For my final inquiry project I chose to do a book review on Mo Willem's and Amber Ren's children's picture book Because. I read this book for the first time at the beginning of the semester, added it to my padlet, and have not forgotten about it since. I very much enjoyed the book and found many ways that it could be connected to the classroom and be used to foster valuable discussions with students. The illustrations were beautiful and captivating and another reason I found this book to be inspirational. I used the “Evaluating Literature for Authenticity" guide to direct my review as well as added a classroom connection to my review detailing an engaging project I would introduce to my older elementary school students related to this reading.

My project:

Below is the link to the google document that I completed my inquiry project on.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/156adsuv7TArGw9OnNcDNKxYRXo1Xu7e-1abx98m1D7o/edit?tab=t.0

For my activity I discussed character maps and how they would enhance the themes and understanding of characters and events throughout the story.

Link to Review:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r_hKMAjwUELS3OUAyAVTe3ArVYcvLmNcJMBNmca-b_I/edit?usp=sharing

Personally, I found this book very inspirational because it shows how important self-confidence is. It also shows how when we put ourselves down or when we talk ourselves out of things we aren't getting to see our full potential. I feel that this definitely resonated with me because it was a great reminder in how important self-confidence is.

For my book review I discussed a brief summary of the book, I talked about the full circle ending, and I discussed activities that the students could do using the book to help with comprehension and analyzing skills. (character map/ x-ray activity)

Link to book review: Book review (Lexi Seekatz):346 - Google Docs

Miracle’s Boys tells the story of three brothers—Lafayette, Charlie, and Ty'ree—who are trying to navigate life after the death of both their parents. Told from the perspective of the youngest brother, Lafayette, the book explores how grief, poverty, and trauma affect each sibling differently. As the oldest, Ty'ree takes on the role of caretaker, while Charlie returns home from juvenile detention struggling with anger and distance. The story captures themes of loss, brotherhood, resilience, and the realities of growing up in Harlem. It’s an emotional and honest look at how family can be both messy and healing, and it showcases Woodson’s strength in writing stories that reflect real-life challenges with compassion and depth.

My Project: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13HYAHNECBPtoOnDM-jmJi-NhdVCUGs6ZGjbOgQBnvFI/edit?tab=t.0

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oInMIrz-j4F4nRh-5JoefqHy2BXhc0lu4x9DXzW1T6g/edit?usp=sharing

In my text set, I have selected and carefully read nine different children's books that each explore the theme of resiliency in unique ways. For each book, I have written a brief summary that explains the overall storyline as well as how the book reflects or supports the central theme.

Link to my text set:

Personal Inquiry - Google Docs

Here are the ten books, authors, and summaries of the books:

Malala’s Magic Pencil By Malala Yousafzai

While growing up, Malala thought her pencil was magic and could solve any problem she wrote about. Once she was older, she realized that the pencil could not fix problems, but she could by advocating for education, equality, and equity.

The Name Jar By Yangsook Choi

Unhei moves to the United States and becomes self-conscious of her name, so she creates a name jar to get ideas to change her name. After a lot of trial and error, she decided to keep her name and embrace her culture.

Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh

This is the true story of Sylvia Mendez and her family's fight to end school segregation in California. Their bravery led to a landmark court case that helped pave the way for the nationwide desegregation of schools in the United States.

Nasreen’s Secret School by Jeanette Winter

Nasreen loses her parents and her legal access to education due to the Taliban all at once. This story follows her through her journey of attending a secret school while grieving the loss of her parents and the hardship in her country. 

The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali

Faizah is self-conscious of her hijab, as she gets teased about it at school. She draws inspiration from her older sister, Asiya. She learns to embrace her hijab and culture despite being teased about it.

One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul

The story of a woman in Gambia who finds a way to repurpose plastic bags in her community and inspires her community to recycle and clean up their community.

My Name is Sangoel by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed

A young boy moves to the United States with his family and is placed in a public elementary school. His classmates struggle to pronounce his name, and he becomes self-conscious. After some time, he comes up with a way to pronounce it that is easier for them to say, and embraces his cultural differences. 

Ruby’s Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges

This story is about Ruby, and young girl in Old China, where girls are not allowed to be educated. Ruby rejects this ancient ideal of not being educated and goes out of her way, with the support of her grandfather, to gain access to education. 

Beatrice’s Goat by Page McBrier

Beatrice grows up in an impoverished community with no access to education, but finds a way to use her new pet goat that she received from a charity program to make milk to sell. Beatrice makes enough money to help her family and gain herself access to education. 

That Book Woman by Heather Henson

A boy who lives in a very rural town in Kentucky shows hesitation and little to no interest in reading or education. A traveling librarian shows up at his home with a selection of books and continues to occasionally make an appearance. The boy, Cal, begins to love reading and has a strong desire to learn despite being in such an isolating living situation.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N9fV3xmQxhw39GFtYF5zCRu6xr5j0C4Nv8UilGOYVJ0/edit?tab=t.0

Here is a link to my presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_cu7iPhE-m7HkWR64BJ9O2v227vHaE_Jhydo2brfAYw/edit?usp=sharing

My activity is in my book review at the bottom of the page.

link to review: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19-WoLxVrEgCLAmKYBX4tEajv_aThnz4gb9Z3RCNTnLE/edit?tab=t.0

1. The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
Summary: Unhei, a young Korean girl, considers changing her name to fit in at her new American school. With encouragement from a classmate, she decides to keep her Korean name, embracing her identity.
Belonging: The story explores the balance between fitting in and staying true to cultural identity. Unhei's journey shows how peer support and pride in one's roots can help someone feel they belong.

2. Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
Summary: After seeing people dressed as mermaids, Julian dreams of being one too. He dresses up and fears judgment, but his grandmother lovingly supports him.
Belonging: Julian's self-expression is accepted by his family, highlighting that true belonging comes from being seen and loved for who you are.

3. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson
Summary: CJ and his grandmother ride the city bus after church, and she teaches him to see beauty and purpose in their everyday experiences.
Belonging: The story shows that community, connection, and perspective rather than wealth, create a true sense of belonging.

4. All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold, illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman
Summary: A joyful school day unfolds as children of all backgrounds learn and grow together in a space where diversity is embraced.
Belonging: This book celebrates unity, diversity, and inclusion, showing how schools can be places where everyone feels valued and welcome.

5. The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López
Summary: Children feel different for many reasons but find connection through sharing their stories and listening to others.
Belonging: Courage and vulnerability help create understanding. Everyone has a story that matters and contributes to a sense of belonging.

6. I’m New Here by Anne Sibley O’Brien
Summary: Three immigrant children face challenges in a new country but slowly begin to feel included as they make friends and learn the language.
Belonging: The story shows how schools and classmates help newcomers feel welcomed, emphasizing friendship and support as key to feeling like you belong.

7. Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Summary: Rubina is embarrassed when her mom makes her take her little sister to a birthday party, but later learns the importance of kindness and understanding.
Belonging: The book explores cultural clashes and family dynamics, showing how empathy and growth help build bridges and create belonging.

8. Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez
Summary: A girl is asked where she’s "really" from, and her grandfather responds with a powerful story about heritage and identity.
Belonging: The story affirms that knowing and valuing your roots can help you feel grounded and proud of who you are.

9. Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña
Summary: While visiting his mother in prison, Milo imagines the lives of people around him and learns not to judge by appearances.
Belonging: Through imagination and empathy, Milo discovers shared experiences that connect us all, even in difficult circumstances.

Link to Review: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12uX7tQ9PetSvf8PocOVYFobeM3AHI14kxmewhTcsBts/edit?usp=drivesdk

I chose 8 books that I felt resembled the theme of kindness and would have a powerful message to readers. I think that the text set I have chosen would be amazing to read in the classroom and offer a lot of positivity.

Link to access:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qIcuGroiaTGzO_ubxIJaudWhBLTxki0h_NGCEgM4oTE/edit?usp=sharing

Here is the link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dlneiVhEsR6_eq-516qoa0Tg9LUXuQg2x9E2xiQDRdM/edit?usp=sharing

This is a children's book that focuses on sibling rivalry and growing up together. Beverly, the author, included different emotions that both Beezus and Ramona have felt throughout the book. With the wild imagination Ramona has, she often acts on impulsive ideas that result in trouble and disaster. Beezus, as the older sister, feels annoyed and distraught with her sister's behavior. This leads to multiple arguments and misunderstandings. Towards the end of the book, Beezus is able to understand that Ramona acts the way she does because she's still a child. Maybe when Ramona is older, her personality will change. But as of now, Beezus continues to learn and be patient with her sister.

Here is the link to my book review :

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EdPupoAmDKgTtyzGjsvnQ64kgsoE-DHSTJzPGEzTsm0/edit?usp=sharing

Holes is a unique story that follows a boy named Stanley Yelnats, who is sent to a juvenile detention camp called Camp Green Lake after being falsely accused of stealing. At the camp, the boys are forced to dig holes every day, supposedly to “build character.” As the story unfolds, the book connects Stanley’s present situation with stories from his family's past, creating an interesting and clever storyline filled with mystery, history, friendship, and justice.

I chose to do a project on this book because I think it is a strong example of high-quality children’s literature. It blends important life lessons with humor and adventure, and it sparks deep thinking and discussion among students. Holes is also very versatile in the classroom. It can be used to teach about character development, theme, cause and effect, and even social issues like fairness and perseverance. Overall, I think it’s a book that not only hooks young readers, but also encourages them to think critically, which is why I found it meaningful to explore further for this project.

Here is a link to my full report and a classroom activity! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yxFYkvtBDqY6WvBLYZandpFMPr6OXKPwd17rwpXjdZg/edit?tab=t.0

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TDxjD8Cz9Gl3S2hslREa2djCzEezN72ETwY0HH7uHsY/edit?usp=sharing

Book Review Final.docx

Link to book review: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mjSg18yNglBJ8wlSnpX0eIMsKHLc5CgUA1qf9d0Y5xc/edit?usp=sharing

Book Review

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lVeeRwlc6Icq1NHDbVcBMYYM1Olb2X6mlJznWfxnI8w/edit?usp=sharing

Book Review: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CVMoC2HRGbn2YRe-o6zcYR39Zy4vpCRasnF1KTo1_b0/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ssggxdau575xLinks to an external site.