OVP Teen Book Club

 

 

 

Fire from the Rock by Sharon M.Draper

Sylvia Patterson is shocked and confused when she is asked to be one of the first black students to attend Central High School, which is scheduled to be integrated in September 1957, whether the citizens or governor of Arkansas like it or not. Before Sylvia makes her final decision, smoldering racial tension in the town ignites into flame. When the smoke clears, she sees clearly that nothing is going to stop the change from coming. It is up to her generation to make it happen, in as many different ways as there are colors in the world

 

OVP Teen Book Club

 

 

 

The Skin I'm In by Sharon Flake (Hyperion Book CH  July 31, 2007)

 

Thirteen-year old Maleeka Madison is tall, skinny, and dark-skinned. That's a problem for her, because it's such a problem for everyone else at school, it seems. To make her life easier, Maleeka befriends the toughest girl in school. Only bullies force you to pay more than you’d like, so life for Maleeka just gets harder, until she learns to stand up for herself and love the skin she's in.

OVP Teen Book Club

Yummy: The Last Days of a South Side Shorty by G. Neri Illustrated by Randy DuBurke (Published by Lee & Low Books, 2010)

 

What a powerful story! I started reading and couldn't put it down. The story of Yummy is such a dark tragedy. This is the true story of 11 yr old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer, last days. In 1994, while shooting at a rival Chicago gang, Yummy killed a 14 year old girl named Shavon Dean (an old friend) by accident in his neighborhood. This killing made national news; every news channel had “Yummy” picture displayed on the TV screen. Try to avoid being arrested Yummy went on the run. Guns, drugs and violence are talked about throughout this story but, the author G. Neri doesn't try glamorize or down play the gang activity, he simply tells it as is. This 2011 Coretta Scott King Honor Award Winner is highly recommend for teenagers, adults and educators. Other awards: ALA 2011 Notable Book, 2011 Great Graphic Novel for Teens, and YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. A must-have for all teen/young adult (YA) collections. It was brilliant of the author to choose a child to narrator the story, who did not look up to the gang lifestyle.

OVP Teen Book Club

OVP Teen Book Club Jan. Selection

 

 

Myself and I by Earl Sewell (Published by Kimani Tru in 2010)

 

Lately, Keysha feels like a magnet for trouble—especially boy trouble. Her last love interest turned out to be a major fraud, and her ex, Wesley, refuses to accept that they're finished. Swearing off relationships and concentrating on herself seems like her smartest move. Then Keysha meets her new neighbor Jerry, who has every girl in town vying for a summer fling. Working as lifeguards together, Keysha realizes that Jerry has more to offer than a great car and a sexy smile, and the harder she tries to ignore him, the more interested he becomes. But is it Keysha that attracts him or the chase itself? And when the biggest party of the year gets dangerously out of line, and Wesley's jealous new girl pins the blame on Keysha, she'll learn exactly who she can trust. Only problem is, it might be too late to save herself

OVP Teen Book Club

 

A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer (Published September 1st 1995 by Health Communications)

 

This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it."

Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son

 

OVP Teen Book Club

 

Marcus Garvey was more than a political leader—he was a global visionary whose ideas still inspire artists, musicians, and thinkers today. In Marcus Garvey: Jazz, Reggae, Hip Hop and the African Diaspora, historian James G. Spady explores how Garvey's philosophy lives on through Black music and culture.

Garvey believed in Black pride, self-reliance, and unity across the African diaspora. He founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) to uplift Black people worldwide. These ideas didn’t die with him—they grew, especially through the arts.

In Jazz, musicians like Max Roach, Dave Burrell, and Grachan Moncur III used Garvey's themes of resistance and pride to fuel their music. Their work wasn't just entertainment—it was a form of protest and a way to connect to African heritage.

In Reggae, Garvey’s influence is even more direct. Artists like Burning Spear created songs dedicated to Garvey’s teachings. Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, inspired by Rastafarianism (which was shaped by Garvey’s ideas), spread messages of freedom, unity, and African identity across the world.

In Hip Hop and Dancehall, Garvey’s message still resonates. From Public Enemy to KRS-One, many hip hop artists have drawn from Garvey’s push for Black empowerment and awareness of African roots.

Spady also highlights the work of leaders like Thomas W. Harvey and Jean Harvey Slappy, who continued Garvey’s mission. Together, they show how Garveyism remains a living movement, not just a chapter in history.

In short, Garvey’s voice can still be heard—in jazz horns, reggae rhythms, and hip hop beats. His dream of unity and liberation lives on through the sounds and stories of the African diaspora.