.
3. I believe My Louisiana Sky can portray the realities of life for today’s children through Tiger’s personal struggle with embarrassment, loss, and family responsibilities. The true depiction of her feelings, the imperfections of those around her, and the complex family tensions make the story relatable and meaningful. I think that realistic portrayals can help children, not harm them, by helping them relate more effectively to the world around them, process their own experiences, and gain insights into moral and social issues. Realistic fiction for children needs balance in which the stories should be age-appropriate and at least offer some hope or coping strategies rather than only showing the hardships, so that children are equipped to face reality without being overwhelmed by it. I remember reading this story when I was younger, I probably read it around 12 years old and I recall I felt it was appropriate and fine for my age. As an avid reader at for my age, I could empathize with the character and also relate to some experiences or emotions she felt in certain situations. Re-reading this book now, I can see how realistic fiction is important for kids to be able to relate to novels in order to gain a sense of empathy for others.
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1. Arango, A. B. (2025). It's all or nothing, Vale. Random House New York.
2. Vale is not quitting fencing, even if she's experiencing chronic pain from her leg injury. But will she discover that it is okay to follow a new path after her body has changed?
3. I think this book honestly portrays the realities of some children. This book is about a queer Puerto Rican fencer whose leg is severely injured in a car crash. As the book progresses, she plays around to see if the word disabled is right for her. I think this book would be great for child athletes, especially those who have experienced injuries. I believe that children's books should be realistic. While we can see ourselves or see windows into other people's lives in other books, I think there is a special thing about seeing a contemporary novel lay everything bare without magic or other elements. I think that kids are enriched by reading realistic portrayals. They help build empathy and understanding for experiences they may not have experienced. It would be harming children if we did not give them access to realistic books. This book, in particular, shows you the pain and frustration that is felt after an injury, and that it's ok to move to something new.
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1. Marks. J.. (2020). From the Desk of Zoe Washington. Quill Tree Books.
2. 12 year old Zoe Washington has dreams of becoming a pastry chef but when she receives a letter from her imprisoned father who claims he didn’t commit the murder he was convicted of, Zoe’s summer is turned upside down and she decides it's up to her to prove his innocence.
3. I think this book is a very honest portal of the realities of today’s children. Zoe not only lives with the reality of having an incarcerated biological parent, she also finds herself in a blended and interracial family, something that many children today relate to. Her dreams of being a professional baker is also very relatable, especially for me who also dreamed of being a baker at her age. In my opinion, I think that children’s books should be realistic and relatable, just as adult books are. I think a lot of children can find solidarity in books like this where they see a protagonist who is also going through very real and challenging things. While I think children should be protected from the darkest parts of the world, I think it is also important to acknowledge that children go through hard things and sometimes reading about a character who is going through those same hard things makes them feel a little less alone.
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Van Draanen, W. (2001). Flipped. Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Flipped is a story that follows Juli and Bryce, neighbors who have known each other since second grade, through their alternating perspectives as they grow up and navigate life's challenges as they emerge into middle school.
Flipped does an excellent job of portraying the realities of today's children. The innocence, curiosity, instant love, the need to fit in, but also disappointment, embarrassment, and rejection are all written into the story in such ways that the reader will identify with each feeling. Flipped a novel allows the reader to follow as Juli and Bryce explore their surroundings to find their own identities. The "realness" of a book, in my opinion, should be determined by the targeted age of the reader. As a reader ages the amount they can handle grows and the ways information can be delivered changes. For example, in Flipped, when Bryce's parents begin to have a strong disagreement, Juli's mom is aware of it, and carefully tells Juli, but she does not reveal the reasons why. As a reader, we could infer this was happening, but it was not described in great detail. Whereas a book for an older teen or an adult may have described the arguments, the reasons behind them and the turmoil in the home that the arguments were causing. I believe realism is helpful to children, especially when the reading level is appropriate. This book shows what growing up around the same person might look like. You can be around them every day, but still not completely know them. When you least expect it, feelings can change, people can grow and mature, and what matters to you as a person can truly be seen by others.
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1. Soontornvat, C., Park, L. S., Ireland, M., Chen, M., Tan, S., Ribay, R., Chee, T., Jung, M., Kelly, E. E., & Lin, G. (2023). You are here: Connecting flights (E. Oh, Ed.). Allida.
2. Twelve Asian American children and teens cross paths during a long flight delay at an airport, each carrying their own stories of identity, belonging, and resilience. Through interconnected vignettes by different authors, the anthology celebrates diversity while confronting racism, family expectations, and moments of unexpected connection.
3. You Are Here honestly portrays the realities of life for today’s children, especially those navigating racial identity and discrimination. The experiences feel authentic and relevant to young readers growing up in diverse yet often divided communities. Children’s books should be real and truthful without being traumatizing. Shielding children from difficult truths can limit their ability to understand themselves and others. When handled with care, realistic fiction helps children build empathy, critical thinking, and resilience. This anthology shows that honest representation can empower young readers, helping them feel seen while also fostering understanding across differences.
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Kelly, E. E. (2017). Hello, universe. Greenwillow Books.
This is the story of a boy who learns to find his voice. Through this, we understand how our lives impact everyone we know.
In many ways, this book portrays the realities children face today. The four main characters have varied backgrounds, and each faces their own struggles. One child, known to his family as "Turtle," finds his voice. This is something many children deal with, becoming self-fulfilling prophecies, based on how their family makes them feel. Another child is a bully, but when forced to confront his own fear, he realizes he behaves the way his family behaves. These two boys are both examples of real-life children and their real-life issues.
Children's books should exist all across the board. It is critical to have books to help children learn, but they also need an escape from the real world to nurture their imaginations.
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Draper, S. (2012). Out of my mind. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Melody is a young, intelligent girl with cerebral palsy who works to show everyone that her physical limitations do not affect her brain. Melody faces challenges not uncommon to those with disabilities, including prejudice, exclusion, and rejection.
Out of My Mind does an excellent job of highlighting the struggles that children with disabilities can face. It can be used as a tool for teaching children that you cannot tell what someone understands simply by looking at them, and the importance of inclusion. It is beneficial for children to be exposed to different realistic portrayals to develop empathy, acceptance, and understanding. Realistic fiction also serves as a mirror by allowing children to feel less isolated in their struggles. I believe that realistic children's books should strive to be as "real" as possible, especially when highlighting issues such as disabilities, race, and religion.
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1. Rhodes, J. (2025). Will’s race for home. Little, Brown and Company.
2. The year is 1889, just on the heels of the Emancipation Proclamation, when the Oklahoma Land Rush inspires many to travel West and claim their own piece of land. Will’s father, a black man wanting to experience true freedom, sets off West with Will. In following their dream, Will must find courage to face hardships from the wilderness and other people to run the race to claim their freedom.
3. Although this book is set in a much different time and in a setting that many young people will never experience personally, I do believe aspects of Will’s journey to claim land with his father can relate to many young readers. Firstly, Will and his family are black and live in a time where slavery was abolished only 25 years prior. They find themselves “free” but still fighting tooth and nail to make a living as they face lingering racism in the South. Young readers who are black may see themselves in Will as they read about his frustrations against racism, or learn more about their history. Secondly, on Will’s journey West to claim land, Will learns a lot about digging deep to find courage and face many scary things. This universally can correlate to a current day young readers’ life. Throughout the story, Will and his father open up to one another, become much closer, and learn to work together. This father-son relationship can inspire other young readers with difficult relationships to pursue connection and understanding.
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1. Look, L. (2014). Alvin Ho: Allergic to the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and other tourist attractions. Schwartz & Wade Books.
2. Frequent worrier Alvin Ho has plenty to fear when he travels across the world with his family on a vacation to China. His family members all try to help him relax and enjoy the trip of a lifetime.
3. The Alvin Ho books are a bit wacky and some of his emotions are hyperbolic for comedic effect, but there are many realities of children’s lives depicted in his stories, including feeling fear about the unknown and finding love and comfort within your family. A children’s book should be “real” about all the emotions and situations that children will encounter. Children are not exempt from experiencing love, hardship, or grief, or from facing tough situations like prejudice or homelessness. Children are helped when they read realistic fiction because they can see themselves represented in a character’s experience or develop empathy for a character facing tougher situations than they do.
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Kelly, E. E. (2017). Hello, Universe. Greenwillow Books.
Shy, scared, lost, will anyone hear him call for help? A story of how fates collide and bonds are made.
While many of today's children probably do not get trapped in a well, most have dealt with adversity in some way or know someone who has. This book shows kids facing ignorance and bullying while navigating their own struggles. There are disabilities, family struggles, internal struggles, and the added external struggles seem so overwhelming when you are dealing with so many personal struggles. This is something many kids face from a very young age. We cannot create perfect lives or perfect selves for anyone. Allowing kids to read about these things and see that they can be overcome is how you build resilience. Books like this are vital for children, and I wish they were more common when I was a kid. I have hearing issues, and I connected so deeply with Valencia when she described what it is like to struggle to understand, even with hearing aids, the amount of work it is to pick out the missing sounds and fill in what sound it could be and which words it could be that make sense with the situation. It is exhausting. If I can connect, so can kids.
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1. Telgemeier, R. (2016). Ghosts. Scholastic Inc.
2. Catrina's family moves to a coastal town for the sake of her younger sister's cystic fibrosis, hoping the salty air will help her health. As Cat struggles with her sister's mortality and making new friends, she must learn to accept the town's vibrant traditions and its friendly ghosts to face her own anxieties about life and death.
3. Ghosts is incredibly honest about what life is like for kids today, especially those dealing with chronic illness. Since my nephew has cystic fibrosis, I really connected with how the book shows the reality of a health condition impacting the whole family, from the complex medical routines to the parents' worry. I think children develop compassion for others by reading this kind of realistic story. It validates the fears and guilt a sibling like Catrina feels, and for builds empathy for others in different circumstances. The story uses friendly ghosts to create a safe, warm space to talk about big fears like death.
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1. Philbrick, R. (1993). Freak the Mighty. Scholastic Press.
2. Max, a quiet young boy with a difficult past, and Kevin, a brilliant boy with a physical disability, form an unexpected friendship. Together, their imagination and courage form an unbreakable bond.
3. Freak the Mighty balances imagination with real-life struggles surrounding disabilities, family trauma, bullying, and economic difficulty in a way that both engages and teaches young readers. I believe that children’s books that claim to portray realities should work to be as “real” as appropriately possible. Children should not be completely censored from reality, but they also do not have to be exposed to every harsh reality that may be troublesome to young readers. Books like Freak the Mighty which show these difficulties through the eyes of a child may aid young readers in developing empathy for others in complex situations.
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1. Ludwig, T. (2013). The Invisible Boy. Knopf Books for Young Readers
2. Brian was a boy who felt invisible to his peers and even his teacher until one day Brian met a young boy named Justin who showed Brian that he is not invisible and is worthy of friendship and kindness, just like everyone else.
3. This book does a good job of portraying what some children may be experiencing in school. It illustrates the diversity and challenges one can expect to experience in a public school setting. The main subjects are loneliness and bullying. Which can seem quite sad for a child to read about but I think children’s books should portray some sort of reality. It is important to make children feel seen and have media they can relate to. I do not think children are harmed when reading a realistic portrayal. Books like this can help children understand their emotions and also inspire them to advocate for themselves.
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1. Clements, A. (1998). Frindle. Turtleback.
2. Nick Allen experiments with terminology after learning that language is controlled by human beings and starts a campaign to rename the ballpoint pen, Frindle.
3. I think this book has aspects that portray realities of today’s children. Frindle follows Nick and his friends who challenge the way words are accepted in society. Although completed in a silly nature, I think the book shows children that through collaboration and dedication, they can make their ideas become reality, like how Nick’s word Frindle became accepted in modern-day society, and how campaigning for a cause can have a successful outcome. Overall, I don’t think that children are harmed by reading a realistic portrayal. By exposing oneself to a variety of topics, it can help foster understanding, empathy, and compassion toward others in different situations. By exposure to realistic fiction books, children might also realize that they can impact and help change the world.
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Citation (APA 7th edition):
Chbosky, S. (1999). The perks of being a wallflower. Pocket Books.
Annotation:
This book is told through a series of letters. It’s a coming-of-age novel that follows Charlie, a quiet and introspective high school freshman, as he navigates friendship, love, trauma, and the challenges of growing up. The realistic and emotional narrative makes it relatable for teens dealing with identity and belonging.
Response:
The Perks of Being a Wallflower represents contemporary realistic fiction because it focuses on real-life experiences that feel authentic to adolescence. Charlie’s story captures the raw emotions of mental health, loneliness, and personal discovery in a believable setting. The friendships he forms with Sam and Patrick show how acceptance and support can help someone heal and grow. I think the book honestly portrays the realities of life for today’s teens, especially the pressures of fitting in and coping with trauma. I believe children and young adults are helped, not harmed, by reading realistic portrayals like this one because such stories open conversations, build empathy, and help readers feel less alone in their struggles.
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1. Benjamin, A. (2015). The Thing About Jellyfish. Little, Brown and Company.
2. This novel follows Suzy, a middle school girl grieving the sudden death if her former best friend, who becomes convinced that a rare jellyfish sting caused the accident. Through her scientific research and emotional journey, Suzy grapples with loss, guilt, and the difficulty of understanding friendships that drift apart.
3. The Thing About Jellyfish honestly portrays the emotional realities many children experience, such as, grief, friendship changes, guilt, and the struggle to make sense of painful events. The book handles these topics with sensitivity, showing that kids often feel big emotions without always having the language to express them. I believe children's books should be real enough to reflect their lives whiled still offering hope and support. Realistic portrayals help children process difficult feelings and reassure them that their experiences are valid. Rather than harming young readers, stories like this can guide them toward healing and empathy.
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1. DiCamillo, K. (2000). Because of Winn-Dixie. Candlewick Press.
2. A young girl named Opal adopts a stray dog that helps her find ways to connect to people in her new town. DiCamillo brings humor and heart to to show how loss and community can shape a child's world.
3. Because of Winn-Dixie does honestly portray the realities that many children today face; loneliness, family changes, making new friends, and understanding people who are different than they are. The book doesn't sugar coat the harder parts of life, like absent parents and adults with complicated pasts, but brings an understanding with gentleness and hope. I believe it benefits children when books are real enough that kids feel seen, but written in a way that is age appropriate. Realistic portrayals don't harm children but help them learn empathy, resilience and discover that they are not alone in their struggles.
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1. Fipps, L. (2021). Starfish. Nancy Paulsen Books.
2. Middle school Ellie is a poet, a friend, a loving pug owner, and author of the Fat Girl Rules. Ellie stands up to bullies, doctors, and her own family to embrace her body and herself with the help of new friends, her father, and therapy.
3. If I had read this book when I was Ellie’s age, about 14, it would have changed my life. Growing up plus sized, and all that it comes with it is no easy feat. I could relate to the struggles that Ellie faces in this novel, of the pain words can cause, especially when used by your own family members, the disapproval of society and much more. I believe these themes are still accurate portrayals of the realities children face today. In my opinion, realistic novels should shine a light on the real conflicts in any readers’ life. This novel does a wonderful job of exploring not just Ellie’s hardships, but of those around her. She experiences and practices empathy for children of divorced parents, children in poverty, and adults with repressed trauma. I believe this book could be a huge help toward learning empathy, identity, and mental health for any reader.
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The Tiger Rising
1. DiCamillo, K. (2001). The Tiger Rising. Candlewick Press.
2. In The Tiger Rising, Rob and Sistine are new friends who each struggle in their own way adjusting to a new life in rural Florida. Facing bullies brought them together, but what will come next after Rob shows her that there is a real life tiger caged in the woods near his motel.
3. This is an endearing story that portrays with honestly the realities of two young school kids figuring out how to survive being the new kids in town. Rob moves to Lister, Florida, a very rural swampy place, after the death of his mother. He and his father face several challenges as they make a home out of their long term motel room, The Kentucky Star. Behind the motel, deep in the woods, Rob discovers there is a real caged tiger. He is almost instantly empowered by this wild secret and he must figure out what to do and who to tell.
The plot is descriptive and full of realistic contemporary references and the characters are very complex but relatable. I found the most wonderful part of reading this was reflecting on Robs dynamic character as he learns to deal with the grief and sadness he carries. I believe readers can easily see themselves in different parts of this story and relate to many of the themes.
Regarding realistic fiction, in my opinion, I actual prefer children's books to be as "real" as possible and not avoid difficult subjects. The Tiger Rising, for example, touches on several very mature themes - child abuse, poverty, death, isolation, bullying, and risk taking. The narration allows us to see what Rob is thinking and feeling in the events of the story - building empathy and language for some of these difficult subjects from the eyes of the children, Rob and Sistine. So, I believe one of the most powerful things about contemporary realistic fiction is its ability to address common emotions - fear, anger, sadness, joy, etc as we relate to the characters in the book. I highly recommend this book - prob 4th-6th grades.
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Lord, C. (2008). Rules. Scholastic Press.
Rules tells the story of twelve-year-old Catherine as she navigates friendship, responsibility, and belonging. She also navigates these challenges while also struggling with being a sibling to a younger brother with autism and learning what it means to accept others.
This book honestly portrays the realities of life for today's children. Many children do have siblings with autism and other disabilities. Having a sibling with a disability can be a real and frustrating challenge to navigate especially being so young and trying to find how you fit in society. This book does an excellent job at examining this challenge and does so with compassion and respect. In my opinion it is good for children to read realistic portrayals of life, however, there still needs to be hope and some lightheartedness within the book. Children need to be able to find books that they can connect with and see themselves in and really delve into their emotions. Another positive of realistic fiction is it helps children to see different perspectives and develop deeper empathy for others. Stories like Rules help to support emotional growth and understanding.
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Pla, S. J. (2024). Invisible Isabel. Quill Tree Books.
In her family of 8, Islabel, who is shy and reserved, doesn't quite fit in. Add in a not-so-nice new girl at school, and Isabelle is filled with fears and worry-moths about many new things.
I feel like Invisible Isabel is very relatable for today’s children. This book touches on family and friend dynamics that pull at your heart because they’re probably similar to thoughts you’ve once had about yourself. Though we might not connect to every element of Isabel’s story, we all have had to navigate our own social anxiety and fear. I feel like children's literature should feel real, but some elements should be diffused or lightened. The job of realism in books is to better allow books to be that window, door, and/or mirror we see them to be- especially with children. Children need exposure to other cultures, customs, lifestyles, and backgrounds to better shape their opinions and world-views outside of their personal bubble. However, a realistic book for children shouldn’t be so real that it could cause harm to the mind of a child. It is important to not sugar coat reality at times, but we also must ensure that the details and content are developmentally appropriate for the audience it is intended for.
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1. Clements, A. (1998). Frindle. Turtleback.
2. This fun silly story follows a young boy named Nick who invents new words for everyday items. When his new words start gaining attention, Nick learns just how powerful our words and imaginations can be.
3. The story of Frindle has a pretty silly premise, but I still think there are nuances to the story that make it relatable for kids. Situations like school expectations, friendships, and wanting more independence are still relevant to kids today. Even if the idea at the center of the book is playful, the book still offers realistic moments that children can relate to their own experiences, Realism in children's books should find a balance between recognizable experiences and a safe space so children can begin to feel understood and less alone. I believe realism can be extremely beneficial to children as long as the material is age-appropriate.
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Braden, A. (2018). The benefits of being an octopus. Sky Pony Press.
Zoey, a seventh grader caring for her younger siblings while her mother works, starts to recognize her own strengths when a teacher encourages her to join the debate team. As Zoey's world expands, she starts recognizing the patterns of control and inequality in her family life and begins to imagine better possibilities.
The Benefits of Being an Octopus portrays the realities of many children’s lives with honesty and empathy. Zoey faces poverty, food insecurity, complex family dynamics, and the pressure of caring for younger siblings, which are experiences many students may relate to. I believe realistic portrayals help children more than they harm them because they validate the feelings, struggles, and experiences many young readers have. For children who do not share those experiences, the book encourages empathy and understanding. I think realistic fiction gives kids a way to see that difficult situations are not their fault, and that they can find strength and support in themselves and in others.
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1. Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
2. Stanley Yelnats is a young boy who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is wrongly accused of stealing an athlete's shoes and is sent to a kid's work camp as his punishment.
3. This book does realistically portray lives of kids today. There are so many kids who make bad choices because they have had bad influences in their lives. This book shows that just because someone makes a bad choice, doesn't make him or her a bad person. The characters in this book are just young boys who have different backgrounds and family lives and some just had to do what they did to survive.
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1. Konigsburg, E. L. (1967). From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Athenium.
2. 12 year old Claudia has plans to run away and live inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art with her brother Jamie. Her careful planning gives her and Jamie the opportunity to explore the museum exhibits and come across a mysterious statue with connections to a Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
3. While this book may seem a little far-fetched, I think it is a wonderful example of contemporary fiction. The story takes place in modern-day and revolves around two kids that want to run away to live in the Metropolitan museum of art -- how fun is that! This books shows us that you don't need magic or a fantasy world to go on an adventure. I think young readers will find this story fascinating and encouraging. Claudia and Jamie are very well-written characters. They are resourceful and determined young children who are able to accomplish their goals. I think children are helped through contemporary fiction because it tells them stories about kids like themselves here on earth living out their normal lives too.
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2. Twelve-year-old Willow Chance, a gifted outsider who loves nature and counting by sevens, must rebuild her life after an unexpected tragedy leaves her without her parents. Through unlikely friendships, she discovers community, resilience, and new ways to grow.
3. Counting by 7s portrays the realities of grief, loneliness, and navigating systems like school and social services in a way that feels authentic for many children. Although Willow’s circumstances are extraordinary, her emotions reflect real experiences young readers understand. I believe realistic children’s books should be honest but also compassionate. When difficult topics are handled with care, children are more likely to feel supported rather than harmed. Books like this can help readers build empathy, recognize their own feelings, and see that healing and connection are possible even after life-changing events.
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1. Pennypacker, S., (2006). Clementine. Scholastic.
2. Free-spirited and energized, Clementine takes readers along the journey of life as an eight-year-old living in an apartment with family and friends. Clemetine finds herself dealing with unexpected messes she gets into with her friend Margaret, as well as learning to navigate her emotions and life with her family.
3. Clementine has become a beloved and successful book series that takes readers along through her life experiences and lessons learned along the way. Clementine faces situations that trigger emotions she still must learn to manage, while continuing to push forward in everyday life. Clementine experiences friendships, rejection, and the loss of pets, all of which are relatable to children of that age today. Stories help children make sense of their world and show them that they are not alone in the issues they face. Children also learn other ways to cope with and address problems through reading realistic fiction. Children can investigate different viewpoints and see how others handle issues such as loss, rejection, racism, and other aspects of life. Sometimes books are the only positive perspectives that kids have of life's challenging matters.
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1. Khan, H. (2024). Drawing Deena. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
2. Deena experiences high anxiety as she juggles her mother’s expectations, helping her mother’s business, financial anxiety, and comparing herself to others while using art as an outlet to express herself.
3. I think this book accurately portrays reality for children today. Deena and her family are struggling financially, and at times her mother makes her feel guilty for costing money. I think in today’s economy, a lot of children are very aware of how expensive things are, regardless of if their parent’s make them feel bad about it. Deena also has to navigate social media at a time when she is trying to figure out who she wants to be. Children today have access to so many different perspectives and influences online, and knowing how to discern what you feel and what you are told to feel online is so important. I think children’s books should be real. Realness allows children to explore hard topics and feel empathy and see that other people have their same experiences and feelings. However, I strongly believe that the endings of children’s books that explore tough topics should have happy endings so that children can still hold onto hope and feel empowered to create a better outcome.
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Bridge to Terabithia1. Paterson, K. (1977). Bridge to Terabithia. HarperCollins.
2. This novel follows Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke, two friends who create an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia as an escape from pressures at school and home. When tragedy strikes, Jess must confront grief, resilience, and the strength of imagination.
3. Bridge to Terabithia portrays the realities of children’s lives with honesty, particularly in its treatment of friendship, insecurity, family stress, and grief. While the fantasy element of Terabithia adds imagination and comfort, the emotional struggles Jess faces, such as, jealousy, loneliness, and loss, reflect real issues many children experience. I believe realistic children’s books should not shy away from difficult topics, as long as they are written with care and emotional support. Rather than harming children, truthful portrayals can help them build empathy, understand complex feelings, and feel less alone in their own challenges.
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1. Oh, E. (2023). You Are Here: Connecting Flights. HarperCollins.
2. Meet twelve Asian-American children as they make their way through an airport terminal, recounting harrowing, as well as heartwarming experiences.
3. This book is a collection of short, interconnected stories about children and their experiences with racism, while they are all navigating an international airport. I think the book portrays the lives of today’s children in an honest way that is thought provoking and insightful. It illustrates both blatant racism as well as racial insensitivity. The way this book portrays the characters and events helps children understand how they can handle situations where they may face racism. It also helps children by portraying examples of racial insensitivity and micro aggressions that children may not be aware of. In my opinion, children’s books should portray real life situations and experiences, in a manner that is not overly traumatic, but that can be subjective. Children deserve to read stories that they can relate to, as well as stories that create awareness of struggles outside their range of experience.
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Week 10: realistic fiction
Paterson, K. (2000). Bridge to Terabithia. Distributed by BC Teachers’ Federation, Lesson Aids Service.
2. Jess Aarons doesn’t have much in terms of material items or money but he meets a new friend, Leslie Burke, and together they build their own world to get away from their troubles.
Bridge to Terabithia deals with the death of a child’s friend and a child’s less than happy home life. Jess and Leslie meet and have a rocky start to their friendship but through bonding over mean classmates and creativity they create a fictional world where they can escape the cruelty of their world. When Leslie dies it hurts Jess and he goes through different stages of grief as he comes to accept that she’s not coming back. This was an abrupt and terrible change for Jess and others, and one that he seems to feel partially responsible for because of his trip to the city with his teacher, without Leslie. Realistic fiction doesn’t necessarily have a responsibility to convey the dark side of the world to children, aspects that they don’t think about but are very real and are happening to them, their friends, their neighbors, and their classmates. Being aware of some of these challenges can make kids more aware of the world, and of other people, they can be helped by reading accurate depictions. Not all children have a friend that dies young, some may not know anyone that died while they’re still children, but I think this book pushes a relatable character through the stages of grief and shows children what it’s like to lose someone, and how to lean on others to help get through it. It also shows them that they don’t need to forget or “get over” losing a loved one, they’ll stay with them and continue to help them better themselves and live their lives.
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1. Fipps, L. (2021). Starfish. Nancy Paulsen Books.
2. Ellie is a girl with a whale swimsuit who doesn’t fit in. Instead, she learns to stand up for herself and love herself despite her bullies.
3. This story is a beautiful ode to one’s childhood self. Children are often bullied because of their weight, their family, their socio-economic status, or their ability to blend in. Ellie’s story feels so real to me because I was bullied for being too weird in school. My husband was picked on quite heavily because of his weight, and I think this story would have made him feel heard and seen for who he was as a person and not what people saw on the outside. This book is incredibly relatable for children today because of this. Children can be really mean sometimes. Because they can be so mean, stories need to incorporate real emotions and experiences that children can relate to. They don’t have to be real things or places, but emotions span the distance between the worlds our books transport us to and reality. Children will be helped and inspired by seeing their book characters achieve their goals. Maybe it would even give them courage to try for themselves.
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Philbrick, W. R. (1993b). Freak the mighty. Scholastic Inc.
Freak the Mighty follows Max, a shy and struggling learner, and Kevin, a brilliant boy with a physical disability, as they form an unlikely but transformative friendship. Together they create “Freak the Mighty,” a partnership that helps them face personal challenges and discover courage, loyalty, and hope.
The book does offer an honest portrayal of many realities children face: bullying, disability, family instability, and the need for friendship. Yet, it presents them in a way that’s accessible rather than overwhelming. I think children’s books should be real enough to validate young readers’ experiences but not so bleak that they remove hope., realistic portrayals often help children feel understood and give them tools for empathy, resilience, and navigating their own challenges.
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid1. Kinney, J. (2007). Diary of a wimpy kid. Amulet Books.
2. Greg Heffley is entering middle school and wants to be popular. He does not have much success.
3. I remember this book coming out when I was in elementary school and they are still coming out with new ones. Greg feels like a realistic portrayal of a middle school age child giving into bad tendencies. He looks down on his classmates and he believes he will be rich and famous in the future despite not having a clear understanding of how. He injures his only friend doing a dumb activity he did not think through and also made him take the fall for his bad behavior. Kids will find his bad tendencies relatable but then they will see the consequences of his actions and understand emulating his behavior will not lead to positive outcomes. They will understand they need to think through their actions to avoid the punishments Greg faces.
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Lisa Moore Ramée
1. APA citation Ramée, L. M. (2019). A good kind of trouble. Balzer + Bray.
2. Brief annotation In A Good Kind of Trouble, twelve-year-old Shayla navigates the ups and downs of middle school, shifting through friendships, first crushes, and self-identity, while being drawn into activism when moments of racial injustice force her to question what staying out of trouble really means.
3. Response to the questions (~100 words) I believe the book honestly portrays many of the realities facing children today, especially in terms of social identity, friendship shifts, and activism in youth culture. In my opinion, children’s books should reflect reality enough to help readers feel seen and understood, yet still offer hope and space for growth. This book does that by being relatable in topic and empowering to the average reader. Realistic portrayals can empower kids by validating their experiences, showing them they’re not alone, despite the heavy topics or unbalanced, they could risk overwhelming young readers, but often this is a reality for some. A well-written, realistic story like this gives children tools to make sense of their world and their place in it.
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1. Paulsen, Gary. 1987. Hatchet. New York: Bradbury Press.
2. A thirteen‑year‑old boy stranded alone in the Canadian wilderness must learn to survive with only a hatchet and his courage, facing hunger, weather, and his own fears.
3. Hatchet presents a believable emotional and practical survival experience for a single, specific scenario (a boy stranded alone) but it is not a general portrait of most children's daily lives today; its realism lies in Brian’s inner growth, fear, and problem solving rather than in depicting typical social or technological contexts of contemporary childhood.
A children’s book should balance emotional and situational realism with age appropriate framing: it should honestly represent feelings, consequences, and choices while controlling detail and intensity so young readers can process the material safely.
I would say generally helped, realistic portrayals can build empathy, prepare readers for difficult emotions, and model coping and resilience.
5183 Fall 2025 Information Resources and...
Books mentioned in this topic
Hatchet (other topics)A Good Kind of Trouble (other topics)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (other topics)
Freak the Mighty (other topics)
Starfish (other topics)
More...
Note: You may not be able to add a book if the book has already been added to the group bookshelf by another student. In this case, add the title information to your post.
Part 2: Write on the realistic fiction books you selected to read BESIDES Black Brother, Black Brother.
1. A citation for the book in APA format.
2. A brief annotation for the book, no more than two sentences.
3. Your response to these questions: Does the book honestly portray the realities of life for today’s children? In your opinion, how real should a children’s book be? In other words, are children harmed or helped by reading a realistic portrayal?
Your answer to #3 should be about 100 words in length.