We Need Diverse Books Tumblr

We need diverse books tumblr. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2014, from http://weneeddiversebooks.tumblr.com/

Summary: This tumblr is the cutting edge site for this campaign on the need for diversity in children and young adult literature.  Posts on the movement, interviews with authors of color, and the pulse of diversity in YA lit are here.

Review:  As a teacher librarian, being part of this movement is my job and I need to be informed.

Diversity: Enough said. Interviews with authors of color and lists of books with diverse protagonists are here.

Suggestions for Teachers: Use this website to talk to your students about why books need to represent the whole spectrum of diversity. Teach a unit analyzing book cover art and see whose faces are portrayed and whose aren't.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: N/A
2. Qualitative: Attractive. Great for browsing, a little harder to use for searching. This website is for all activists in the profession and for our young students activist who desperately want to change the face of YA lit so that all can find mirrors and windows in books. There is a lot of information here and it isn't organized in the most easy to find fashion so you have to do a little hunting. This would be great for a student's research project.

Content Areas: All

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3
Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Relevant links: We Need Diverse Books Tumblr, We Need Diverse Books Website

Subjects/Themes: teaching resources, diversity

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A

Ms. Yingling Reads

Yingling, K. (2014, November 30). Fantasy [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/

Summary: Ms. Yingling's blog for middle school librarians and ELA teachers who are looking for the right book for each kid.  She publishes reviews daily and is especially thinking about how to get boys reading.

Review:  This blog is a great resource for librarians and teachers of middle school students.  There is a wealth of information for all kinds of middle grade books.  She gives a summary and then strengths and weaknesses.  Just reading for the strengths and weaknesses can help you develop your collection.

Diversity: Ms. Yingling is an ally the campaign for diverse books and often always features diverse books as soon as she gets them in her hands. Each Wed is devoted to reviews of diverse books.

Suggestions for Teachers: Use this website to develop your collection and to recommend books to your students.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: N/A
2. Qualitative: Easy to use layout, daily concise postings and good book lists. This is for professionals in education to get ideas about books for their students. Students could use Ms. Yingling's reviews to search for books they might like. The text is largely familiar to all. No prior knowledge is necessary.

Content Areas: English, Social Studies

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3
Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Relevant links: Ms. Yingling Reads

Subjects/Themes: teaching resources, ELA, Common Core, text complexity, lesson plans

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A

Teaching Books.net website

Teaching Books. (2001). Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://teachingbooks.net

Summary: This is a one-stop shop website with supplementary online materials about all the books students read in schools.  Lesson plans, online videos with authors, readers theater scripts, interviews, text complexity analyses are all in one database set up for easy use.  

Review:  This is a great place for teachers and educators to find the vast collection of resources out there on the web about the books their students are reading.  It is a time saver.

Diversity: Every book I've searched for has been available; some have more limited information than others, but they exist. This includes authors of color.

Suggestions for Teachers: Use this website resource to help plan your ELA class and for students to have access to authors.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: N/A
2. Qualitative: Easy to use layout and materials are student friendly. This website will help teachers and students alike get schema for the text they are reading and more in-depth knowledge of the author of their text. This could be used either before reading the text or after to get insight on the reader's craft. No prior knowledge is necessary except for how to search a database.

Content Areas: English, Social Studies

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3
Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Relevant links: Teaching Books

Subjects/Themes: teaching resources, ELA, Common Core, text complexity, lesson plans

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A

This American Life: Is this Working? Review (actual media is shown right below this post)

Chicago Public Media, & Glass, I. (Producers). (2014, October 17). Is this working? [Show #538]. This American life from WBEZ. Podcast retrieved from http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/538/is-this-working

Summary: Act One of this episode talks about how Black and Latino children are being suspended as early as preschool way more than Whites.  Tunette Powell’s three and four year old children are getting suspended from preschool repeatedly.  Powell blames herself as a child who was repeatedly suspended and even expelled from preschool.  She thought it was because her father was in prison.  As an adult she believed with a two-parent household and a stable income, she was doing better for her kids.  Her kids’ suspensions make her wonder what she’s done wrong.  Then conversations with other kids’ parents at a birthday party make her realize that her children are being punished more frequently and for lesser offenses.  Powell writes a blog questioning the racism she is facing. 

Review:  This first 17-min clip is thought-provoking.  Anecdotally and statistically it is very rich.  Students could share their school experiences with discipline and their thoughts on justice in schools.  Who gets it?  Who doesn’t?  Lots of juicy questions for teenagers.  This podcast is perfect for the auditory learner.  It is well edited and the music helps engage all.  Using a reflection notebook, students could write down details about Powell’s story while listening.  

Diversity: Racism towards African American students is discussed extensively through this episode.

Suggestions for Teachers: A conversation about race in America would be a good pre-activity to prime students, but most will find this podcast engaging and disturbing. Use this to talk about current events in Ferguson and race in America in a Social Studies class.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: N/A
2. Qualitative: The stories and interviews used here are told in chronological order. Vocabulary is contemporary and largely familiar. No other context is needed to make meaning. A discussion about students' own racial experiences or a journal might be a good way to prime students.

Content Areas: English, Social Studies

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.2
Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.3
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.5
Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness or beauty of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.7
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

Relevant links: This American Life

Subjects/Themes: racism, discipline, education, African Americans

Awards: N/A

Series Information: This American Life

This American Life: Is this Working? #538 by Chicago Public Radio & Ira Glass

Chicago Public Media, & Glass, I. (Producers). (2014, October 17). Is this working? [Show #538]. This American life from WBEZ. Podcast retrieved from http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/538/is-this-working

Summary: Act One of this episode talks about how Black and Latino children are being suspended as early as preschool way more than Whites.  Tunette Powell’s three and four year old children are getting suspended from preschool repeatedly.  Powell blames herself as a child who was repeatedly suspended and even expelled from preschool.  She thought it was because her father was in prison.  As an adult she believed with a two-parent household and a stable income, she was doing better for her kids.  Her kids’ suspensions make her wonder what she’s done wrong.  Then conversations with other kids’ parents at a birthday party make her realize that her children are being punished more frequently and for lesser offenses.  Powell writes a blog questioning the racism she is facing. 

Review:  This first 17-min clip is thought-provoking.  Anecdotally and statistically it is very rich.  Students could share their school experiences with discipline and their thoughts on justice in schools.  Who gets it?  Who doesn’t?  Lots of juicy questions for teenagers.  This podcast is perfect for the auditory learner.  It is well edited and the music helps engage all.  Using a reflection notebook, students could write down details about Powell’s story while listening.  

Diversity: Racism towards African American students is discussed extensively through this episode.

Suggestions for Teachers: A conversation about race in America would be a good pre-activity to prime students, but most will find this podcast engaging and disturbing. Use this to talk about current events in Ferguson and race in America in a Social Studies class.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: N/A
2. Qualitative: The stories and interviews used here are told in chronological order. Vocabulary is contemporary and largely familiar. No other context is needed to make meaning. A discussion about students' own racial experiences or a journal might be a good way to prime students.

Content Areas: English, Social Studies

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.2
Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.3
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.5
Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness or beauty of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.7
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

Relevant links: This American Life

Subjects/Themes: racism, discipline, education, African Americans

Awards: N/A

Series Information: This American Life

<script src="http://audio.thisamericanlife.org/widget/widget.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <div id="this-american-life-538" class="this-american-life" style="width:540px;">

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries produced by Hank Green & Bernie Sue

Green, H., & Su, B. (Producers). (2012, April 9). My name is Lizzie Bennet [Show #1]. The Lizzie Bennet diaries. Podcast retrieved from http://www.pemberleydigital.com/the-lizzie-bennet-diaries/

Summary: This is a modern Pride and Prejudice with Lizzie Bennet a grad student in Mass Communications living at home with her parents. Mrs. Bennet is obsessed with marrying off all three of her daughters and is especially excited when millionaire and medical student Bing Lee moves into the neighborhood.

Review: A clever and engaging way to supplement teaching Jane Austen's masterpiece.

Diversity: In this vlog version, Charlotte is Asian and Bing Lee, Lizzie's love interest, is biracial.

Suggestions for Teachers: Each vlog is short and teachers could use clips to supplement reading assignments or for review.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: N/A
2. Qualitative: These videos are organized with Lizzie retelling various happenings in her household. She re-hashes these events by acting them out with her friend Charlotte. The story is organized chronologically. Vocabulary is largely contemporary and familiar. Students with knowledge of the plot of Pride and Prejudice will have greater interest and anticipation.

Content Areas: English

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.3
Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.7
Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)

Relevant links: Teaching Books

Subjects/Themes: family, marriage, romance

Awards: 
2012 TV. com Best Web Series – Winner
2013 IAWTV Awards – Best Interactive Series – Winner
2013 Streamy Awards – Best Comedy Series – Nominee
2013 Streamy Awards – Best Actress in a Comedy – Ashley Clements – Nominee
2013 Streamy Awards – Best Actress in a Comedy – Julia Cho – Nominee
2013 Streamy Awards – Best Ensemble Cast – Nominee
2013 Streamy Awards – Best Writing – Bernie Su – Winner
2013 Streamy Awards – Best Interactive Series – Jay Bushman, Alexandra Edwards, Bernie Su– Winner
2013 Primetime Emmy Award – Original Interactive Program – Winner
2013 PGA Awards – Best Online Series – Nominee
2014 Streamy Awards – Best Drama Series – Winner
2014 Streamy Awards – Best Actor in a Drama – Daniel Vincent Gordh – Nominee
2014 Streamy Awards – Best Actress in a Drama – Ashley Clements – Winner

Series Information: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries series

Bridge by Patrick Jones

Jones, P. (2014). The Alternative: Bridge. Minneapolis, MN: Darby Creek.

Summary: After his father experiences a debilitating accident, José has to make tough decisions for his family. He has to decide how to support them as well as do the right thing for himself. He has to decide whether to stay in school or work full time.

Review: I met Patrick Jones recently at the YALSA Lit Symposium and admired his commitment to writing for reluctant readers and for students of color. This text is at an appropriate reading level for many of my students and it is about an immigrant Latino family who struggles. Unfortunately, Jones' portrayal of family appears to be one of deficit instead of value. José appears to be a martyr for his family with the help of his hero-like teachers.

Diversity: This novel centers around a Latino family.

Suggestions for Teachers: This text would be best in a classroom library. I would have students, especially my Latino students, analyze Jones' portrayal of family.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: Lexile 800L, ATOS Book Level9.67-12.01, Flesh-Kincaid 8.32-12.12,8.41-10.81RMM
2. Qualitative: This text is slightly complex; it is chronological. The language is largely contemporary and familiar. Those who have knowledge of immigration issues will have a stronger understanding.

Content Areas: English

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Relevant links: Teaching Books

Subjects/Themes: family, acceptance, values, immigration

Awards: N/A

Series Information: The Alternative series

Living with Jackie Chan by Jo Knowles

Knowles, J. (2013). Jumping Off Swings: Vol. 2. Living with Jackie Chan. New York, NY: Candlewick.

Summary: Josh is spending his senior year of high school with his Uncle Larry, a man who bases his life off the principles of karate. Josh needs this distraction as he is dealing with his own internal turmoil, leaving his hometown with his own secret. He makes friends, teaches karate and even develops a crush trying to suppress his past. Will it come back to haunt him?

Review: An interesting read of internal conflict. Made me very curious about the first part of this series.

Diversity: Upstairs neighbors in this book are gay parents.

Suggestions for Teachers: Use this in a coming-of-age unit or for lit circles.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: Lexile 530, ATOS Book Level 9.67-12.01, Flesh-Kincaid 8.32-12.12, 8.41-10.81 RMM
2. Qualitative: This text is slightly complex. It is organized chronologically and there are a few flashbacks. Vocabulary is contemporary and familiar. Those who have read the first book in the series will have a stronger understanding of the story.

Content Areas: English

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Relevant links: Teaching Books, Jo Knowles

Subjects/Themes: family, acceptance, teen pregnancy

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A

The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinkin

Sheinkin, S. (2014). The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, mutiny and the fight for civil rights. New York, NY: Roaring Brook.

Summary: In July 1944, an explosion killed 300 African American men and injured many more. Black men were stationed at this Bay Area naval base doing the dangerous work of loading heavy explosives onto ships without any training or safety measures. White officers ordered Black men to do this work even after the explosion. This is the story of the 50 men who said they wouldn't return to this job. These men were accused of mutiny and the punishment was death by rifle. This is their story.

Review: An accessible and fascinating look at one of the greatest injustices to African Americans, and arguably the birth of the Civil Rights Movement. Sheinkin makes the stories of Joe Small and his men come alive and you can't help but feel the moral contempt here. I kept wondering what I would have said or done. I only hoped to have been so brave.

Diversity: An beautiful portrayal of humanity and bravery of the Port Chicago 50.

Suggestions for Teachers: Teach this book for US history. Teach it as part of WWII. Teach it when teaching research and primary and secondary resources.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: Lexile 950, ATOS Book Level 7.00-9.98, Flesh-Kincaid 6.51-10.34, 7.04-9.57 RMM
2. Qualitative: This text is moderately complex. It is organized chronologically. Through personal stories, this text comes alive for readers. There is some technical vocabulary and there are lots of details that students may either be excited by or overwhelmed by, but Sheinkin does a phenomenal job of creating suspense. Knowledge of WWII and segregation will be helpful, but Sheinkin gives a lot of context for readers.

Content Areas: Social Studies

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.2
Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.3
Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.8
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.9
Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.

Relevant links: Teaching Books, Steve Sheinkin

Subjects/Themes: family, acceptance, PTSD, trauma

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A

I Will Save You by Matt de la Peña

de la Peña, M. (2010). I will save you. New York, NY: Delacorte.

Summary: Kidd Elliott has run away from a group home after tragically and dramatically losing both his mother and his father. He hopes to start over working at a campsite in Cardiff, CA with Mr. Red, his boss who has experienced his own tragedy, as a mentor. He falls in love with Olivia who also has her own secret. What makes things difficult is his best friend Devon from the group home whose risky behavior tries to derail Kidd's fresh start.

Review: An intense look at PTSD, domestic abuse, friendship and family. De la Peña shows his depth as a writer with Kidd's character.

Diversity: An accurate representation of diverse beachside Southern California. Red dates women of color. Olivia has her own issues which make her different. Kidd is biracial.

Suggestions for Teachers: Great for coming-of-age literature circle or a look at trauma.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: Lexile 770, ATOS Book Level 9.67-12.01, Flesh-Kincaid 8.32-12.12, 8.41-10.81 RMM
2. Qualitative: This text is very complex. Lots of flashbacks with organization. The ending and discovering the secrets of the narrator will require a close-reader The language is largely contemporary and familiar. Overall, this novel may appear accessible but a sophisticated reader will understand Kidd's true identity at the end. Knowledge of trauma and personality disorders will help create meaning for readers.

Content Areas: English

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Relevant links: Teaching Books, Matt de la Peña

Subjects/Themes: family, acceptance, PTSD, trauma

Awards: 

• ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults and Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers
• Finalist for the 2011 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award

Series Information: N/A