For this blog post I had to reflect back on a book we read and decide whether it was a mirror or window book. Let me explain further. A mirror book is a term used to say that the book you read had characters and/or events that remind you of yourself or situations you have been in. Furthermore, a window book is a book where the characters and/or events are very different to you and situations you have been in.

I read The Miscalculations of Lighting Girl by Stacy McAnulty for ours school’s book club and I would say this realistic fiction novel is a window book for me. The reason this book was a window book is because the protagonist was in 7th grade, stopped going to public school in second grade to be homeschooled, had been struck by lightning, was an only child, lived with her grandmother, volunteered at a pet shelter, and was a supper math genius. Even when one looks through a window, one may see their reflection. In other words, although there were many differences, I was able to see some similarities. For example, the protagonist had habits that I used to do at a less extreme version and she lived in North Carolina. 

Oftentimes I read fiction, mystery, adventure, or a mixture of both. This then leads me to read a lot of window books. Sometimes the only thing I have in common with the protagonist is my gender or the fact that we live in the United States. One detail I have noticed that has stopped more connection is the fact that more well known books have white protagonists and don’t talk about phobias. And I’ve barely read a book with LGBTQIA+ characters. These are topics that would have many more kids relating to books. So even though I’m able to find small reflections in windows, we should encourage writers to write stories that cover different topics that different people can relate to.