Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kids discover a quirky loner's talent in lovely, kind story.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In THINGS SEEN FROM ABOVE, April volunteers to be at the Buddy Bench so that she can avoid her awkward lunchtime situation with other sixth-graders. On her first day, she's drawn to watching Joey, a fourth-grader who spends recess alone, usually walking in circles in the wood chips until laying down on the playground with his eyes closed. When April tries to talk to him and gets no response, even Mac, the school counselor in charge of the Buddy Bench program, has no answers. Veena, new to the school and also feeling out of place, joins April and they talk through ways to help Joey. But a chance revelation from Mr. Ulysses, the school janitor, changes everyone's perspective and helps the entire community see Joey's special gift.
Is It Any Good?
This is a rare story that speaks authentically to the way many late elementary school kids are feeling. Friendships start changing, things get a little harder to navigate than when they were younger, and they begin to feel left out. The message in Things Seen from Above is as clear as the writing, and its simplicity is its strength. Author Shelley Pearsall ensures that the kids speak like real people, and both the vocabulary and structure of the book are exactly right for this age group. Above all that, it's a beautiful story about kindness, friendship, and looking beyond the obvious to find others' true gifts.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how their own schools and communities might react to Joey's behavior in Things Seen from Above. Are there kids at your school who might feel like Joey?
Which adult is most like Mr. Ulysses at your school?
What other books or movies have characters like April and Joey?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Friendship
- Topics : Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Knopf Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : February 4, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 272
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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