CHARACTER COUNTS: Save Me a Seat

Save Me a Seat
By Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Scholastic, 2016. Fiction. 2016 p.
In India, Ravi was the top student and the best a cricket. Now on the first day in his new school in the United States, he finds that he is no longer a star. At his old school he would have never associated with a kid like Joe, who is big and awkward, and has a learning disability. Now the two boys find themselves thrown together in the same remedial class, united because they are both victims of the same bully and in need of a friend.

The chapters in the book alternate between Ravi's and Joe's point of view and are written by Varadarajan and Weeks respectively. Both authors make their characters totally believable and sympathetic, and help the reader understand their different challenges. This is a heartwarming read for those who like the books of R. J. Palacio and Lisa Graff.

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