Susin Nielsen
Tundra Books
This realistic fiction would be a great read aloud for grades 6+ to assist with and to help develop conversation around social justice and mental health issues. It is set in Vancouver and Felix is a high school student that must hide his homelessness and deal with his mother's mental health concerns. I think this novel reminds us all that everyone struggles in life and that it is okay to ask for help. I feel that this is another great example of how a fictional novel can develop empathy for others. This book will be a "window" and a "mirror" for your students. The characters are well-developed and relatable; a strength of Susin Nielsen's writing. I couldn't help to make a text-to-text connection to Ann Braden's book The Benefits of Being an Octopus. I feel that both authors address the struggles with poverty in a realistic and empathetic manner. These two books would work very well together to support the inquiry around social justices issue such as poverty in our wealthy countries of Canada and the United States.
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