Unflappable — Renee Conoulty

Cole thought he had his school routine all figured out. He could muck around and draw all day in Mr. Jenkins' easygoing class. But when the teacher gets sick, everything changes. The substitute, Miss Evans, assigns a family tree art project that hits too close to home for Cole. Ever since losing his mum last year, Cole's family life has felt broken. So he hatches a plan to get Miss Evans to cancel class and avoid the painful assignment. But no matter what mischief Cole pulls, the unflappable new teacher remains calm. As Cole keeps trying and failing to rattle Miss Evans, he starts to realize she pushes him because she cares. Through the project, Cole finds a meaningful way to remember his late mother despite his hazy memories. Unflappable is a poignant story about grief having no timeline. With compassion from his teacher, Cole takes the first step in his healing journey by sharing his art. This inspirational tale written in easy to read language and dyslexic friendly font will resonate with readers confronting loss and life changes.Flesch-Kincaid Grade 3.2Word count: 2,600