Mockingbird

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade contemporary realistic
• Originally Published: 2010
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 630L; grades 5-7
• Structure/Length: 39 chapters; approx. 232 pages; approx. 4 hours, 20 minutes on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: Fifth grader Caitlin has Asperger’s syndrome and relies on her brother Devon to help to understand and communicate. When Devon is killed in a school shooting, Caitlin struggles to come to terms with a world that she does not understand.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: gun violence; school shooting; neurodiversity

Kathryn Erskine, Author

• Bio: Born in the Netherlands; growing up, lived in Israel, South Africa, and Scotland; currently lives in Virginia; a practicing attorney for 15 years before turning to her first love, writing; offers writing workshops to young readers; has a daughter with Asperger’s
• Other Works: The Absolute Value of Mike (2012); Seeing Red (2013); Mama Africa (2017); The Incredible Magic of Being (2018); All of Us (2021)
• Awards for Mockingbird: National Book Award for Young People’s Literature; The Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award; ALA’s Children’s Notable Book; ALA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults

CENTRAL THEMES, noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• The End of Innocence
• The Power of Empathy
• The Need for Closure
• The Dynamics of Grief

STUDY OBJECTIVES:  In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Gain insight into how children with autism, specifically Asperger’s syndrome, adjust to events and interact with friends and family.