Title: Thank you, Mr. Falker
Author: Patricia Polacco
Main Character: Trisha, Fifth-Grader
Rating: Exceptional
Mo (Rating: Exceptional)
This is a story that gave me goosebumps (in a good way). It is an autobiographical story – the author had dyslexia as a child which was not diagnosed till she was in fifth grade. It talks about the culture of reading in her family, how she badly wanted to read books but was unable to. Children at school make fun of her, until in fifth grade, a teacher decides to nurture her and get her specialized help. And then she thrives.
It is a simple story with which to tell your children about how it feels to be bullied, and how to keep persisting until you succeed.
Highly recommended for slightly older children (four and above).