Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1546952
New Kid (ages 9–12; by author-illustra- tor Jerry Craft) follows seventh grader Jordan Banks, whose parents enroll him in a prestigious private academy instead of the art school of his dreams. Commuting daily from Washington Heights to Riverdale Academy, Jordan navigates the lonely reality of being one of the few kids of color in his grade. He struggles to bridge two worlds — his neighborhood friends and his elite school — while trying to stay true to himself. Through Jordan's expressive drawings, the story captures the challenges of confronting prejudice, navigating peer relationships, achieving academic success and discovering one's identity. A Long Walk to Water (ages 10+; by Linda Sue Park) tells the story of two 11-year-olds in Sudan across different eras: Nya in 2008 and Salva in 1985. While Nya spends two hours twice a day just to fetch drinking water, Salva is one of Sudan's "lost boys," refugees fleeing civil war on foot across inhos- pitable terrain. Enduring profound loneliness, violence and unimaginable natural dangers, Salva's harrowing jour- ney ultimately intersects with Nya's in a deeply moving way. This powerful, real- life-inspired tale explores overcoming great adversity and improving the lives of others. In The Smile That Went Around the World (ages 3–10; by Patrice Karst, illustrated by Jana Christy), readers explore the cascading, global effect of a simple act of kindness. A sin- gle heartwarming gesture ignites a chain-reaction of smiles across the world. Eventually, that same smile appears unexpectedly to help someone very special. This story teaches children that a smile is a bit of magic universally understood, and that small, everyday actions can multiply and spark power- ful, positive change everywhere. Texts That Transport Compiled by Amy Peruzzaro The new year is a fresh opportunity to get your students back into reading. Choose from CTA's California Reads — teacher-vetted books guaranteed to capture kids' attention. Check out the full list at cta.org/careads (members receive a 20% discount when they purchase through our partner). Among the best books for fall: Daylight Saving Time Ends T A K E B A C K T H A T extra hour of sleep on Nov. 1; at 2 a.m., clocks move back one hour to 1 a.m. (While there has been a push in the Senate to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, it hasn't happened yet.) We spring forward again on March 14, 2027. 10 cta.org In the Know N E W S & N O T E S