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When he was in 5th grade,Patrick Lowe, could not read. Before he passed away, Patrick's father used to call him "Stupid" and locked him up in a closet anytime he did something wrong. Patrick had PTSD from his past. later on, he made a great friend named Celina Ortiz Celina helped Patrick to overcome his disorder and taught him how to read. He started to love reading. This book is the best fit for middle school grade because it can teach them how to help each other. I would recommend this book to all middle grades teachers. ( )

Age group: Intermediate and Middle school
Review/Critique: This is a great book about a kid named Patrick Lowe who is in 5th grade and struggles with reading. Patrick had a tough past in which he suffered from neglect from his father who is no longer in the picture. His experiences with his father were such that whenever he did something considered "stupid" his father would yell at him and sometimes lock him up in a closet. This had such an impact on Patrick that whenever he is called stupid he re-calls that instance and has physiological reactions which appear to come from PTSD. Throughout the book he makes a great friend, Celina Ortiz who helps him overcome his disorder and helps him read. At the end Patrick has a new found love for reading and can start to learn much better than at the beginning. This was a great fantasy book because I feel like it incorporates aspects which I don't think would or could happen such as a kid running out of school and a parent not getting a phone call or someone in a higher place being notified, but it also was very real and had some unique aspects which I feel like people can relate to while at the same time incorporating very subtle aspects that are more likely to not be as realistic. Some other moments like that are the one's with the questing beast and the kingdom. ( )

Book is about a boy that has difficulty reading at a fifth grade level. Instead he reads at a first grade level. After so many people(teachers, classmates) bullying him and not believing in him, he finally meets someone that gives him hope. Knights, Kings and Chest are all activities he grows to love. In the end he conquers his fears and reads in front of the whole school.

Contemporary Realistic Fiction
This book is amazing. It brings up the topic of Dyslexia and abuse. At first the protagonist, Patrick, does not like to read, he hates reading and feels like he is suffocating. Patrick becomes friends with a girl who loves to read and his friendship with her, Celina, helps him better read.