talent, it's engaging vocabulary that matches the reading level at Pembroke Elementary School students, and its strong, kind, relatable heroine.
What is our greatest fear in life?
Failure? Vulnerability? In the book Remarkable, Foley uses the idea of how being true to yourself is your greatest talent. In Foley’s world, people are given what takes some people years, even decades, to uncover. Everyone around Jane has a talent. She grows up believing she must have a talent, too. Common Sense Media say that portraying a life full of standards helps Jane, as well as the reader, to learn how being truly remarkable means being true to who you are. Today's youth are pressured to be conformed to a overachieving status, sometimes to the point of perfection. Think about how widespread mental illness truly is. Is this because of who we are or the world we have forced ourselves to live in? The town of Remarkable is the same way. Everyone have a birth-given talent, which is expected. Success in there field is also expected. But, there are some who defy what is expected not to become extraordinary, but the contrary. Kirkus Review states, in short,”With the help of her quiet Grandpa John, who’s also forgotten most of the time, Jane learns to be true to herself and celebrate the ordinary in life.” Today, we overlook the ordinary around us. But, it is the ordinary moments that make up our own extraordinary
story.
Remarkable also has great reviews about its ability to intrigue non-readers through its witty dialog, humorous characters, and engaging vocabulary. The book would fair well for young readers at Pembroke Meadows Elementary based on the level at which they are currently reading (................). The top three most checked out books for Pembroke Meadows have an average Lexile score of 890. Lexile suggests a book, ”Within a range from 100L below to 50L above his or her Lexile measure, a reader is expected to comprehend the text well enough to understand it, while still experiencing some reading challenge.”(..............) With a Lexile score of 950, Remarkable is a perfect balance for young students. The witty vocabulary and characters are also a key role in keeping kids engaged in the story. One Amazon shopper states, “My daughter read it just after she turned 9 and really enjoyed it. It is quite lengthy and challenging for an 8/9 year old but such a great read!”(............) Pembroke Meadows does benefit from having an average of 83% percentage pass rate on the Reading SOL’s from 2014-2017.(........) This means that students need to continue to find engaging and challenging books in order to continue on this path of becoming lifelong readers while helping those who struggle with reading continue to improve in order to succeed, this book has the power to do both, while delivering a powerful message.