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With more widespread use of online and multimodal texts, and evolving attitudes toward cultural and linguistic differences, critical literacy has re-gained importance in classroom instruction. This chapter describes research conducted in two middle grades education methods courses. Pre-service teachers were first asked to critically analyze traditional and graphic novels for explicit and implicit messages promoting ideologies and biases. They were then asked to develop their own graphic stories to include expository/narrative elements that addressed middle grades students' social and emotional needs (e.g., self-identity, empowerment, and resilience) and provide suggestions/models for positive resolution. The analysis activities heightened their awareness of the implicit messages communicated by texts and transformed their ideas for teaching and creating texts that consider diversity, equity, and inclusion.

High-quality narrative and informational texts can provide young adolescents with mirrors which reflect their lived experiences and windows into the lives of those with whom they are less familiar. These texts can connect with the social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies of self-awareness and social awareness. Connections between SEL programs and integration with literacy practices are described. Literacy approaches grounded in reader response theory and critical literacy theory provide the basis for reading and understanding diverse texts and support the development of SEL competencies. The chapter presents criteria for selecting high-quality literature, 13 text recommendations for self-awareness and social awareness, and ideas for activities and discussion.