At Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School (PVC), a single book became the catalyst for a powerful, multi-dimensional learning experience, one that blended literacy, empathy, design thinking, collaboration, and student-authored writing. Through the novel Good Different, fifth-grade students didn’t just read a story; they explored neurodiversity, created tools inspired by a character’s lived experience, wrote and published their own novels in verse, evaluated one another’s work, and connected directly with the author whose words sparked it all.

“I related to Good Different in a way that I have never related to a book before,” said Bee, a fifth-grade student. That sense of connection was shared across classrooms, as students engaged in a learning experience that invited them to think deeply, create boldly, and better understand themselves and others.

Fifth-grade teachers introduced Good Different as a new text in the curriculum this year, and it quickly became a powerful anchor for learning. “Ms. Giordano, Ms. Romm, and I read Good Different together and knew instantly that we wanted it to be part of our curriculum,” said fifth-grade teacher Ms. Gallina. “It taught our students empathy, understanding, and that being different is something to celebrate. We believe in the power of books to inspire, change, and empower young readers and writers. Good Different did just that.”

The novel follows Selah, a neurodivergent seventh grader who is diagnosed with autism partway through the school year. Through Selah’s experiences, fifth-grade students explored concepts of neurodivergence, autism, and sensory input needs while building understanding, compassion, and awareness.

Inspired by the story, Ms. Gallina partnered with Ms. Lupfer to create an interdisciplinary InDe collaboration connecting fifth- and eighth-grade students. Together, students designed fidget spinners—self-soothing and regulating tools used by Selah in the book—connecting literacy, design, and social-emotional learning in a meaningful, hands-on way.

As students became more deeply engaged with the story and its verse format, fifth-grade ELA teachers expanded the learning further. Each student wrote their own novel in verse, using the format to tell a complete story that reflected their creativity, care, and personal voice.

To celebrate their work, students created four book awards inspired by the ALA Youth Media Awards: the PVC Meg Eden Kuyatt Medal, the Visibility and Voice Medal, the Godfrey Book Medal, and the Verse Award. Fifth-grade students served on judging committees, reviewed one another’s novels using shared criteria, and engaged in thoughtful peer feedback throughout the process.

The depth of student engagement with Good Different inspired fifth-grade teachers to take the experience even further. Recognizing how powerfully the book had resonated with students, the team sought additional ways to deepen the connection and extend the learning beyond the classroom. With support from a PVC PTA grant, teachers arranged a virtual author visit with Meg Eden Kuyatt—an opportunity made possible by their commitment to giving students meaningful, real-world access to the author whose words had so profoundly shaped their work.

“Meg’s book resonated with many students on multiple levels,” Ms. Gallina said. “For them to see her, ask questions, and hear about her life and writing process was a perfect way to honor the impact this book had on our students and to close out the unit with purpose, meaning, and connection.”

During the visit, Ms. Kuyatt shared her journey to self-understanding through reflective questions such as, “Why are you finding something hard when everyone else finds it easy?” and “Is there something you want to say but do not know who to say it to?” She also explained why she prefers writing in verse and how the format shapes the way she tells stories.

Selected students from the award ceremony read excerpts from their novels in verse and proudly shared their work with the author herself.

Donald, a fifth-grade student, reflected on how the experience shaped his learning. “Hearing Meg talk about writing Good Different helped me understand why she wrote the book,” he said. “This is a book I am going to remember for a lifetime. For my novel in verse, I chose to write about dyslexia, which I learned is also on a spectrum like autism. I did not know a lot about it, so I did a lot of research.”

Bee wrote a novel in verse titled Tear Drop Butterflies, a courageous story about change, resilience, and adaptability. “I love writing because it helps me express my feelings, and I love reading,” Bee said.

For Celia, the experience had a lasting personal impact. “It was like Meg was my sister,” she said. “It made me realize that the idea of ‘normal’ actually is not normal. After reading the book, I started writing poems, and I have been writing them ever since. Writing now feels like home to me.”

Reflecting on the experience, the PVC fifth-grade teachers agreed, “This experience changed us, as teachers and students.”

Following the author visit, Meg Eden Kuyatt sent Ms. Gallina a message praising the creativity, honesty, and bravery of PVC’s fifth-grade students. “What an incredible group of students!” she wrote. “Is it at all possible to get a copy of the Dear Selah poem Celia read during the visit? I want to put it on my board so I can read it whenever I get discouraged!