The main instructional connection would be to read Nye’s two part series. Students would be able to read through Aref’s full journey. It would start when he finds out he will move to America, to the second book when he actually does. This can be used as class read aloud, or a book club. Students could keep a reader response journal where they are keeping up with Aref’s feelings, problems, thoughts, themes, and relationships. Students can also participate in rich discussions on their reader response journals on their opinions of the chapters, and how Aref begins to change. Aref wrote many poems in his time at his American school. Students could also do what Aref teachers suggest and create their own poems. Because Aref and Sidi’s relationship is so prominent in the text, students could write about a family member they are close with. They could start a letter chain with that family member like Aref and Sidi.

Instructional Connections:

● The Turtle of Oman - Naomi Shihab Nye

Used as the first book to the two part series.

● Student Poetry Students can create poems about family members that are special to them.

● Oman - Britannica Kids

This informational text gives students background knowledge on where Oman is located and facts on the country/culture/environment. Students would need to read this before to understand the setting in the text.

Instructional Connections:

● One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams

This text describes an older sister's weight of caring for her younger siblings. The story of loss yet so much love. Like Brown Girl Dreaming, the sisters in One Crazy Summer deal with complicated family relationships. It also shows political events through the lens of children.

● P.S Be Eleven by Rita Williams

P. S Eleven pairs not only with its own series books, but also Brown Girl Dreaming. The sisters in the entire Rita Williams face similar challenges as Jaqueline. These similarities include, the traveling challenges with families, friendships changes, and parental challenges. Students could compare the siblings in the text, they could dive deeper in the 1960s civil rights movements and process how the 1960s shaped children like Jacqueline and the sisters. America Foster Module #2 September 4, 2025

● Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams

The final book of the Gaither sister trilogy moves forward and offers an entertaining yet deep look at the sisters' travels to Alabama. Like Brown Girl Dreaming the setting changes from the north back down to the south. This novel also offers readers a chance to look at tragedy and strong family bonds. This trilogy and Brown Girl Dreaming incorporate historical events that students can synthesize throughout each novel.

● Britannica Kids - Civil Rights Movement

This informational page offers students sequential information on the Civil Rights Movement. Students need background information to understand the historical context in Brown Girl Dreaming and the Rita Williams trilogy. I would assign this article first to pre teach the historical context. Students can generate questions they have about the movement. As they are reading the novels, they have opportunities to find the answer to these questions.

● Refugee By Alan Gratz

This text follows the devastating challenge of three teenage refugees. The book is centered around similar topics and themes including, travesty, loss, and immigration. This can be used as another book club option. For an enrichment idea, students can compare the authors Pam Munez Ryan and Alan Gratz through their craft, mood, tone, and writing techniques.

Instructional Connections:

● Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

This picture book can be used alongside the other two texts. It is a lighter way to express immigration, and it is more focused on family. It mirrors similar themes such as family, resilience, and hope. It has beautiful illustrations that pair perfectly with the authentic Latino culture in Esperanza Rising. Students could compare themes in Dreamers to Esperanza Rising. Enrichment students could even analyze symbolism in the illustrations and how they symbolize the characters, plot, and theme. This book can support lower level readers by being read aloud, and holding a verbal discussion using sentence stems.

● Immigration - Britannica Kids

It is important for students to have background knowledge of the context of a text. Students can read an informational text on immigration. This will build background knowledge and understanding of the concept.

Instructional Connections:

All of the text below have similar themes to loss, adversity, and nature. Two are novels, and one is a graphic novel that has little to no words, like Wildful. Essays, creative writing, and even poetry could emerge from using all 4 of these texts. Students could compare and contrast the author's craft, purpose, text structure, character relationships, and themes. There could also be many art connections to this text. An art teacher could use Kurimoto's work as a resource and teaching tool. The way he creates, and illustrates in a detailed sequential order is astounding.

• Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson

  Students would be able to explore a novel with similar themes and characters. This text highlights loss and the magic of nature. Students would see how grief is coped with in a different way through Paterson's characters.

• The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

  This text also used the beauty of nature to heal from pain. The stories are very similar in their literary elements. Students can use these texts to compare the plots, themes, and relationships.

• The Arrival- Shaun Tan

  This text would be similar to Wildful because it will require strong inference skills. Depending on the age and maturity level of the reader, the reader will either see a story or they will see strong symbolic meanings. I would like this text with upper grades - high school. This text would be mostly used to compare and contrast the two author’s illustrative and writing craft. The theme of loss, and new beginnings is also highlighted in this text.

Silent and loud disabilities are everywhere in our schools. When teachers provide a space for students to make connections, inference, synthesize, and evaluate themselves it fosters critical thinking. Using a book like You’re SO Amazing! during a read aloud can be a tool to use to fuel critical thinking skills. Students can compare and contrast, create, evaluate, judge, and defend using simple yet impactful text.

Instructional Connections:

Students could do a 4 part book club study using characters with different disabilities. Students would be able to create book reviews, compare and contrast characters, relationships, disabilities, and themes. I would also allow students to explore the character's disability further through online encyclopedias or informational text from the library. Students could also evaluate the authors of each four books. Students would answer questions like, “How did the authors show that disabilities influence the character's life? Or “What similar author’s craft did you notice? Was the tone or mood different in these three novels? How so?” Pushing into the author's craft is higher level and all three of these texts have different authors' craft. All four of the books mentioned below are some of the best children's literature novels I have read that highlight disabilities in a beautiful way, yet also showing the pain they can cause. I have all four in my classroom library ready to go.

• El Deafo - Cece Bell

  This graphic novel highlights a main character who progressively goes deaf and regains strength after a difficult diagnosis. (One of my favorite books of all time). This is based on the author's personal experience.

• Wonder - R.J Palacios

  Auggie is a boy who has Treacher Collins syndrome. His difficulties with bullying and friendships. This text will have the reader in tears, yet smiling at the strength and beauty R.J Palacio creates through family and friendships.

• Out of My Mind - Sharon M. Draper This novel shows the personal perspective of a highly intelligent girl who has cerebral palsy. This book will have students clenched to understand how Melody will survive her school year and let everyone know just how smart she is.

• Fish in A Tree - Lynda Mullay Hunt This text highlights the experience of a girl named Ally who is struggling with her dyslexia. With the help of her teacher, she realized she can be herself without feeling ashamed. She learns her strengths and talents, and that not everyone will think and learn the same way.

When students read this they can have a gran conversation, where students would share their opinions on the author’s story. They would also share their feelings from the different parts of the text. Having a discussion circle to have that gran conversation would allow students to connect, debate, and analyze grandfather’s life. When students discuss openly, they are able to construct their own knowledge, inferences, theories, themes, and conclusions.

A story like Grandfather’s Journey can provide that. Allen say is incredibly talented. His profound simplicity gives readers the ability to connect to a foreign culture. It gives Asian students authentic representation. This text eliminates stereotypical information, and highlights an honorable story.

Instructional Connections:

For this text I thought it would be important to incorporate other related text, but also include historical informational text that would help students understand the setting in a deeper way. Students will explore other

• Japan for kids – an amazing and quick guide to Japan - YouTube

  The YouTube video could be used as a virtual field trip that gives students background information on the culture. It's quick and can be used as an attention grabber. Some students may not be able to visualize where Japan is, or what it's like there. Understanding Japan is different depending on the city. The video should be used before reading any of the text.

• Tea with Milk - Allen Say

  This is another beautifully constructed story that follows Allen Says' parents. Its similar to Grandfather's Journey and students would be able to compare and contrast the characters, family, events, themes, and importantly author’s craft. Thinking about America Foster Module #4 September 18, 2025 questions like, “How did Allen Say continue to show his family's story?”. Students would get a different perspective on Allen Say’s family than in Grandfather’s journey. This could foster synthesizing and deeper conversations about Allen Says life, and writing craft.

• Baseball Saved Us - By Ken Mochizuki

  In this text, students would get exposed to historical fiction. They would be able to see a different story involving Japanese Americans. It's important for students to know there can be multiple perspectives within a culture. When students meet Shorty and his family, they will find resemblances and differences with their own families. Students can compare the two different family experiences in America. Students find similar themes, and continue discussing characters, plot, and author’s message. This text can lead into an informational study on historical events like World War 2, and Pearl Harbor.

• World War 2 - Britannica Kids Pearl Harbor - Britannica Kids

  Both of these informational texts provide background knowledge on the historical events mentioned in all of the text above. Students can generate questions before and try to find their answers. They will be able to synthesize information from both texts which will provide a deeper understanding of the picture books.

Dim Sum for Everyone! Provides readers an authentic and genuine experience of what Chinese families do to spend quality time together. This could spark a conversation of, “How do you and your family spend time together?” or “How does your culture honor quality time?”. This would allow for all students to make a text to self-connection. The class could go into writing projects, like a personal narrative on their family’s traditional food that brings them together.

Instructional Connections: I wanted to include another text that gives students a personal experience with Chinese cuisine. I also wanted to include another text that includes more Chinese family traditions with a Chinese American character. Lastly I thought an informational text on China would give students background knowledge on the ancient heritage and where these foods originated from.

• 📖 🥟 🥢 Let's Go Yum Cha! By Alister Felix READ ALOUD

  I choose a YouTube read aloud instead of just the book because the boy reading the story aloud pronounces the Chinese words accurately. I think it is respectful to the culture to pronounce the words accurately. This would take that pressure off the teacher. The story is beautifully written and illustrated to show a child's perspective in the dim sum experience. It is also a great tool to use for authors' craft, figurative language, and inference. Students could write their own narrative explaining their heritage cuisine.

• The Year of the Dog - Grace Lin

  This could be a book club used to connect Chinese tradition to enrichment/ GT students. Students could gather information on how Pacy grows in her Chinese heritage and self discovery. Students can explore the Chinese new year traditions, as well as why each year is named after an animal. This can spark further research into the culture. This is a beautiful chapter book that shows the perspective of a Chinese American girl.

• Chinese New Year - Britannica Kids

  This informational page can give student factual information on the Chinese New Year, which is mentioned in The Year of the Dog. Understanding the significance of the holiday and culture can give students a deeper understanding of the characters, especially Pacy and her family in The Year of the Dog.

• China - Britannica Kids

  Students who have little to no background knowledge of where dim sum comes from can explore a variety of subtopics on China through this informational text.

• Kids Try Food from Chinatown, HiHo Kids - YouTube This entertaining video shows kids experiencing dim sum and trying many foods from Chinatown in Seattle. Students can synthesize the picture books to a real video. This is a resource that brings the picture books into a real setting.

When students of all cultures and ethnicities read Forever Cousins, they will not only see a new perspective on tradition, but find connection within themselves. Many cultures, like the Native American culture, honor family. Strong bonds amongst family members is common in many cultures including Latin, and African American. This book would influence me to teach about a culture that is not highlighted enough.

Students could not only research the history of Native Americans, but also what it is like being Native American in 2025. I think students would be able to have rich discussions on family, traditions, and special bonds. When it comes to comprehension, the text can be used to instruct inferencing on relationships, traits, feelings, themes, and character change. Students can also use the text to write an essay on a special family member. Students could use this prompt to practice creating claims, using evidence, and elaborating.

Instructional Connections:

• A Letter for Bob by Kim Rogers Illustrated by Jonathan Nelson

  A letter for Bob focuses on a family's bond with their family car. It is also centered around authentic Native American Culture. Similar themes include loss/separation (letting go), family culture, and bond. Students can process through how each character reacts to their experience in letting go. Students could have open discussion on what it is like to either lose something special. Author’s message , inference, and genre can all be essential with both texts.

• Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Maillard

  Fry bread is written in narrative poetry form. Students can connect Fry Bread to the traditions in Forever Cousins. Students can connect what they learn in the non fiction text over the history of Native Americans in the U.S. Having context of the culture andhistory can increase comprehension and background knowledge. Students can continue to process through their own cultures by seeing others. They could ask themselves, what food in your culture brings your family together? Students could write a poem on their family, food, and traditions. Students can share, publish, and have art work that represents their poetry. This would be great to have displayed during November, or even a family night so that all cultures are represented.

• Indigenous Peoples of the Americas - Britannica Kids

  There are two sections that stood out from this online resource. The first is the introduction of indigenous people, and second the indigenous people today section. Students need background knowledge to understand different cultures. Including informational text with real and quality facts is helpful when assimilating new information.

Instruction on text structure can be used with this text. This text can also be used in a lesson on analysis of the characters. The instruction of inferencing on traits, feelings, and relationships could be used with this text.

Instructional Connections: The common topic that can be used with all of these resources is mixed culture or family relationships. Students can use other picture books to see themselves and their families. These other resources include…

● Yes! We are Latinos (Lily and Michiko Story) by Alma Flor Ada

This narrative poetry text highlights two girls who come from a mixed family. The text is written in poetry form and includes the challenges of being mixed. This read aloud pairs with I love Saturdays y domingos because students can see three different perspectives of being mixed. A common theme is pride in culture.

● Dear Primo A Letter to my Cousin by Duncan Tonatiuh Duncan Tonatiuh creates a compare and contrast text structure like I love Saturdays y domingos. Students can compare and contrast the author's craft and text structure. Questions like, How did both authors show that family is important in Hispanic culture, can be asked. Students can practice identifying text structure. The boys in the story have cultural differences, like the little girl in Alma Flor Ada’s text. A big connection within the two books is that there are more similarities than differences among families.

● Love Makes a Family song by David and Jenny Heitler- Klevans These song lyrics can be used to bridge the theme of diverse families. Students can analyze what the song means, find figurative language, and even create their own poems about their families. Students can have open discussions on their own diverse family experiences, and what they feel makes their families special.

Teachers can use this text to instruct on fairy tale adaptations from a variety of cultures. Students may be able to find similarities in their culture’s fairy tales / folk tales. If a teacher was to use this text they can use to teach character analysis, fairy tale elements (genre study), plot, themes, foreshadowing, and compare and contrast other Cinderella adaptations.

Instructional Connections: I think this text could be used to instruct on the fairy tale genre, or fiary tale adaptations.

Students could compare and contrast three different Cinderella adaptations from three different cultures. I will list two more adaptations...

● Adelita: A Mexican Story - Tomi dePaola Students can practice character analysis among Adelita, Maha, and Yeh-Shen. They can analyse how all three girls go through adversity. Students can also analyse the relationships in the story. Who influences each problem, and solution. A deeper analysis could be on the authors. Enrichment students could analyze the author's craft, message, and purpose for all three.

● Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China - Ai-Ling Louie Yeh

Yeh-Shen is similar to Maha due to their advisor which is a fish. However, Yeh-Shen’s fish is killed. Readers can analyze how both girls react to their problems, and create theories. Discussion groups can be facilitated to compare plots, relationships, and themes. Students could write essays on all three of these main characters. The essays can be on How are ____ and _____ similar/different? This could be a good practice for when they compare and contrast on two passages for the state test

Teachers can use this text to not only teach historical fiction, but to dive into a deep character analysis. Schroeder creates a text that students can dissect character relationships, traits, motivations, plot, theme, and make strong inferences. Many students struggle to wrap their minds and process that people were owned. This book can lead quality discussions where students can explore opinions, connections, and feelings.

This book deserved the awards it has earned due to its incredible illustrations that show emotion, detail, and incredible emotion through art. Alan Schroeder’s craft and ability to create such emotional and raw plot using African American characters also deserves to be. It is clear that this publisher prioritized the depth and richness of African American culture is a historical setting.

Instructional Connections:

● Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine The first text that came to mind to pair with Minty was Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine. Both of these texts show the African American slave child perspective with the hope of freedom. Both characters experience cruelty and hardships, however, they both also experience love from their families. Minty could be used in a character studies unit, a genre study on historical fiction, and even be used with enrichment to compare and contrast with Henry.

● Moses by Carole Boston Weatherford This text can be seen as a time continuation for Minty. Minty technically depicts Harriet Tubman as a child, whereas Moses depicts her as an adult. The religious background and deeply emotional text can be used to analyze what Harriet was like as a child and how that led her to the leadership role in Moses.

● Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson Kadir Nelson is a world renowned author and illustrator. Heart and soul (which I own) is an incredibly gorgeous illustrated timeline of African American History. This text could support an enrichment group in understanding the timeline of African American history, so that the context of the other text mentioned above can be synthesized.

● Kids Britannica Encyclopedia: Slavery This informational Encyclopedia page gives extensive explanation on the lives of enslaved people. It gives explanations of early life, slave trading, and how slavery ended. It also includes videos and photographs.

This is a great text to use to teach narrative nonfiction genre. The text plot was important. Readers are able to see Pura’s hardships, but also her resilience through her dedication. I liked that the author did not shy away from the raw adversity Pura faces. This is important for young readers because it shows that some stories are not fairy tales, however they still contain hope. When Pura’s story starts over after the death of her husband, students see that even though there was loss, the seeds Pura planted will forever grow. The impact of decision making and dedication can also be a theme in the text.

Instructional Connections: The instructional connection to this text varies from text to text connections, and biography information for students. Students can compare and contrast the two authors of a similar text. They will also be able to read one of the stories Pura. Students will analyze the why behind Pura’s Legacy through these resources.

● Martina the Beautiful Cockroach A Cuban Folktale - By Carmen Agra Deedy Students that are intrigued by the folktale of Martina y Perez, can enjoy the full story by Carmen Agra Deedy. Students will be able to experience the storytelling that the kids in the library in the Planting Seeds book. This can foster discussion, and analysis of genre, characters, themes, and author’s craft.

● A Storyteller’s Candle By Lucia Gonzalez This would foster a text to text connection. Students would compare and contrast Planting Seeds and A Storyteller's Candles. This text shows a child's perspective America Foster Module #3 September 11, 2025 through Pura’s story telling. It puts students in the window to see what Pura Belpre put into the world.

● Pura Belpre: Her Life and Legacy Article This is an informational website that includes a mini biography on Pura Belpre. It also includes other text she wrote that students may be interested in. There is also a very informative video that shows Lucia Gonzalez explaining why she wrote A Storyteller's Candle. The video has incredible information on the history of the Puerto Ricanmigration into the Spanish Harlem in New York. This video shows the author's perspective on the time period where Pura created a new library experience for children.

Students could read this text and feel drawn to either the bear or the chipmunk. I would use this text to facilitate a gran conversation where students construct their own knowledge on themes, theories, and inferences. The characters can be analyzed, evaluated, compared and contrasted. Students could even write their own versions of a folktale using animals and creating their own life lessons / morals of the story.

Instruction on author's message or theme can be used with this text.

Instructional Connections: I wanted to include some author studies with the instructional connections. Students can watch the author’s YouTube video describing their story telling background. As well as Read a biography on the two authors. Author studies are an important part of literature. Students are able to understand the author’s craft and purpose at another level when they know more about the author.

● Kiddle - Joseph Bruchac facts for kids Students can use this resource to do an author study. This article has information on the author’s early life, education, teaching career, and writing career. Students are also given a list of other texts written by the author, which could continue to text/author study. Students also have the ability to click on certain topic words within the text like, Indigenous peoples of the America, which leads to even more information.

● James Bruchax discusses Storytelling - YouTube video

This video did a great job of explaining the background information on story telling. It gives students information on the author, his influences, and how stories can become alive. Students are able to synthesize that the story How Chipmunk got his Stripes was a verbal story that made its way to text through the dedication of the author. Students will be able to see how animals influence the author as well.

● Rabbit’s Snow Dance - by Joseph and James Bruchac Students can compare and contrast the two folktales. The Rabbit’s Snow Dance also includes entertaining characters, and plot. The students can compare and contrast characters, plots, themes, and the author’s craft. Students should be able to connect what they know influenced the author, to the author’s craft.