I very much appreciated Kendi’s approach in sharing his own anti-racist learning and journey. It made this dense, challenging topic more raw and autheI very much appreciated Kendi’s approach in sharing his own anti-racist learning and journey. It made this dense, challenging topic more raw and authentic. ...more
Very conversational in tone (maybe too much at times). I’m certain that the intended audience is white teens but I fear that too few will read it. I wVery conversational in tone (maybe too much at times). I’m certain that the intended audience is white teens but I fear that too few will read it. I wish I had found it earlier as we’ll be reading a variety of titles dealing with racism, diversity, and inclusion for our staff book study this spring.
I was frustrated as I was reading that, although there were a lot of asides, there were very few that provided citations. It took until the very end of the book to find some of those in there after an encyclopedia of racism, lists of things to know, and a playlist. I guess I wish I would’ve looked harder earlier in my reading.
The audiobook was LONG! To get it done within my library checkout period, I had to listen for more than an hour a day...but listening to Obama read hiThe audiobook was LONG! To get it done within my library checkout period, I had to listen for more than an hour a day...but listening to Obama read his own words was a treat. The words of my high school history teacher kept coming to mind though, “Consider the bias.” Obama covers some failings and mistakes but he’s still going to paint things in the best possible light. Even so, it feels wildly different from what was happening politically in the first weeks of 2021. I just kept thinking, “How did we go from that to this in just 10 years?!”
I loved thinking about Michelle’s book while listening to this one too and hearing their two different perspectives on the same events. Looking forward to the next book!...more
Read for a grad class. I knew that I wanted my class for this summer to help me process the Black Lives Matter protests and my desire to be an activelRead for a grad class. I knew that I wanted my class for this summer to help me process the Black Lives Matter protests and my desire to be an actively antiracist educator. This book was eye-opening for me as I wrestled with just how much work we have to do to dismantle the systemic racism that is part of our education system. There were some very practical ideas for how to begin this work and I hope to do what I can starting in my small sphere of influence....more
I’ve followed the Love, Teach blog since Kelly started it as an anonymous outlet for her teaching joys and struggles. This book is practical in all thI’ve followed the Love, Teach blog since Kelly started it as an anonymous outlet for her teaching joys and struggles. This book is practical in all the right ways, realistic in the hard road that teaching is, and maintaining the humor that the Love, Teach community knows well. I highly recommend this book for those going into education for the first time and those who have spent their career in the field....more
Powerful little book that is for “such a time as this.” As our country reels from the death of George Floyd and demands action against racism at all lPowerful little book that is for “such a time as this.” As our country reels from the death of George Floyd and demands action against racism at all levels, this narrative poetry/reader’s theatre-like depiction looks at another time in our history when the people protested and the government responded with violence....more
Getting ready for this baby. I found this book helpful in preparing me for the stages of labor but also a bit frustrated that our model here in the USGetting ready for this baby. I found this book helpful in preparing me for the stages of labor but also a bit frustrated that our model here in the US has such polar opposites on the continuum of care. I would far prefer a midwife-model in a hospital setting. I don’t quite understand why it’s not more common....more
Read it a couple of weeks ago through the Hoopla app. Very well done. I wish it had existed a couple of years ago when our Lakeshore Big Read book wasRead it a couple of weeks ago through the Hoopla app. Very well done. I wish it had existed a couple of years ago when our Lakeshore Big Read book was When the Emperor Was Divine. Great tie-in with that book!...more
This is a popular book in my library but I’ve never read it despite recommending it to many teens. Dysfunctional doesn’t even begin to describe this fThis is a popular book in my library but I’ve never read it despite recommending it to many teens. Dysfunctional doesn’t even begin to describe this family. Wow. So many times I just shook my head, shocked that anyone could make it out of that life with any kind of normalcy moving forward....more
Fascinating. Powerful to see how in intentional relationships we can care enough to see someone’s belief system change. It’s not always the case but fFascinating. Powerful to see how in intentional relationships we can care enough to see someone’s belief system change. It’s not always the case but fascinating to read how David Black’s college friends were the impetus for him leaving the white nationalism movement....more
Get your hands on this one, y’all! You don’t have to be a basketball fan to enjoy this one. If you’re looking for a feel-good story right now (and whoGet your hands on this one, y’all! You don’t have to be a basketball fan to enjoy this one. If you’re looking for a feel-good story right now (and who isn’t?!), this one is fantastic! Gene Luen Yang does it again with a phenomenal nonfiction covering one high school team’s journey to the state playoffs, a bit of basketball history, and some comic nerdiness....more
A survivor tale, indeed. It took me a bit to get into but it was worth it in the end. Not for the faint of heart or those easily sick to the stomach (A survivor tale, indeed. It took me a bit to get into but it was worth it in the end. Not for the faint of heart or those easily sick to the stomach (why do I keep doing this to myself while pregnant?!)....more
I really liked this one although I do wish it been longer and focused a little more on her high school years. The end felt a little too rushed for me.I really liked this one although I do wish it been longer and focused a little more on her high school years. The end felt a little too rushed for me. I could see so many of my former students in this short graphic novel, the struggles they had leaving Korea, learning a new language, and settling in to such a foreign place. I can’t wait to recommend it to students!...more
Highly recommend this one. Informative and heartbreaking and definitely a call to action. Reynolds asks at the end: Are you going to be a separationisHighly recommend this one. Informative and heartbreaking and definitely a call to action. Reynolds asks at the end: Are you going to be a separationist, an assimilationist, or an anti-racist? I appreciated his message at the end to his young readers that scrolling and clicking aren’t enough. This work requires action....more
Over and over again while reading, I kept saying “This is crazy!” All of the little comments, asides, footnotes about native peoples during the “discoOver and over again while reading, I kept saying “This is crazy!” All of the little comments, asides, footnotes about native peoples during the “discovery and settling” of America are all gathered into one book and the reader gets a far more in-depth picture of what life was like for indigenous people who already lived and thrived in these lands and the horrors they encountered when facing those who lived by the Doctrine of Discovery.
This book is prompting me to do some of my own research on native peoples and stories from my area of Michigan. Powerful....more
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