When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme for a secret sleepover with her two best friends, she ends up waking up to a nightmare.

Freeman & Olivia Chadha will speak about their books, Alone and Rise of the Red Hand, in this virtual event on Thursday, February 11th at 5:00pm MT on Zoom. This is a FREE teen event, but registration on Eventbrite is required. Ask students to write down their thoughts about the text Alone and then return to them after viewing this conversation between Colby Sharp and Megan E.Encourage students to brainstorm ways they can combat loneliness in their school.

Invite students to use this resource from Mental Health America to engage in a meaningful discussion about the effects of loneliness on children.

Encourage students to create an EdWordle based on the character traits Maddie exemplifies.

But there is a certain darkness in this book that remains after its last pages. And adult readers will even wonder how they would ever make it through what Maddie makes it through – physical and emotionally. Maddie exhibits strength and determination. And even though it’s been days since I’ve finished Alone, it is still with me. There is something to being Maddie’s only companion for over 400 pages that gets to you. When I was finished, I was not totally satisfied, but I was satiated. There were certain moments when Maddie really sees nature, and I found those moments hopeful. At other times, I felt the book was a testament to what a life without technologies can be like – and how resourceful humans can really be when they have to be. In other moments, I wondered about the political ramifications of the piece. There were times when I wanted to find out more about her parents’ divorce and whether Maddie’s aloneness was an extended metaphor for how it feels like to be switched between homes. This book is heavy, and there were times when it moved really slowly. And when I picked up this book off the shelves (totally based on its cover), I had no idea what I was in for. The only companion Maddie has is a Rottweiler.Ĭritique. When she gets up the next morning, she makes the startling discovery that her parents, their new spouses, and her siblings – not to mention the entire town – have been evacuated. But when her friends cancel, Maddie is all alone. And her friends will come to her grandparents’ house for a wonderful night. Maddie has the perfect plan for a sleepover with her friends. I feel as though we have all felt at least a little alone during the past year or so, and this book really makes readers think deeply about the serious effects of loneliness. Happy Thursday! Today I’m excited to share a hauntingly captivating middle grades book-in-verse with you this morning: Megan E. Publication Year: 2021 Grade Levels: Middle Grades

Books by megan e freeman