WEEK 2- Diversity

  This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki   is about the summer of two young girls, Rose and Windy. Every summer, they take a trip to Awago Beach with their families, and the book takes us with them as they have fun together, watch scary movies, and come to terms with what is going on around them-- the good, the bad, and the ugly.  I especially liked this book because it is a graphic novel, and that is its strength. The visuals and the illustrations allowed me to bond closely with the characters, seeing what they see and how they see it. It was a special journey to take, because it is just a story about two young girls and their summer. As a girl, it was easy for me to relate to the conversations and ideas that were being tossed around, and their growth, however subtle, was unique and a joy to take part in. Though it dealt with deeper themes (grief, pregnancy, family dynamics), it did so gracefully and with poise, boob jokes aside (though they were funny)....

                                                                   The Maze Runner by James Dashner      For Thomas, entering a new world was not exciting or fun- it shattered the ground beneath him. Thomas, who can only remember his name, is thrust into a new life of "Grivers", "Shanks", "Shucks", "Keepers", and "Greenbeans"- none of which he understands. What he understands is the intense fear he feels when the metal box opens to this strange place and the unearthed feeling he has when realizing there is no turning back . Now he must survive with the new rules he's been given while on a trek to uncover the truth.     I had never read the book before, and after I finally stopped comparing it to the movie (I love the movie btw), I realized how smart and profound it ...

  Juno is a child keeping in touch with his grandmother, who lives in Korea. There is a language barrier, as Juno cannot read Korean, but it does not stop Juno and his grandmother from connecting over hand-drawn pictures, photographs, and beautiful dried flowers. The bond they share goes beyond language and is held together by genuine love and a desire to share their life with each other. This is a very heartwarming book in its simplicity. It is a story about a boy and his grandmother writing each other letters, but it speaks of cultural differences and things that could have been lost in translation. However, they never were.  How I'd Use This Book In A Classroom: A bond can transcend unique backgrounds, cultural differences, and language. I'd explain to my students that no matter where a person comes from, if you want to connect with them and be their friend, you can. I'd have them write letters to a loved one; it can be to someone different than them, but it should just...

      Starr Carter is a young girl caught between two lives: working in her daddy's store in Garden Heights, a lower-income city, otherwise known as "the hood," and attending Williamson Prep, a fancy suburban school with her rich friends and White boyfriend.  She walks the line for a while, switching between "Garden Heights Starr" and "Williamson Prep Starr," forced to make difficult and confusing social choices to keep her lives separate. But when a close friend of hers is murdered by the police in front of her in Garden Heights, something shatters inside of her, and suddenly, she can no longer find the line that once separated her two worlds. It's up to her to speak up, fight for what's right, and stay true to herself- things very hard to do all at the same time.  "If Officer Cruise were sitting here, what would you say to him?" "I'd ask him if he wished he shot me too." (Thomas, pg. 290) This is one of the most engro...