Greetings,
   I want to talk to you about one of my favorite YA books thus far.  The Skin I'm In, by Sharon G. Flake, is a realistic fiction novel about the growing pains of a girl at a struggling NYC middle school.  Thirteen-year old Maleeka Madison holds low self-esteem about herself due to her looks and how she dresses.  She has (as I describe it) a rich, deep-olive toned complexion that some love (Caleb, a mature, insightful young man that is interested in her) and some ridicule (John-John, her nemesis since second grade).  She is extremely bright and adept at writing, as her new English teacher, Ms Saunders, discovers after Maleeka turns in a class assignment.  The novel chronicles the development of a slave-narrative that she writes, in part for class, and in part as a way to cope with her life.  Maleeka befriends the school bully in an effort to ease her struggles, but, it seems to only make matters worse.  Ms. Saunders serves as a role model and mentor to Maleeka, although she immediately resists her because of the skin disorder on her face.  However, Maleeka learns several life lessons thanks to the support of her teacher and others in her community that see bother her inner and outer beauty.  This is a must for middle schoolers in an age of bullying and materialism; it drives the message home that we must learn to love and honor "the skin we are in".   Highly recommended!

Welcome to the first installment of the TCM Summer Reading Blog series.  This summer, I will write about books I have read, particularly for late elementary and middle school students.  

Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World, by Mildred  Pitts Walter, is an endearing tale about ten-year old Justin and the lessons he learns from time spent with his favorite guy- Grandpa.  Justin is the only male in his household, and often feels he cannot do anything right- especially clean his room or cook.  He thinks cleaning and cooking is "women's work", and insists that this is why he is no good at it.  Grandpa swoops in and teaches him lessons of family history, work ethic, and manhood.  Grandpa lives on a ranch in the midwest, which is Justin's favorite place in the world.  Justin begins to learn what makes him and the members of his family special, as his grandfather teaches him about his family history, including a family recipe: biscuits in a skillet

This is a story about self-esteem, and how to deal with your emotions.  He is often frustrated and quickly gives up when he faces a challenge.  His grandfather quickly realizes this and offers his wisdom to Justin, as he knows Justin greatly looks up to him; he appears to be the dominant male figure in his life.  His grandfather teaches him that real men emote and real men rope cattle just as easily as they bake biscuits.  Lovely indeed.  
Another aspect of this narrative that I love is the history readers learn about the Black Cowboys.  His grandfather weaves in stories about their families migration from Tennessee to the midwest post-slavery, and shows the bravery that is apart of his bloodline.  This is a book that encourages young boys to have pride in themselves and their history, and to always try your best to do the right thing  This book encourages young boys to be diligent and have love for self, a critical message in this day in age.  

Instructional Considerations
 The text is written at a 620 Lexile level (2nd-3rd grade). Students can read story aloud with a focus on fluency as well as vocabulary and comprehension.  

Attached is a lesson plan from the Desoto Public School District (Kansas).  It contains essential and useful vocabulary word lists, text dependent questions, and a writing prompt.  
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Education and knowledge are often entangled in political conspiracy in an effort to oppress a group of people in society.  Leaders operate off the idea that if knowledge is power, then misinformation, miseduation, and lack of knowledge is just as powerful to those that hold the pen, and crippling to those that do not.  Thankfully, some people who have access to that pen are rewriting narratives based on truth in an effort to rectify the wrongs of this world, namely those that result from "white" supremacy and superiority.

Black Athena, written by Martin Bernal in 1987, is a three-volume text that highlights how Egyptian and Phoenician philosophy, science, and culture influence Greece in particular and western civilization as a whole.  Bernal's premise is that Greece's African and Semitic origins were common knowledge prior to the mid-18th century.  A shift in understanding and perspective occurred when European scholars focused efforts on proving European superiority to Africans and Asians.  The fact that Egypt, an African nation, and the Phoenicians were the sources of great European thought did not sit well with the racist and anti-Semetic thinking that has and continues to permeate academia.  Thus, social and biological scientists were commissioned to rewrite the historical narrative in favor of the Greek, Roman, and Nordic European.  Bernal's work forces readers to look at early Europe differently and challenge the prevailing belief that democracy, science, and philosophy are exclusively "European possessions".  Featuring prominent classical scholar Molly Levine of Howard University, and Black Studies professor Leonard Jefferies, this is documentary offers a poignant view of world history; one that historians have attempted to bury.  Honors to Jefferies, Levine, Bernal, and other scholars that seek to enlighten the world with truth and knowledge.