We all distract ourselves from life's anxieties by telling ourselves stories about the people we interact with, whether we know them well or are virtual strangers. We project our own motivations and values on them so their actions make sense to us, assigning them roles as heroes or villains, enablers or obstacles. Of course, the narratives we assign are swayed by our personal biases. Maybe the grumpy-looking man isn't alone in the world; he might have a family who loves him dearly, and he's just having a sour day. Perhaps the break dancers don't face discrimination because of their skin color and clothes. Maybe the boy who seems wealthy and without a care in the world is actually in the same situation you are, a shook-up soda nervous about what the coming hours will bring. This is Milo's epiphany moment in the book: "And a thought occurs to him: Maybe you can't really know anyone just by looking at their face." We tell ourselves stories about the people around us, there's no changing that. But instead of forcing the stories to confirm larger narratives we already believe, it's healthy to let some threads run counter to expectation; that's how we remain open to changing our minds. Grappling with story is challenging when it detours from our comfort zone, but it's the only way we learn from our mistakes and improve going forward.

Milo Imagines the World - Matt de la Peña Milo Imagines the World - Matt de la Peña

Begin the lesson by showing learners the cover of the book. Ask learners to share what the illustrator wants us to know about Milo. Record responses on chart paper. The text is gorgeous, of course. De la Peña was first published as a YA novelist, but I think he really shines as a picture book author. His text poetically evokes emotions and scenes, as well as the beauty of everyday life. Robinson’s art brings out these qualities, using mixed media collage to convey the richness of daily experiences. Sweet yet poignant . . . Manages to be sophisticated while also bringing in the joy and wonder associated with picture books.” — The San Diego Union-Tribune From the Publisher The winners of The Farshore Reading for Pleasure Teacher Awards 2023, highlighting the work schools are doing to encourage a love of reading, have...

At the end of the story, learners will know more about Milo. Invite learners to reflect on how their thinking changed about Milo from the beginning of the story to the end. Discuss how Milo questioned his assumptions and considered different possibilities. Ask why it’s important to practice this reflection process when meeting new people. Worksheet

Milo Imagines the World - Social Justice Books Milo Imagines the World - Social Justice Books

Author Guy Bass introduces SCRAP, about one robot who tried to protect the humans on his planet against an army of robots. Now the humans need his... Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol. T (electrician): (4 stars). I guess I liked it. Surprise ending--I was wondering where it was going. Milo questions what people might think of him. Can they see that he is a poet and his aunt takes good care of him? Do they know that his mother loves him very much and is incarcerated? The one I think we, the grownups, are meant to take a way goes a little deeper. We could use some reminding that the circumstances we find ourselves in and the choices, good or bad, that led us there are not the only thing that defines us. Milo and his sister are going to see a woman who clearly adores them. We don't know what happened to put her in prison. What we do learn is that she reads to her son every night. We learn that all those pictures he was drawing were for her, and the very last words in the book are about Milo waiting in hope that she will smile when she sees them.Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. I loved that the book described Milo's feelings about the journey describing him feeling 'like a shook-up soda'. There is so much scope for using the book in the classroom from discussing feelings and using your imagination to drawing pictures of things you see on your journeys to school. However, I would be careful about discussions around prison or detentions centres. Milo and his big sister get on the New York subway to visit their mother, who is in prison. On the train, Milo’s sister looks at her phone but Milo – excited but also anxious about seeing his mum - watches the people around him and imagines their lives, sketching his ideas in his book. Is the man reading the crossword going home to an empty apartment with just his cat for company? Are the clean cut white boy and his dad going home to a castle in a horse-drawn carriage? What about the crew of teenage girls that get on the train and do a dance routine? Teachers looking for lesson plans and activities for Milo Imagines the World will love this post. It includes tons of helpful teaching ideas and information about the book.

Milo Imagines the World : Matt de la Pena, Robinson;Christian

Matt de la Peña is the New York Times bestselling, Newbery Medal winning author of seven young adult novels (including Mexican WhiteBoy, We Were Here and Superman: Dawnbreaker) and five picture books (including Last Stop on Market Street and Love). Matt received his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific, where he attended school on a full athletic scholarship for basketball. In 2019 Matt was given an honorary doctorate from UOP. de la Peña currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with his family. He teaches creative writing and visits schools and colleges throughout the country. Read More… Milo is on a long subway ride with h is older sister. To pass the time, he studies the faces around him and makes pictures of their lives. There’s the whiskered man with the crossword puzzle; Milo imagines him playing solitaire in a cluttered apartment full of pets. There’s the wedding-dressed woman with a little dog peeking out of her handbag; Milo imagines her in a grand cathedral ceremony. And then there’s the boy in the suit with the bright white sneakers; Milo imagines him arriving home to a castle with a drawbridge and a butler. But when the boy in the suit gets off on the same stop as Milo–walking the same path, going to the exact same place–Milo realizes that you can’t really know anyone just by looking at them. Tell readers that while you read, their job is to notice new information about Milo. Learners can infer how he feels and discover his living situation. Record new information on the chart paper. Step Two De la Peña and Robinson never disappoint me, but they’ve truly endeared themselves to me with this picture book. On one level, it’s about a little boy visiting his incarcerated mother. This theme resonates with me because I volunteer with a program that mentors kids like Milo. I’m always touched to hear their stories told with empathy and compassion. This team does just that. Author Matt de la Peña does an incredible job unfolding Milo’s story. Readers first see Milo waiting for a subway train. The words describing the approaching train help readers see, feel, and hear the train as it comes to a stop. Text clues help the reader learn more about Milo as he travels. We get a full understanding of Milo by the end of the story where we read how he feels while hugging his family. Milo Imagines the World Lesson Activity

In this rich, multilayered journey, the award-winning creators of Last Stop on Market Street celebrate a city’s kaleidoscope of scenes, offer a glimpse at a child’s experience with parental incarceration, and convey that child’s keen observations about his circumstances and surroundings. “— Publishers Weekly, starred review This is hard stuff but it is also necessary for kids to see and its a story that is told in such a gentle, loving way. Hard stuff like this doesn't have to be terrifying. Milo's lesson as he sees the little boy, who he assumed based on how he looked was nothing like him at all, run up to hug his own orange jumpsuit wearing mom is that it doesn't matter what you're wearing or what expression you have on your face or how well your hair is combed. You can never know all of someone else's story just based on what they look like. Milo is on a train journey through the city with his older sister, looking at the faces of the other passengers and drawing pictures of their lives. The whiskered man with a crossword puzzle he imagines playing solitaire in a cluttered flat full of pets. The little boy in bright white trainers he imagines living in a castle with a moat and a butler. But when the little boy gets off at the same stop and joins the same queue as him, Milo realises that you can't judge by appearances and that we are all more alike than we are different: both boys are visiting their mothers in prison. Families can talk about how Milo and his sister felt on the train every week in Milo Imagines the World. Why do you think he spent his time drawing? What kinds of things do you do when you're feeling the same way?