Common Sense Media Review
By Terreece Clarke
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kids get safe space to tell their stories in moving tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In HARBOR ME, six fifth-graders who are already considered an experiment because they are "special needs learners" are put together to talk among themselves for the last hour of class. They all think it's a dumb idea until Estaban's dad disappears and they suspect he's been deported. When the worry becomes too much, Estaban starts to open up. Haley records their first talk, and slowly each one of them -- Haley, Estaban, Amari, Ashton, Tiago, and Holly -- tells the story of their life into Haley's recorder. Everyone has a story, and everyone's story deserves to be told. The question is: How will the story end?
Is It Any Good?
Jacqueline Woodson weaves a masterful tapestry of stories illustrating the lives of everyday American kids dealing with serious issues, including racial profiling, deportation, and incarceration. Harbor Me is familiar, heartwarming, and heartbreaking, as Woodson shows what happens to the real families behind the headlines. As the kids open up and find shelter in one another, they find strength, support, love, and hope as well.
It's refreshing to see kids who actually talk rather than tweet, text, and Snapchat their feelings. Young readers will love to see what they have in common with the characters, and parents and teachers will love the diverse perspectives and can use Harbor Me to kick off discussions of many important social and political topics in the news.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how middle school relationships are shown in Harbor Me. Is it easier or harder to connect with kids your age with so many different ways to connect on social media?
How does the way the characters in the book feel about the issues and incidents they're dealing with compare with the way the media portrays such issues?
What makes a family? What do families have in common? What are some of the differences?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Nancy Paulsen Books
- Publication date : August 28, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 12
- Number of pages : 192
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
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