Mockingbird ~ Kathryn Erskine

Caitlin has never been good at feelings, making eye contact, or understanding sarcasm, but her big brother Devon had always been there to help. When others made her feel weird or different for having Aspergers, Devon calmly showed her the way. But then, in the most tragic way imaginable, Devon died. Caitlin begins having more TRMs (tantrum rage meltdowns) at school and her dad keeps crying in the shower. Neither knows how to go on without Devon. One day, Caitlin’s school counselor Mrs. Brook talks to Caitlin about finding closure. To better understand the concept, Caitlin begins asking everyone she knows how to find it. Over time, and after making several mistakes along the way, Caitlin begins to learn that finding closure is not a quick fix or a simple act. It’s a process of grief and growth, and it requires the support of others. 

This is an incredibly moving novel that I could not put down. While it’s certainly not for every reader, it’s an incredible one. Any student who is empathetic or curious about the experiences of others will enjoy this story! 

Buy the book here!

Maturity: 1/4

I would recommend this novel to students 10+. It contains no mature content.

Pages: 232

Lexile: 630L

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!