Picking this year’s selections has been a journey. Post it notes of configurations, of potential titles have littered my desk for months. The whispers of when is she going to release the lists have grown. I have read, discarded, revisited, pondered, and doubted. And yet, there were a few books that kept coming back to me. Long after I read them, who greeted me with their invitation to take another look, to dream once again.
A lot goes into being a Global Read Aloud choice. I don’t make these selections lightly. There are so many worthy books and stories waiting to be shared on a larger scale, I can’t choose them all, but I wish I could.
Since last year’s selections, I have less access to books, and the world around continues to show us the very worst of humanity. And yet, I also see dreams growing from rubble. Hope remaining even in the most horrific circumstances. I see people who were silent fighting back against hate, war, and the destruction of our planet. I see those who have been fighting for a long time continuing their fight. I see dreams bigger than those who carry them come into fruition.
And so the books I chose are about dreaming. About searching and working toward something that is more than what we are. About the strength of oneself, and also the strength of community. About dreams who carry us into the world, and those that bring us to new places.
About dreams who stop being dreams because of choice. What better time than now to consider which choices we make, who we want to be, and what we want to stand for.
So if you like the choices for this year, join me as we kick off the Global Read Aloud on October 7th, 2024. If you don’t like the choices, don’t join, it’s as easy as that, but I for one am already counting down the days until it kicks off.
There is no sign-up to join, just either pay attention here for more information or join the Facebook communities – I would recommend joining the main one and the one specific to the book (or creator) you choose:
Upper Elementary/ Middle-Grade Book Group
Kick-off this year is October 7th and we run until November 15th.
You don’t have to follow the schedule, but please don’t read ahead and spoil the book(s) for others.
So drumroll, please…here are this year’s selections.
Picture Book Creator Choice:
This year’s chosen creator is Minh Lê
Since reading my very first Minh Lê book, I have never missed any of his creations. He has an incredible way of drawing us in to think about the connections we have with others and with ourselves. With every read aloud, I see kids think about who they are and what they do in their lives with others. His books are the very best invitations to be more than we are and to see others as more too.
Week 1:
Week 2:
Week 3:
Week 4:
Week 5:
Week 6: Your choice.
Just remember that the picture book creator study is open to all ages. It is a great way to participate if you don’t see your students often or have limited read aloud time.
EARLY READER CHOICE
Tola lives in an apartment in the busy city of Lagos, Nigeria, with her sister, Moji, who is very clever; her brother, Dapo, who is very fast; and Grandmommy, who is very bossy. Tola may be small, but she’s strong enough to carry a basket brimming with groceries home from the market, and she’s clever enough to count out Grandmommy’s change. When the faucets in the apartment break, it’s Tola who brings water from the well. And when Mr. Abdul, the tailor, has an accident and needs help taking his customers’ measurements, only Tola can save the day. Atinuke’s trademark wit and charm are on full display, accompanied by delightful illustrations by Onyinye Iwu. Too Small Tola evokes the urban bustle and rich blending of cultures in Lagos through the eyes of a little girl with an outsize will—and an even bigger heart.
As each book is three stories, we will dive into two books this year.
Reading Breakdown:
Week 1: Too Small Tola story 1
Week 2: Too Small Tola story 2
Week 3: Final story in Too Small Tola
Week 4: Too Small Tola Makes it Count story 1
Week 5: Too Small Tola Makes it Count story 2
Week 6: Too Small Tola Makes it Count story 3
MIDDLE GRADE/UPPER ELEMENTARY CHOICE
Joe Oak is used to living on unsteady ground. His mom can’t be depended on as she never stays around long once she gets “the itch,” and now he and his beloved grandmother find themselves without a home. Fortunately, Joe has an outlet in his journals and drawings and takes comfort from the lessons of comic books—superheroes have a lot of “and then, boom” moments, where everything threatens to go bust but somehow they land on their feet. And that seems to happen a lot to Joe too, as in this crisis his friend Nick helps them find a home in his trailer park.
But things fall apart again when Joe is suddenly left to fend for himself. He doesn’t tell anyone he’s on his own, as he fears foster care and has hope his mom will come back. But time is running out—bills are piling up, the electricity’s been shut off, and the school year’s about to end, meaning no more free meals. The struggle to feed himself gets intense, and Joe finds himself dumpster diving for meals. He’s never felt so alone—until an emaciated little dog and her two tiny pups cross his path. And fate has even more in store for Joe, because an actual tornado is about to hit home—and just when it seems all is lost, his life turns in a direction that he never could have predicted.
Reading Breakdown:
Week 1: Pages 1-39
Week 2: 40 – 80
Week 3: 41 – 120
Week 4: 121 – 160
Week 5: 161 – 203
Week 6: 204 – end
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOICE/JUNIOR HIGH
Trev would do anything to protect his mom and sisters, especially from his stepdad. But his stepdad’s return stresses Trev—because when he left, he threatened Trev’s mom. Rather than live scared, Trev takes matters into his own hands, literally. He starts learning to box to handle his stepdad. But everyone isn’t a fan of his plan, because Trev’s a talented artist, and his hands could actually help him build a better future. And they’re letting him know. But their advice for some distant future feels useless in his reality right now. Ultimately, Trev knows his future is in his hands, and his hands are his own, and he has to choose how to use them.
YOUNG ADULT CHOICE
As Long as the Lemon Tree Grows by Zoulfa Katouh
A year ago, before the revolution, Salama watched her brother marry her best friend, Layla, and wondered when her own love story might begin. Now she works at the hospital – helping those she can, closing the eyes of those she can’t. Layla and her unborn baby are all Salama has left.
Unless you count Khawf. But he’s a hallucination; a symptom of the horrors she’s seen. Every day he urges Salama to leave. Every day she refuses.
Until she crosses paths with Kenan, the boy with the vivid green eyes, who wants to stay and risk his life for everything Syria could be …
Reading breakdown:
Week 1: Chapters 1 – 6
Week 2: Chapters 7 – 11
Week 3: Chapters 12 – 16
Week 4: Chapters 17 – 24
Chapters: 25 – 33
Chapters: 34 – end
TWITTER HASHTAGS FOR THE YEAR:
Picture book author study – #GRAJMinh
Future Hero – #GRATola
A Rover’s Story – #GRABoom
A Work in Progress – #GRAHands
Thirty Talks Weird Love – #GRALemontree
GLOBAL READ ALOUD SUPPORT:
T-shirts and other merchandise supporting the project can be found here
To join my Patreon and support the running of the Global Read Aloud plus get access to consultation, coaching, mini-PD and all my resources, go here
TO ORDER YOUR BOOKS:
Please consider ordering the books from Bookshop.org– an independent bookstore that partners with local independent bookstores to sell books. You can see the winner list here and support The Global Read Aloud at the same time.
If you need to order through Amazon, please order it through this affiliate link, the cents earned from it go to purchasing and shipping books to those who cannot get them.
FOR RESOURCES AND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
To find answers to the most frequently asked questions, go here – you will find ideas for how to do the project, as well as how you can share your reading.
To find shared resources and share your own, go here – you will find author resources and also created resources from others.
There you have it; another amazing year of connecting awaits. Read the books, share the books, and get ready for another opportunity to make the world smaller.
Love,
Pernille
The Global Read Aloud 
Please update email address to: ahurley@townisp.com
I retired early but still plan to GRA wthrough the local library. I’ve been with you since the start it’s a great program.
You would have to do that yourself, just re-subscribe. And happy early retirement!