Welcome Back, Maple Mehta-Cohen

De: Kate McGovern

Narrado por: Soneela Nankani

Maple is in fifth grade - again. Now everyone will find out she struggles with reading - or will they? An engaging listen for anyone who has ever felt different.

Maple Mehta-Cohen has been keeping a secret: she can’t read all that well. She has an impressive vocabulary and loves dictating stories into her recorder - especially the adventures of a daring sleuth who’s half Indian and half Jewish like Maple herself - but words on the page just don’t seem to make sense to her. Despite all Maple’s clever tricks to hide her troubles with reading, her teacher is on to her, and now Maple has to repeat fifth grade. Maple is devastated - what will her friends think? Will they forget about her?

She uses her storytelling skills to convince her classmates that she's staying back as a special teacher’s assistant (because of budget cuts, you know). But as Maple navigates the loss of old friendships, the possibility of new ones, and facing her reading challenges head-on, her deception becomes harder to keep up. Can Maple begin to recognize her own strengths, and to love herself - and her brain - just the way she is? Listeners who have faced their own trials with school and friendships will enjoy this heartwarming story and its bright, creative heroine.

©2021 Kate McGovern, original book published by Candlewick Press. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Narrator Soneela Nankani creates a believable portrayal of a biracial Jewish-Indian girl who is grappling with dyslexia.... Nankani sympathetically portrays Maple's shame as she lies to her new fifth-grade classmates and continues trying to hide her reading difficulties. Nankani creates distinct voices for the adults and kids in Maple's life, conveying the kind concern of teachers, the open friendliness of classmates, and the snooty disregard of sixth-grade former friends.” (AudioFile Magazine)

“Poignant.... For young people who struggle with reading or feeling different because of other academic issues, Maple is a welcome protagonist.” (School Library Journal)

“Frank and quirky.... A layered, utterly readable novel.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Absolutely Delightful

This is a stand-out reading of a truly delightful story about an 11-yr-old kid who’s held back in 5th grade because of a previously undetected learning disability. The descriptions are detailed; the characters are memorable; and the final chapters are incredibly poignant.

‘Welcome Back, Maple Mehta-Cohen’ is a great whole-family listen — even as a grown-up, I really enjoyed it.

Outstanding story school kids and parents alike.

McGovern’s book gives incredible insight into the true scope of feelings and experiences a student might have managing their gifts and learning differences.