I am Enough by Grace Byers

 In this book, students will read about self-confidence and positivity. The text is very poetic, and sends an inspirational message. Not to mention there is great representation displayed throughout the entire selection. I truly love this story, and think that it would be perfect for young learners to explore their own minds and the relationship they have with themselves. 

Evaluate Genre: I would classify this book as a contemporary realistic fiction. The characters in the illustrations are children, students can look at the pictures and connect to it in a way where they see these children in he book and they look like them! It also sends a very real and important message. It talks about very realistic scenarios and real feelings that I think could be very powerful to students. 

Motivational Activities: 

Some motivational activities could be to have students draw a self portrait, and write 5 things they like about themselves. Another idea could be to practice whole class affirmations each morning, and then have students create their own personal affirmations. Lastly you could also do a "pass a compliment" type of activity where students write a complement to another person saying "you are enough because...." and then they pass around the sticky notes. That activity may work better in a circle, and then students write a note to the person to their left, then to their right, so each student receives 2!


Possible questions:

  1. What are some of your favorite things about yourself?
  2. How would your friends describe you?
  3. What does it mean to have a positive attitude?
  4. What was your biggest take away from the book?

I love this story, I think I is so important to teach these lessons to students and be able to address things like anxiety and insecurity even with little ones! Those terms are such big ideas for young learners to understand, so I is important that when we do teach about the ideas in the book, we do in a way students will not only understand, but relate / connect to! I love the illustrations as well, they really help to enhance the message and give a beautiful visual. 

References:

Galda, L., Liang, L. A., & Cullinan, B. E. (2016). Literature and the Child. Cengage Learning.


Byers, G., & Bobo, K. A. (2018). I Am Enough (Illustrated ed.). Balzer + Bray.


Comments

  1. AshleyBMay 9, 2022 at 6:53 AM

    This is a great review of the book I am Enough. Some great lessons to go with this book would be to have the children draw a picture of themselves and what they like that is different and unique. Ask them, What does this make you different? Reinforce this with "that is so special". Another activity would be to pair them in groups so they can talk about what they like about each other. This book is realistic fiction because it could be a real scenario.

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