May B. by Caroline Starr Rose: A DTK Book Review

Historical Novel Written for Dyslexic Tweens

May B: A Novel, written by Caroline Starr Rose, caught my attention because I teach dyslexic students. I’m always on the lookout for books that especially engage my young audience. The books need to be relevant to their lives or interests, printed in a fashion that makes them dyslexic accessible, and definitely NOT “dumbed down.” May B delighted many of my students, especially the girls, as the young heroine is female, dyslexic, and brave.

May B. Engages Interest

May B is historically accurate, set in the Kansas prairie when the first homesteaders were trying to carve out tiny farms while living in sod dug-outs. It’s not immediately evident that May is dyslexic — after all, that word wasn’t even invented at that time.

The story unfolds in May’s voice. She’s troubled by her struggle to learn at school when it’s so easy for her brother. She expresses her frustration in small believable acts of rebellion, even while trying so hard to please that the reader nearly cries for her. OK, so I DID cry for her! Then, because she can’t read and education seems pointless for her, she’s sent to be a maid for another homesteader. Her family needs the money. When she is accidentally left alone on the prairie in a leaky dug-out, miles from any other person, her strength and intelligence allow her to survive and overcome her deepest fears.

May B. Formatting is Great for Dyslexic Readers

The pages in May B. invite the reluctant reader because there’s more white space than text. The font is 12.5 Archtype which many dyslexic readers find helpful. Most importantly, each line of text is a phrase or idea, so the end of the line is a natural pause.

“ ‘It’s for the best,
you packing up and moving
to the Oblinger’s soddy.’
Ma’s brush tugs.
My eyes sting.”

Rose’s prose approaches poetry, and her presentation supports the reader’s comprehension.

May B. Tackles Big Ideas

This novel aims at ages 8-12, but it definitely doesn’t shy away from the realities of life on the prairie, and by extension, the real struggles every pre-teen faces in deciding who they are and how to be in the world. My students see themselves in May B. They relate their own struggles to hers. I highly recommend this book, especially for dyslexic students.

Reviewed by Yvonna Graham, M.Ed.
www.dyslexiakit.net

@GrahamYvonna