The Misfits By James Howe

I really enjoyed this book. I thought that it dealt with a lot of major issues that kids face today. In the media we hear of more and more suicides from young children and teenagers, and part of the root problem lays in students getting picked on in school. The issues that this book brings out I believe are really important and need to be addressed. The name calling and picking on kids really needs to stop in schools and can't be ignored anymore by administration or teachers. Just like the principal and teacher in this book, other school officials need to realize that bullying is a problem in schools. I really enjoyed this book just because of that fact, it brings a tough issue that people don't enjoy discussing out in the light for others to see.

As a teacher I would definitly use this in my classroom if I taught upper elementary or junior high. This deals with a lot of issues that many of these students are going through and so I'm sure a lot of students will be able to relate to the story. Since this book deals with homosexuality, I think that I would want to send a letter home to parents to let them know that we are reading this book and also why we are reading it. I would want them to be on my side while reading the book and I want them to understand the importance of the messages throughout this book and how reading and discussing the book will help their children in the future. If I brought this into the classroom I would make sure that the students are aware of the issues that are going to be addressed in this book, and for them to gain the most from it they need to be mature while reading and discussing it. Also, I would assign a few chapters a night and have a discussion the next day about what they read the night before. One activity that might be helpful while reading this book, is when we get to the chapter where the characters make a list of the names they have been called to have students make their own lists. Once their lists have been made they can make signs like the characters in the book with the names crossed out, and then hang them around the room. Overall, this book had a lot of great lessons that could really help to create a better environment in classrooms for a lot of students.