20 / matters magazine / school 2018 Reading with Patrick: a Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friend- ship by Michelle Kuo In this stirring memoir, Kuo, a child of Taiwanese immi- grants, shares the story of her complicated but rewarding mentorship of one student, Patrick Browning, and his remarkable literary and personal awakening as she encoun- ters the jarring realities of life in one of the poor- est coun- ties in America. School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex It's the first day of school at Frederick Douglass Elementary and everyone's just a little bit nervous, especially the school itself. What will the children do once they come? Will they like the school? Will they be nice to him? BOOK REPORT Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover An unforgettable memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her sur- vivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University. Westover has crafted a universal coming- of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the per- spective to see one’s life through new eyes, and the will to change it. He’s Not Lazy: Empow- ering Your Son to Believe in Himself by Adam Price On the surface, capable teenage boys may look lazy. But dig a little deeper and you’ll often find conflict- ed boys who want to do well in middle and high school but are afraid to fail, and so do not try. This book can help you become an ally with your son, as he discovers greater self-confidence and accepts responsibility for his future. The Backstagers, Vol. 1 by James Tynion IV & Rian Sygh When Jory transfers to an all- boys private high school, he’s taken in by the only ones who don’t treat him like a new kid, the lowly stage crew known as the Backstagers. An ear- nest story that explores what it means to find a place to fit in when you're feeling like an out- cast. With school starting up, try one of these books for yourself or another reader in your family. 51 Baker Street | Maplewood, NJ 07040 | 973-762-1622 | maplewoodlibrary.org www.kentplace.org/admission The preSchool aT Brave. BrillianT. BeginningS. Shapes become letters. Goodbyes become smiles. Teachers become partners. Doubt becomes discovery.