Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

Roll with It by Jamie Sumner

• Roll with It follows Ellie as she moves in with her grandparents and aims to be a professional baker. Ellie has cerebral palsy and a mom who is concerned about Caring for a Child with Medical Problems, but Ellie convinces her that this new start is exactly what they need.
• a 256-page middle grade novel that was awarded Best Middle Grade Novel by Kirkus Reviews

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

• Astrid signs up for roller derby camp after fifth grade and expects her best friend to join her, but when her friend has different ideas, Astrid experiences the growing pains of Adolescence and “Maturity.”
• a middle grade graphic novel about individuality and friendship

Real Friends by Shannon Hale

• This graphic memoir follows Shannon Hale’s experiences with finding true friendship in middle school. It also explores the difficulties of bullying, cliques, and Breaking Up with Childhood Friends.