As I return to school full time, face to face with students every day, I find myself a bit more pressed for time. There are still outbreaks in different buildings every week, but I imagine we'll stay in this mode of learning until we absolutely have to shut down due to staffing issues. This is what happened in October when I got COVID. Of course now I'm fully vaccinated, which is a huge plus, but I am the only staff member in my building. The numbers are going down in Michigan, and I'm hoping everything stays that way!
I've had less time to read, but I've made it a point to set aside nearly an hour every day. It's a nice escape, and with the February cold there's not much to do outside anyway! Also, I tried to focus some of my choices around Black History Month, since I'm always looking for more resources to make my classroom better.
Written by Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy
I wasn't expecting this book to be in poem form when I picked it up at the bookstore. But then again, it was a totally effective technique in telling the story. Jo Ann Allen Boyce does an excellent job of relaying the events of her youth; as a teen, she was in the group of 12 students that started desegregation in Clinton High School in Clinton, Tennessee. She and the others suffered through abuse that's hard to hear; they were physically assaulted, spat on, threatened, and had family members jailed. All of this happened because they simply walked into a building with white students. Desegregation was ugly, nasty business, and I often marvel at how many modern white people romanticize the events, as if it was a small crowd of racists chanting with signs. It was much deeper, more poisonous than that. I will definitely add this to my classroom library. Maybe even a read aloud in class if I can?
By Rae Carson
I'd heard a few things about this book in some of the YA reading groups I'm in, all suggestions to read. I was pleasantly surprised to find a fantastical world with a very Spanish flavor. What do I mean? There's a ton of Spanish words in there, and I absolutely love it. There's a certain home feeling to the book, possibly because it's easy to relate to the main character. I'm loving the elements of fantasy mixed with history mixed fairy tales. It makes for a relaxing read, and YA is one of my favorite genres to visit.
by Ben Passmore
This graphic novel was recommended in a Tiktok I saw awhile ago. It finally came in the mail, and it was good! While the illustration style is not my usual go-to, it definitely complemented the subject area. It centered around all the things your black friend wishes they could say, could tell their white friends. The author did an excellent job of connecting the audience with the main character, but also describing the experiences of other black people.
4. Abbott 1973
by Saladin Ahmed, Sami Kivela, Mattia Iacono, Taj Tenfold, Raul Allen, Jenny Frison
I was instantly drawn to the cover art on this comic, and the series came highly recommended by the person at the comic book store. AND the story is set in Detroit, Michigan, in the 1970's. I can say I was heartily disappointed by the fact that none of the artists or writers were black women, which would have been a much better way of doing this. While I appreciate how artists are including more diverse characters, I think it is essential to have input from those groups. Specifically, if you are going to tell the story of a black woman, you should have the input of black women. If they did that, it was not indicated anywhere. The writing and illustrations were well-done, and the storyline consistent. But disappointment in some ways.
by L.L. McKinney, Robyn Smith
I really try to avoid books related to the DC or Marvel universes, simply because there's a lot of other stories that need to go with it in order to fully understand. There have been so many versions of the same story that it gets a little old TBH. I did not feel that with this one at all!
First of all, I loved the graphic novel/comic feel. It felt like a little of both with the illustrations. The artist used color really well too! The storyline follows a young black woman who has extraordinary strength, much like Wonder Woman, and is trying to navigate the world with all of its pitfalls. I'll be adding this one to my classroom library too!
~Kristen
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