Someone to run with

Quiet courage and the awkward honesty of growing up: David Grossman’s Someone to Run With gives middle schoolers a character who feels real. Reflections and teaching ideas.

Two middle school students, a boy and a girl, reading an open book from which stylized silhouettes of literary characters emerge, symbolizing vulnerability, internal conflict, and personal growth in literature.

Teaching Ideas

What Makes a Character Relatable to Middle School Students?

Chiara • 2026-02-24

Why do some literary characters stay with students long after the last page is turned? This article explores vulnerability, inner conflict, and personal growth as key elements that help middle school readers connect deeply with stories across classic and modern literature.

What Makes a Character Relatable to Middle School Students? Read Post »

Assaf and his dog Dinka running through the streets of Jerusalem in search of Tamar, from Someone to Run With

Reading recommendations

Why Every High School Student Should Read D. Grossman’s “Someone to Run With”

Chiara • 2025-09-08

David Grossman’s Someone to Run With is more than a novel—it’s a powerful journey through friendship, courage, and self-discovery. Follow Assaf and Tamar with your students across Jerusalem as they face impossible challenges, discover the true meaning of love and loyalty, and learn what it means to grow up.

Why Every High School Student Should Read D. Grossman’s “Someone to Run With” Read Post »