Book help

[prairiemama]

I'm trying to pick out and order books for the spring semester to teach. My co-teacher is teaching A Hope in the Unseen, which is a story about an inner city kid who ends up at Brown University. It's written by a white guy but based on the true story of a young black man. I kind of have a problem with teaching a "true story" about a black man written by a white man, EVEN THOUGH the book has rave reviews and picks up on themes that always play well in my class. Last year we did Obama's memoir, which is good and students enjoyed.

What do you think??

REALLY, ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE WELCOME -- ESPECIALLY FOR GREAT YA BOOKS FOR GIRLS, LATINOS, AND AFRICAN AMERICAN KIDS.

Comments

[babycatcher33.livejournal.com]

Now that I've seen the movie The Blind Side, I want to read the book by Michael Lewis. Knowing it's a true story really inspired me and actually taught me a lot about football, about "the projects" in many American cities, and reminded me that many really wealthy people aren't walking around with their heads up their ass!

*ahem*

So that would be my suggestion :-)

[lolacat.livejournal.com]

Hmm, this looks really interesting and I know a few of my students would really like it. The reviews are kind of mixed for the book... but I will check it out!

[maggie-maybe.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure of appropriate reading level for your students (some of these may be too "easy" -- but if it's good/riveting, i personally don't care if it's too easy), but here are a few suggestions:
http://www.amazon.com/Random-Family-Drugs-Trouble-Coming/dp/0743254430/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262965057&sr=1-1
I love this book: http://www.amazon.com/First-Part-Last-Angela-Johnson/dp/1442403438/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262965019&sr=1-1
I think this book is a good representative voice of our generation of writers: http://www.amazon.com/White-Teeth-Novel-Zadie-Smith/dp/0375703861/ref=pd_sim_b_75
Oh man, this is in letter/diary format..I ate it up: http://www.amazon.com/Upstate-Novel-Kalisha-Buckhanon/dp/0312332696/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262965215&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Gone-Memoirs-Soldier/dp/0374531269/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262965368&sr=1-1
I thought about this book for days & days after I read it: http://www.amazon.com/House-Scorpion-Nancy-Farmer/dp/0689852231/ref=sr_oe_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262965447&sr=1-1&condition=used
A nice alternative to Malcolm X's autobio: http://www.amazon.com/Revolutionary-Suicide-Penguin-Classics-Deluxe/dp/0143105329/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262965478&sr=1-1

*you are totally making me want to be an inner city teen librarian again*

[lolacat.livejournal.com]

Thank you!! Long Way Gone was our One Book, One Campus book last year and I think everyone but me has read it. I will look at these -- I really appreciate ANY suggestions!

[tesslouise.livejournal.com]

Seconding The First Part Last, it isn't a big fat difficult book, but it's pretty powerful.

[handstil.livejournal.com]

Tweet this @ http://twitter.com/lalieen She's an awesome YA librarian that actually read the books herself and loves to give recommendations!

[lolacat.livejournal.com]

thanks, i totes tweeted her!

[kukilia.livejournal.com]

Hey, that's me (lalieen). ;) I will create a list for you and post here (or msg you on FB).

[sandokai.livejournal.com]

What course are you teaching? That might affect my book recommendations.

[lolacat.livejournal.com]

It's for my Iowa Link class (developmental reading/writing) and we do book clubs in the spring, so I try to offer a mix of books with similar themes (home culture, growing up, overcoming adversity, making decisions, transition to college).

Last year, we taught Smashed (autobio of a college girl with a drinking problem), Obama's memoir, and Sherman Alexie's YA novel (which I taught this fall, so can't teach this spring).

My co-teacher is teaching Smashed again, a collection of essays called Mi Voz, Mi Vida which looks pretty good to me, and the Hope in the Unseen book.

I'd really like a BETTER book with a strong female protagonist. I try to balance between social realism and fiction. I think YA is totally eligible because it's not about the challenge of the reading but the richness of discussion.

[dyskodyke.livejournal.com]

I taught Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street to my freshman at UIW, and overall they really liked it. Dunno if you've read, but it's good stuff, and deals with women, Latinos, home, coming of age, etc. Also simple enough to be light reading, but deep enough for poetry-like analysis.

I'll think for a bit more and get back to you if anything else comes to mind.

[tesslouise.livejournal.com]

I haven't read, but have heard good things about, All-Bright Court by Connie Porter. I have read Imani All Mine, but it has more mixed reviews.

[cathrynapple.livejournal.com]

What about Push, by Sapphire? The recent film Precious was based on it, and it's pretty powerful. Sometimes students are more enthusiastic about the book when there's a current movie out. There are also some really controversial and heavy issues to discuss.

And I totally agree with you about a book about a black guy by a white guy.

[sandokai.livejournal.com]

I really liked Push myself. I had an online debate with other teachers who said it wasn't "literary" enough, but I found it quite thoughy-provoking. (Lots to discuss there in relation to literacy, culture, gender, race, socioeconomics, etc.)

[lolacat.livejournal.com]

I will check this out!