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.