I'm curious if anyone has talked with their English department about the
controversy surrounding Sherman Alexie
<https://www.slj.com/2018/03/industry-news/aila-rescinds-sherman-alexies-2008-ya-book-year-award/>?
While I wouldn't want to take his books out of any library, I do think we
need to keep pushing ourselves to look for a wider variety of voices. I'm
especially looking forward to Cynthia Leititch Smith's Hearts Unbroken
<http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2018/02/cover-reveal-hearts-unbroken-by-cynthia.html>
Candlewick, October 2018).
For your summer reading, I wonder if Kwame Alexander's *Solo* would be a
good fit? It has many layers of identity issues and the power of music &
poetry. Jacqueline Woodson's *Brown Girl Dreaming* would also be an
interesting choice. While some readers might have read it before, I think
its poetry lends itself to rereading and deeper reflection.
Mary Ann
PS: I'm so excited that Jacqueline Woodson just won the Astrid Lindgren
Award <http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-43559909> -- just
announced yesterday!
On Wed, Mar 28, 2018 at 3:05 PM, Mei Yang <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Part-Time Indian was added to the freshmen curriculum this year, but the
English teachers decided to not use it for a summer read. They considered
it, but concluded as you do, that the mature themes would be better handled
in class during the school year.
On Wed, Mar 28, 2018 at 2:37 PM, Ann Lane <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
We are thinking of using *Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials *for
incoming 9th graders and integrating it into Freshman P.E. when they
discuss bullying, transitioning to high school, making new friends, etc. -
it would be part of the healthy lifestyle unit. Our freshman English
classes already read* Part Time Indian* as one of the required books.
On Wed, Mar 28, 2018 at 2:04 PM, Eric Mahollitz <emahollitz@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Our English Department is updating their summer reading list for
incoming 9th graders (English I). They have to choose one book from a list
of four titles. I'd love to see what books other schools are using.
I also wanted to get thoughts on Sherman Alexie's *Absolutely True
Diary of a Part-Time Indian* for this age group. I personally don't
have a problem with it being taught to 9th graders, but I don't know that I
would assign it to incoming 9th graders as a summer read; too many mature
themes to assign outside the classroom.
Thanks as always for your time and consideration. If there are enough
responses, I'll post a HIT to the group.
Cheers
--
Eric Mahollitz
Librarian/Educational Technologist
Salesian College Prep
Richmond, CA 94804
What I’m reading now:
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
--
Ann Lane
Librarian, Saint Francis High School
--
Mei Yang
Librarian
Saint Francis High School
1885 Miramonte Avenue
<https://maps.google.com/?q=1885+Miramonte+Avenue+Mountain+View,+CA+%C2%A094040&entry=gmail&source=g>
Mountain View, CA 94040
<https://maps.google.com/?q=1885+Miramonte+Avenue+Mountain+View,+CA+%C2%A094040&entry=gmail&source=g>
650-968-1213 x299 <(650)%20968-1213>
www.sfhs.com