Happy Monday! Middle Grade Monday features Things Seen from Above by Shelley Pearsall. This dual narrative is told in the first-person by April, a sixth grader and occasional short third-person, illustrated intervals featuring Joey Byrd, a fourth grader. April has a fight with her one and only friend on the first day of her last year of elementary school. She volunteers to man the "Buddy Bench" during fourth grade recess to avoid the friend drama. She knows about Joey Byrd thanks to his penchant for doing odd things like lying down in the middle of the hall during a fire drill. On her first day as Buddy Bench monitor, Joey Byrd is lying on his back in the middle of the playground. He's lying so still, April thinks he might be dead. His other playground ritual is carving into the mulch with his shoe. April can't figure it out until she changes her perspective.
This is a quiet, character-driven novel that was inspired by the author's nephew. Readers are encouraged to see past odd behavior in an encouraging way.
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