The Lion Above the Door

Introverted Leo and his friend Sangeeta are the only two non-white children at their school and are subjects of racial bullying. When Leo’s class visits a WWII museum, he sees his exact name on a plaque at the museum which prompts him to discover the story of this man and he rallies his class to research forgotten heroes of the war. Leo gains self-confidence and develops friendships and when the project is chosen for a tv competition, Leo becomes the leader and works hard to uncover his own history. This engaging novel can be used for read-aloud, literature circles, independent reading, and project-based learning, and explores bullying, immigration, treatment of minority groups, and conflict.