Tornado Brain by Cat Patrick

Bibliography 

Patrick, C. (2021). Tornado Brain. Puffin Books. 

Plot Summary

Frankie is just like any other thirteen year old, except her doctors call her “neurodivergent”. She hates change, being touched, and loud noises, and is easily distracted. She hates having to take medicine and go to therapy, when no one else, like her Twin sister Tess, has to. She just wants to be “normal”. When her former friend goes missing, Frankie is determined to find her before it’s too late. 

Critical Analysis

Frankie’s struggles of being neurodivergent are shown through the first person narration throughout the books. For example, she shares that she struggles to control her emotions, knowing social cues like when to end a conversation, and she has had to take medication that makes her sleepy or foggy. Much of the story’s plot centers around Frankie trying to find out where her missing former friend is. Throughout the book, it is revealed that the reason Frankie and Collette had a falling out was that Frankie overheard Collette sharing her secrets of having to take tests in a small group and not standing up for her when another girl called Frankie “Tornado Brain”. When Collette goes missing, their falling out does stop Frankie from worrying and searching for her. Unfortunately, people do not seem to be listening to her as she starts finding clues, mentioning often that people thing she is just imagining things and not taking her seriously. In the end, it is Frankie who figures out where Collette is. 

This is a great story to expose children to neurodivergence and create empathy or be a mirror for those with similar diagnoses. However, something to be cautious of is Frankie’s decision in the book to stop taking her medication without her mom or doctors knowing which is not ever addressed seriously. 

Review Excerpts and Awards

From Kirkus Reviews: “Frankie’s first-person narration is spot-on as she describes her feelings about her attention-deficit and sensory-processing disorders and her Asperger’s syndrome as well as her distaste for the medications that impair her thinking. Her confusion with her own unexpected emotions as she falls for skateboarder Kai—who’s just as smitten with her—is poignant. Although all doesn’t end well, this moving account of Frankie’s emerging maturity—with extra challenges—is perfect. Colette, Frankie, and Frankie’s family seem to be white; it’s suggested that Kai is a boy of color. An intriguing mystery embedded within a richly insightful coming-of-age story.”

From School Library Journal: “Not only is it a good selection for mystery buffs, but its greatest strength is in helping listeners, both adult and young, develop empathy with anyone who is neurodiverse.”

Connections

Enjoy this free resource on resilience to accompany the book https://storage.googleapis.com/classroom-portal-production/uploads/2020/04/f14324cb-building-resilience-with-tornado-brain.pdf 

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey by Margaret Ruurs

Bibliography

Ruurs, M., & Badr, N. A. (2016). Stepping stones: a refugee family's journey. Orca. 

Plot Summary

A young Syrian girl is forced to escape her homeland after a bombing near her home. 

Critical Analysis

This lovely and moving picture book starts by describing a typical morning for Rama, a young Syrian. She wakes up to the sound of a rooster to a breakfast of “bread, yogurt, juicy red tomatoes”. The book speaks of children playing, Papas telling stories, and drinking tea with neighbors. Everything is spoken about in the past tense, which lets the readers know that something has happened that this is no longer her life, “But that was then. And This is now.” The book then follows Rama and her family taking a journey to find “a place to be free, to live and laugh, to love again. In search of a place where bombs did not fall, where people did not die on their way to the market” after bombs fall close to their home.  

This book is written in both English and Arabic and features illustrations made of rocks. The rocks are all different shades of brown, tan, and gray. They show movement and emotion even though there are no faces. Particularly striking are the illustrations of the refugees walking carrying all their life’s belongings as they make their way out of Syria and of the family on boats with those who have fallen out and drowned below.  

This story is a beautiful and compelling telling of the refugee experience, and should not be missed. 

Review Excerpts and Awards

From Kirkus Reviews: “Ruurs writes purely and warmly, with the text set in both English and Raheem’s Arabic translation on each page, of a family who become refugees. She deftly conveys the happiness of peaceful childhood, then the confusion and the fears born of war and migration, and the relief and curiosity of arriving at a new home—and the uncertainty whether it will be forever. Artist Badr still lives in his birthplace of Latakia, Syria. Lacking resources, he began using the stones he collects from the sea to depict stories of his compatriots with love and compassion. Each illustration is masterful, with Badr's placement of stones as careful as brush strokes, creating figures positioned to tell the whole story without the benefit of facial expressions: dancing, cradling, working; burdened, in danger, at peace. A foreword describes how the book came to be. An astonishing book that allows the humanity of refugees to speak louder than politics and introduces readers to one of Syria's incredible artists.”

Connections

See this useful resource on teaching about refugees from The UN Refugee Agency https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/teaching-about-refugees.html 

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

 

Bibliography

Johnson, L. (2021). You should see me in a Crown. Thorndike Press, a part of Gale, a Cengage Company. 

Plot Summary

When her scholarship falls through, Liz Lighty must figure out how she is going to attend her dream school, Pennington College, and become a doctor. That’s when her brother, who suffers from sickle cell disease, suggests that Liz runs for Prom Queen. The scholarship provided will help her be able to make her dreams of Pennington come true. Liz questions this because she believes that she is too unpopular to win. On her journey to become the prom queen, she starts to fall for one of the fellow prom queen contestants.  

Critical Analysis

In her book, Leah Johnson has created a dynamic black, queer character. Liz Lightly lost her mother to the same disease that her brother has, sickle cell, and both children are being raised by their grandparents. Liz is a talented, motivated musician and student with dreams of becoming a doctor. When her music scholarship falls through, Liz is devastated, but refuses to tell her hardworking grandparents for fear that they will sell their house in order to put her through college. Her brother suggests that she run for prom queen, something that is completely out of her wheelhouse for someone that considers herself an unpopular nerd that flies under the radar. In fact, Liz describes herself as purposefully trying to blend in because of her black, queer, poor background, “when you already feel like everything about you makes you stand out, it just makes more senes to find as many ways to blend in as you can”. 

This book deals with a lot of serious issues. For example, one of the other prom queen contestants, Rachel, makes racial comments to and about Liz throughout the whole book. At every turn, she tries to tear Liz down, and uses Liz’s identity to do so. Central to the story is Liz’s feelings towards Mack, another contestant in the running for queen. While Liz has come out to her family and close friends, she is not publicly out. Liz and Macks developing relationship is kept a secret because Liz fears that if she were to be publicly out, it would hurt her chances of winning queen and therefore her chances of being able to afford Pennington. When Liz finally starts to feel like she is fitting in with the classmates she never interacted with before, Rachel creates a derogatory display that says “Liz Lights is only Queen of the Queers” at their school, outing Liz to everyone. Initially, the principal attempts to ban Liz from the race for this and makes reminders about how Liz is not allowed to bring a date of the same sex to prom. Another teacher and one of Liz’s friends steps in, threatening the principal that this move could be bad for his own public image. 

Ultimately, the story ends with Liz winning prom queen and her school supporting her identity. While it does not address larger societal changes in their midwestern town, at least in her school community, Liz feels seen and accepted. 

Review Excerpts and Awards

Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award, Honor 2021

From School Library Journal: “Johnson's pacing is perfect as the story unwinds at dizzying speed, while attacking some tropes and celebrating others. Occasionally, life has fairy-tale endings. Readers will fall in love with this refreshing book that celebrates the beauty of individuality.”

From Kirkus Reviews: “Johnson does an excellent job of portraying the anxiety and internalized self-hatred from being different in a mostly White, affluent small town. Liz and Jordan are Black; supporting characters appear White by default. The queer prom romance you didn’t know you needed.”

Connections

Check out these other LGBTQIA+ reads:

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jairgirdar, ISBN 1624149685

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender, ISBN 0062820265

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta, ISBN 0062990306