Back before Christmas I heard from a teacher who used Happy Kid! in her classroom. (I think her students were 7th graders. If not, they weren't too much younger.) Each student chose two of the self-help excerpts Kyle reads in the book. Then they discussed whether or not the advice was good and drew or wrote about an example of a related experience. The class then made its own smiley face book. (Round with a happy face on the front in yellow and black.)
Then--and I think this is the neatest part--one of the students gave the class's copy of Happy Kid! to another team teacher with the suggestion that he read it to his students, just as Kyle gives his copy of Happy Kid!: A Young Person's Guide to Satisfying Relationships and a Happy and Meaning-filled Life to...
Well, I don't want to give anything away. But I was delighted to hear about this class.
I've been invited to their Literary Luau in May. I'm going, of course.
Oh, this is so wonderful, isn't it Gail? Could you ask for a better compliment? Happy Kid! is well worth it. Perfect for any Middle Schooler.
ReplyDeleteI have told everyone I know that Happy Kid is essential reading for junior high school. You caught the ebb and flow of those very weird years with great humor, sympathy and grace.
ReplyDeleteSince I had just had a child escape ... er ... that is graduate from junior high to high school, it resonated strongly with me.
What a good teacher to use the novel so creatively! I am equally impressed with her!