Things Seen from Above

(Hardback)

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Description

A shift in perspective can change everything. This brilliant new novel from the author of The Seventh Most Important Thing celebrates kids who see the world a little differently. April is looking for an escape from the sixth-grade lunch hour, which has become a social-scene nightmare, so she signs up to be a "buddy bench monitor" for the fourth graders' recess. Joey Byrd is a boy on the fringes, who wanders the playground alone, dragging his foot through the dirt. But over time, April realizes that Joey isn't just making random circles. When you look at his designs from above, a story emerges... Joey's "bird's eye" drawings reveal what he observes and thinks about every day. Told in alternating viewpoints--April's in text and Joey's mostly in art--the story gives the "whole picture" of what happens as these two outsiders find their rightful places.

Reviews

"An uplifting story of friendship, kindness, and new ways of seeing." Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will think about this novel after theyve closed the book. Its full of heart and is sure to encourage looking at the world through a new lens." School Library Journal

"A warm and gentle embrace of exceptional children, the recognition they deserve." Booklist

"Readers will be intrigued by Joeys skill in creating precise, giant drawings that can only beseenfromabove." Bulletin

"An appealing story about learning to fit in to a crowd thats still learning what fitting in truly means." Book Page

"Pearsall writes about compassion without preachiness, bringing the storys threads together in a satisfying ending thats feel-good but far from sappy." The Horn Book Magazine

Author Bio

A former teacher and museum historian, SHELLEY PEARSALL is now a full-time author. Her first novel, Trouble Don't Last, won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Her latest book was The Seventh Most Important Thing, which earned three starred reviews and was named an ALA Notable Book. To learn more about the author and her work, visit ShelleyPearsall.com.