Brownstone

by Samuel Teer and Mar Julia

This coming-of-age graphic novel centers on Almudena, who is meeting her father for the first time. As she spends a summer struggling across cultural and language barriers, she learns a lot about herself and what it means to be a family.

How Self-Paced Book Club Classes Work

Participation in the self-paced book club includes immediate access to a set of resources and activities to be completed at your own pace.

Families are welcome to use as many or as few of the suggested resources and activities as they'd like to fit their interest and schedules.

Book Club Materials

  • Suggested Reading Schedule

  • Reading Guides with Comprehension Questions (PDF and Google Slides)

  • Vocabulary and Reading Activities

  • Writing/Multimodal Project Prompts

  • Video Discussion of the Book

  • Final Project Feedback Rubrics

Ages:

13-18

Supplies:

  • A copy of the book Brownstone by Samuel Teer and Mar Julia (ISBN: 9780358394747).
    Used and borrowed copies will work just fine! If your learner is going to participate in final projects and reading guides, I recommend having a physical copy even if they primarily read the ebook or audiobook. (Dayla Learning Bookshop Link)
  • PDF reader
  • Access to printer recommended

Content Notes: 

This book positively portrays cultural identity as a Latina protagonist grapples with her sense of cultural belonging upon spending time with her Guatemalan father. 

Readers should know there are tensions around parental abandonment/divorce and mild moments of emotionally-charged language in a parent-teen conflict.


Pricing options

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities.

Meet Your Teacher!

Michelle Parrinello-Cason

Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason is the founder of Dayla Learning. She has a PhD in rhetoric and composition, a passion for helping students find their writing voice, and two homeschooling children of her own. Michelle has taught in a wide variety of settings including six years as a full-time college professor. She has been teaching virtual and in-person homeschool writing and humanities classes for more than five years. Michelle believes in meeting students where they are and — as any of her previous students will tell you — believes deeply that there is no such thing as a bad rough draft!