I get asked this question a lot: are your kids reading books in English class? This seems to be in response to recent articles about how kids are going to college unprepared to read entire books. While it’s true that we also teach shorter works, like news articles, essays, and poems, my students are reading books. My kids, 9th and 10th graders, have learning disabilities and most are English learners. So we’re providing quite a bit of support and in-class time for reading and discussion.
As a new teacher, I’ve read these books alongside the kids. So I wanted to share my thoughts on what I’ve been reading and teaching. I should clarify that I didn’t choose these books, as our curriculum is determined based on a team of English teachers and guided by state standards.
When Stars are Scattered by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson. This is a fantastic graphic memoir about two brothers from Somalia who spend most of their childhoods living in a refugee camp. Older brother Omar takes care of his younger brother Hassan, as they struggle for even the most basic things like food, clothing, and school supplies. The refugees are a tight-knit community, though each longs for the day the U.N. will place them in a new country. This book was eye-opening for our students, many who come from other countries themselves. Parts of this story are heart-breaking, but it’s also inspirational. The author, who now lives in Pennsylvania, even filmed a video for our classes, encouraging students to value their education and to be accepting of each other. You can learn more about Mohamed at his website, Refugee Strong.
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes. This book is amazing! It’s based on Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old who was shot by police while playing in a park with a toy gun. This is what happens in the book to 12-year-old Jerome. At the beginning he dies, becoming a ghost and narrating his own story. He meets the other “ghost boys”, all black boys who have died because of racism. In this story we meet Emmett Till and learn about his devastating story, which was a catalyst for the civil rights movement. We also see a nuanced perspective of the police officer who shot Jerome, which leaves some hope for future understanding. The writing in this book is beautiful and had me tearful as Jerome realizes he’ll never grow up and sees his family and friends suffer. At one point, his little sister is confronted by the school bullies who tormented him, and Jerome can only watch. This is a middle grade book but I recommend it for anyone, espcially for kids who can handle difficult subjects but aren’t ready for a book like The Hate U Give (also fantastic).
The Maze Runner by James Dashner. For our dystopian unit, my 9th graders got to choose between A Wrinkle in Time, The Giver, and The Maze Runner. While I would have preferred the other two, most of our students gravitated toward The Maze Runner, so I read it with them. The story in a nutshell: Thomas wakes up one day in a metal box, where he’s lifted up to find a group of teenage boys who are all trapped in a small area surrounded by a maze. Their memories have been wiped, so they know nothing about their lives outside the maze. Thomas seems to know more than the others, but he doesn’t know why, or how to get out. I can see how the book appeals more to the boys, especially as some of them have seen the movie version. It’s an interesting story, though I didn’t think it was well-written. The dialog is clunky and repetitive, and there’s nothing terribly meaningful about the characters. But I can’t deny the appeal of mazes, monsters, and teens governing themselves. Plus the story is mysterious, which is helpful as we’re teaching our students to ask questions about what they read. And when they’re confused by the story, I can say that’s what the author intends. At any rate, anything my kids want to read is better than not reading at all.
These are just the books taught in my classes, it doesn’t represent the entire English curriculum for 9th and 10th grade. The other classes in my school had additional choices, including They Called Us Enemy by George Takei and In the Country We Love by Diane Guerrero.