Curriculum connections
Art and Artists, Friendship, and Community.
Recommended for Grades 4 to 8.
Things Seen From Above
ISBN:9781524717391
Publisher: Knopf
272 pages
You can never tell where a simple line may lead...
April is desperately looking for an escape from all the drama of the sixth grade lunch hour. Joey Byrd is a fourth grade outcast who wanders the playground alone, making mysterious designs in the dirt. What do his drawings mean? And are they as random as they seem?
Read about the photograph that inspired the novel.
Get a free teaching toolkit created by the State Library of Ohio
Download a reading guide for book clubs
LISTEN to "Out of the Comfort Zone" a NEW Podcast Discussion of the book by students!
THINGS SEEN FROM ABOVE
Available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audio
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Amazon Book of the Month Pick
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Choose to Read Ohio selection 2023-24
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2021 Ohioana Book Award Finalist
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Nominee for Virginia Reader's Choice Award
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Nominee for Vermont Golden Dome Award
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Nominee for Kentucky Bluegrass Award
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Nominee for Lectio Book Award (Gr. 4 - 8)
An uplifting story of friendship, kindness, and new ways of seeing. - Kirkus Reviews
"This middle-grade story must be shared with as many young readers as possible. The book would make for an excellent class read aloud, a book club selection, or to put in the individual hands of readers." -ReadWonder Blog
This is a rare story that speaks authentically to the way many late elementary kids are feeling.
- Common Sense Media
Pearsall writes about compassion without preachiness, bringing the story’s threads together in a satisfying ending...
-The Horn Book
Watch a video about the book
Created by Battle of the Books Grand Traverse, this video includes an interview with the person who was the inspiration for Joey.
Quick Classroom Idea
Word Spiral
Throughout history, spirals and labyrinths have been used to calm and relax the mind. In Things Seen From Above, Joey Byrd uses spirals to express his emotions and release the sadness he feels each day. Using words and phrases cut from magazines & newspapers, let your students create their own word spirals or visit this website to learn how to make other labyrinths.