
Reach for this book when your child is hiding a struggle at school, feeling behind their peers, or experiencing deep shame about a learning difference. It is a compassionate bridge for children who feel they are not smart because they learn differently. Maple Mehta-Cohen is a brilliant storyteller and a creative soul who has a secret: she is repeating fifth grade because she cannot read well. The story follows her journey through the stigma of being held back and the realization that her dyslexia does not define her intelligence. Parents will appreciate how the book balances the heavy weight of academic shame with the joy of cultural identity and creative expression. It is a perfect choice for middle-grade readers navigating self-advocacy and the courage it takes to be honest with friends and family about one's needs.
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An 8 to 11 year old who is currently receiving intervention services, repeating a grade, or who has a high verbal IQ but struggles with literacy. It is also excellent for children from multiracial or interfaith households.
Read cold. Parents might want to discuss the scene where Maple lies to her old friends about why she is in a different classroom, as it provides a great opening to talk about the weight of secrets. A parent might notice their child 'faking' reading, making excuses to avoid school, or calling themselves 'stupid' despite being highly creative or articulate.
Younger readers will focus on the 'mystery' of Maple's secret and the school drama. Older readers will resonate more with the nuanced identity crisis of being 'too old' for their grade and the complex friendship dynamics.
This book weaves in Maple's Indian and Jewish cultural background and celebrates storytelling as a valid form of literacy, even without traditional reading skills, offering a broader perspective than many books about dyslexia. ```
Maple Mehta-Cohen is a half-Indian, half-Jewish fifth grader who loves words but struggles to decode them. After years of faking her way through reading, she is held back a grade. The story follows Maple as she navigates the social fallout of being in a different grade than her best friends, her participation in a special reading program, and her ultimate realization that being a 'slow' reader is not the same as being 'slow.'
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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