The Misfits by James Howe

Part one of the Misfits was unlike any other book I have read that is geared for young children. At first it was hard for me to understand what is so controvercial about it. I think it was hard for me because I have been exposed to a lot of different people's livestyles and Joe's character wasn't all that different from some of the kids in my grade.
Junior High is a hard grade for almost every child. When you are that age, you are trying to fit in while also trying to find out who you are. The characters in this book are very steriotypical to what misfits in Junior High would act like. When I was in Junior High I was quiet because I didn't really know where to fit in.
The main characters in this book seem mature for their age. Especially when Joe came out and told his two friends that he is gay. That is a little unrealistic for me because most Junior High kids are not mature.
An important message from this book is that children should be comfortable and accepted for who they are. They should not be afraid to express themselves in school no matter what the other kids think about them.
It could be very challenging to teach this book in Junior High or even High School because of the names the children get called and Joe's character. I would love to teach this book because it is a great example of friendship, finding yourself and accepting who you are, and standing up for yourself.