Reynolds, J (2018). Lu. Simon & Schuster.
Summary
The final book in a four part series, Lu deals with an albino-born African-American boy who knows that he can lead his track friends to victory. The problem, however, is that Lu's track life mirrors his real life as he overcomes hurdles that he was not expecting. Lu learns that even he can't outshine things in his family, but he can learn to deal with them in his own way. From his mother's pregnancy to finding out information about his dad's past, Lu's self understanding follows its own path as he understands that everyone has problems of their own.
A Teacher's Perspective
I love the parallel between Lu trying to jump hurdles while also trying to overcome things he's dealing with in his own life. The conclusion to a really great series, this book should be recommended to both boys and girls alike. Granted, teachers should probably begin with the first of the series if they wanted to teach it, but they could also use it to do an author study. Another great thing about the book is the chapter titles, where Lu is seemingly renaming things as he goes. It gives teachers a great moment to stop and discuss what the chapter might be about, an inferencing moment to help students take what they know and apply it to what might happen. This book, and its predecessors would be a lovely addition to any classroom library or novel study.
Want to know more?
To purchase your own copy of Lu: Click here!
PBS Books interviewed Jason Reynolds at the Miami book fair. If you're wanting to do an author's study, this might help!
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