some places more than others by renee watson

Over the past few months I have been left with a burning question: how many children in the situations I read in MG lit suffer uncertainty, fear, loneliness, because they avoid expressing their feelings, asking questions, bringing to the attention of others how their words or actions are affecting them? The burning question was growing in intensity, book after book, making me wonder if it’s the nature of relationships or if there was perhaps a way to offer kids a seed of hope, an alternate model that showed them what braving communication could do to improve their lives.

So many stories unavoidably lead me to see my children as the face of the characters I journey with. When I read any children’s book I wait for it to whisper to me, which of my readers needs this particular story first, I am always searching for connections. These journeys have been insightful, candid, painful, funny and representative of many of the lives of the children I serve. Renée Watson’s Some Places More Than Others offers it all.Īmara’s story – what it accomplishes for middle grade readersĢ019 has taken me on many middle grade realistic fiction journeys.

Rarely have I encountered a book crafted to offer a story that engages middle grade readers, offers sage wisdom for adults who wish to empower these readers, and also lays out a flexible, yet easy to implement, plan for project based learning that can be experienced in the classroom or at home.

Some places more than others by renee watson