As we head into the holiday season preparing for celebration and joy, moments of reflection, and connecting with family, it’s important to recognize that this might also be a difficult time of year for some students.
Families and feelings come in all sizes and combinations — big, small, diverse, messy, wonderful, and often complicated — and our All the Feels and All In The Family lists celebrate the good, bad, and everything in between that readers may be experiencing.
This month, our Engagement Specialists explored those two lists through the lens of the 5 key concepts that comprise Social and Emotional Learning, as defined by The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), and selected six titles that might be a good fit for connecting comics to the classroom.
Young Readers
My Adopted Family by Claudia Harrington and Zoe Persico (ABDO) A heartwarming story that explores the concept of adoption and the relationships between children and their families. This story is part of a series that can help build a student’s Social Awareness through fostering understanding, empathy, and acceptance of all types of families.
Zip It! By Jane Lindaman and Nancy Carlson (Lerner) A silly tale of a son desperately trying to gain his chatterbox of a father’s attention before an embarrassing situation gets out of hand. Joe demonstrates the use of his Relationship Skills as he seeks creative but discreet ways to communicate the problem with his father.
Middle Grade
The Day Mom Finally Snapped by Bob Temple and Steve Harpster (Capstone) A hilarious story that explores the chaotic nature of family life and the unintended consequences of even the most well-intentioned actions, highlighting the importance of Responsible Decision-Making and how our choices affect ourselves and others.
Tale as Tall as Jacob: Misadventures With My Brother by Samantha Edwards (Andrew McMeel) A heartwarming and humorous story that vividly portrays the ups and downs of sibling relationships, the challenges of raising a child with ADHD, and the crucial role of Self-Management which allows for being true to ourselves while fostering understanding and connection.
Young Adult
Eight Limbs by Stephanie Phillips and Giulia Lalli (Humanoids) A retired Muay Thai champion, Joanna, takes in a troubled foster teen, Mari, and faces her toughest fight yet. This story tests Joanna’s Relationship Skills when Mari runs away to join an underground fighting ring and Joanna is forced to return to the ring she left behind.
Uncle from Another World, Vol. 1 by Hotondoshindeiru (Yen Press) Aunts and uncles provide a special family bond, as evidenced by Takafumi and his uncle. Through Responsible Decision-Making these two use their passion for gaming to create a sustainable future.
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