A review by kketelaar
May B. by Caroline Starr Rose
2.0
This is a Children's Choice Award book, and therefore one my son is to read for an upcoming competition. Despite it being a book in verse, and relatively short, he struggled to understand and stay interested in it. Since this is almost an homage to the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and since I was one of the few girls on earth who hated those books, I didn't really enjoy it either and I really think it would have a pretty narrow appeal to modern students. Because of the format, there was little historical value as well. It might provide a good springboard to researching life in that era, but it didn't provide a clear picture on its own.
My main issue is that, unless you are dealing with it via a personal acquaintance, I don't think that many children are going to be able to figure out that May has dyslexia. (I have confirmed this by talking to other students who are reading these books.) In missing that, they are going to miss out on a vast majority of the character development.
My main issue is that, unless you are dealing with it via a personal acquaintance, I don't think that many children are going to be able to figure out that May has dyslexia. (I have confirmed this by talking to other students who are reading these books.) In missing that, they are going to miss out on a vast majority of the character development.