About Average

About Average

Author/Illustrator: Andrew Clements
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Awards: NA
Age Level: 8-11 years old

Summary: Jordan Johnston is an average sixth grader. She's an average violin player, not very tall, not very short, not too gifted, but not flunking out. Jordan looks around and sees the world around her and sees everyone else as more talented, more gifted, more extraordinary than herself. Jordan decides to set a goal at the beginning of the story to become the best "self" that she can be. She finds ways to succeed, such as becoming an assistant soccer coach. She may not be an incredible player for the team, but she can use her organizational skills to bring the team together. This is a story about self-acceptance and self-discovery. Jordan learns that what she sees as flaws in herself become strengths in the end. She uses her leadership and planning skills to be the best Jordan that she can be while staying humble and kind to others. The author of this books challenges its younger readers to find their inner strengths and realize their personal talents. The message Clements is sending the reader is so important to students in this day of age. With all the pressure to be number one, be the best, and be different, some students may feel lost and unworthy of living up to these high standards. Through Jordan, we learn that being your best self is sufficient enough.

Although illustrations in About Average are few and far between, they stand full of detail. Inside the book, illustrations are black and white. They are a guide to the text, but the text does not depend on the illustration to portray a truthful and hopeful message.

If I were to use this book in my classroom, I would use this book in a read-aloud lesson for self-awareness month of March. Students would write positive affirmations for them self and their classmates to encourage each other in our strengths and weakness. Students can use Jordan as a guide and role model to help them become their personal bests.