August is middle grade month for us at #littlelitbookseries. If you read any book this month with your upper graders (ages 8-12) before the school year starts, let it be this one.
Two fifth graders from totally different backgrounds don't share too much in common—at first. Ravi has just moved to America from India. Joe has APD (auditory processing disorder) and is subject to misunderstandings and difficulties in communicating. Save Me a Seat chronicles their story of standing up to one of the most intimidating bullies in their class and devising a plan to stop him over the course of a week. Each chapter alternates between Ravi's and Joe's perspectives. It's an exceptional story about friendship, acceptance and how assumptions are often wrong. And how "it's possible for a couple of zebras to outsmart a crocodile." It's relatable on so many levels. Glossaries and recipes from both characters are included in the back. A must-read.
Save Me a Seat was collaboratively written by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadajaran, and was published by Scholastic Press. For more insights on the book, check out this interview with both authors on Sarah Weeks' website.
For more notable middle grade books, check in at @littlelitbookseries throughout the month and head over to see other favorites of ours today by searching the hashtag #littlelitbookseries on Instagram.