Golden Boy~ Tara Sullivan

This book. Oh my goodness. Golden Boy, by Tara Sullivan, is incredible. It is horrifying, intriguing, heart-wrenching, and heart-warming all in one. Did you know that in certain parts of Zimbabwe, albino children are hunted for their body parts? Witch doctors collect and sell them, claiming them as good luck. Tara Sullivan sheds light on this atrocity by telling the story of a 13-year-old boy named Habo, who is shunned from his community, peers, and even family because his is albino. Throughout the novel, Habo struggles not only to stay safe from men who want to kill him, but also to accept himself when so many others do not. You will not be able to put this book down, and it is a story that will stay with you long after you finish it.

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Maturity: 2/4

This novel is rated a two because of the disturbing reality that the plot is based on (described above). Some students may be uncomfortable with the content because there are several moments when the protagonist, Habo, is in grave danger. There is also a moment in the text that describes the poaching of an elephant in graphic detail.

Pages: 370

Lexile: 820L

Lexile is a score that helps educators and parents match students with an appropriate text. A Lexile score is a measure of both a child's reading ability and a text difficulty. However, Lexile does not take into account the content of a novel. So, pairing readers with a text is a complex process, and knowledge of a novel's themes and plot is necessary to make a high-quality recommendation.If you are curious about the grade-level equivalent to Lexile scores, check out the conversion chart here!