Tag: racism

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli (J Fiction)

They say Maniac Magee was born in a dump. They say his stomach was a cereal box and his heart a sofa spring. They say he kept an eight-inch cockroach on a leash and that rats stood guard over him while he slept. They say.

Maniac Magee

Jerry Spinelli (J Fiction)

They say Maniac Magee was born in a dump. They say his stomach was a cereal box and his heart a sofa spring. They say he kept an eight-inch cockroach on a leash and that rats stood guard over him while he slept. They say.

In a world where it’s hard to tell what’s real, slight exaggeration, or utter nonsense, one thing that’s undeniably true is that the boy known as Maniac is a straight-up legend. This scraggly orphan with the blown-out sneakers does more than just rescue Arnold Jones from Finsterwald’s backyard, runs along the steel rail of the railroad tracks, sleeps alongside a baby buffalo, and scores an inside-the-park homerun by bunting a frogball. No, sirree. This mythological marvel did what few would even think—nay—dare to do and that’s take on that foul and odious beast separating East End from West End in Two Mills, Pennsylvania. What beast would that be you ask? Racism.

It’s no wonder why Jerry Spinelli’s book received the highest honor in children’s literature—the John Newbery Medal. This heartwarming story of racial division, acceptance, family, and loyalty is as relevant and important today as it was when it was written in 1990. It tackles the ugliness and unfairness of racial prejudice head on with humor and heart and in a way that young readers can understand and absorb its important message of unity and understanding.

Maniac Magee tells the story of twelve-year-old Jeffrey Lionel “Maniac” Magee and his rise from runaway orphan to unforgettable legend. By performing impossible feats, he earns himself not only a spot in town folklore, but also in the hearts of just about everyone he meets. Yet despite his talents and charisma, there are still a few folks—on both sides of Hector Street—who have suffered so much pain and mistreatment in the past that they are unable to forgive, forget, and move on to face a different future.  

In his 1990 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award acceptance speech for Maniac Magee, Spinelli answered the question that so many of his fans and admirers have asked him over the years: “Were you Maniac?” And, in true Jerry Spinelli fashion, he responded, “I sure was. Weren’t we all?” Perhaps none of us will never experience the fame and notoriety of one Maniac Magee, but one thing’s for sure and that’s the world could certainly use a few more just like him right about now.

Rating: 5/5

NEW!! Want to share this book with your homeschooler or classroom? Download our study guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Maniac-Magee-by-Jerry-Spinelli-11348884

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (J Historical Fiction)

“To write a good story, one must watch and listen.”

Moon Over Manifest

Clare Vanderpool (J Historical Fiction)

Every story has a beginning, middle, and an end, but Abilene Tucker’s story seemed to be nothing but middle. It’s 1936 and while her father, Gideon, works a railroad job in Iowa, she is sent to the town where he grew up…Manifest, Kansas. She’s to spend the summer with her father’s old friend, Pastor Shady Howard, whose home is a combination saloon, church, and carpenter’s shop. While upstairs in her father’s old room, Abilene discovers an old cigar box with various trinkets, as well as some handwritten letters addressed to a boy named Jinx. Could these items—a cork, fishhook, silver dollar, key, and a little wooden doll—help Abilene uncover the mystery of her father’s past? With the help of two new friends, Abilene embarks on a hunt for a possible spy and meets a diviner who helps her uncover a few things about her father and herself.

This book covers two periods of time: 1936 (present day narrated by Abilene) and 1918 (told in third person). Although this book makes multiple time jumps involving several characters, Vanderpool does a terrific job at making sure young readers stay engaged by keeping the two storylines separate and straightforward. Our diviner, Sadie, eases readers into the past as she reveals Manifest’s history that involves several actual events including World War I, orphan trains, and the Spanish influenza. Moon Over Manifest does deal with some disturbing content such as racism, murder, alcohol use, and the ugliness of war, but in doing so gives readers an honest and rare opportunity to learn about important periods in American history through the unique lenses of a twelve-year-old hardworking and fearless girl and a thirteen-year-old runaway conman. Together, these two protagonists teach us that everyone deserves a do-over, things are not always what they seem, and perhaps there’s nothing more dangerous than hope.

Vanderpool packs so many wonderful takeaways and lessons into this book but overall, Moon Over Manifest is a celebration of immigrants and the richness and vibrancy they add to the American fabric. Manifest is a community represented by Scotland, Poland, Greece, Norway, Italy, Germany, Hungary, and Russia. These people—from very different countries and cultures—all unite behind a young con artist and collectively take a leap of faith to not only save their town, but to save their way of life and themselves. U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson said on October 3, 1965 at the Statue of Liberty, “The land flourished because it was fed from so many sources—because it was nourished by so many cultures and traditions and peoples.” Although Manifest was a town torn apart by racism and stricken with war and an epidemic, its community flourished because of the strength and uniqueness of its people…people who were all lucky enough to call Manifest home.

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher (YA Fiction)

Whale Talk  

Chris Crutcher (YA Fiction)

It’s interesting being “of color” in a part of the country where Mark Fuhrman has his own radio talk show. My parents have always encouraged me to be loud when I run into racism, but I can’t count on racism being loud when it runs into me.

The Tao “T.J.” Jones is almost 18, adopted, and of mixed race (he’s black, Japanese, and white). He’s had to deal with racism early and often and isn’t much bothered by it anymore. What bothers him NOW is the elitism and exclusivity that the Cutter High School athletics department has placed on earning a letter jacket—an article of clothing he vehemently avoids acquiring. But after he’s recruited (rather academically coerced) into starting a swim team, he sets his sights on taking back his slice of the pie and assembles the unlikeliest group of misfits with the promise that each will earn a letter jacket of their own. Over the weeks, these young men not only begin to strengthen physically, but they start to heal emotionally and the lessons they learn in the water will stay with them long after the last swimmer touches the wall.

Crutcher’s Whale Talk was one of the American Library Association’s Top Five Most Challenged Books in 2005 and was removed from the Limestone County, Alabama school district’s five high school libraries for racism and offensive language. But the book also received countless honors and awards—all well deserved. Was the language spicy and derogatory? Sure was. There were also instances of physical abuse, bullying, child abuse, sexual assault, not to mention a little teacher-student blackmail, but instead the school board decided to focus on the “bad words” thus denying its students the opportunity to benefit from the many lessons contained in this exceptional book.

Whale Talk is my first introduction to Chris Crutcher and it won’t be my last. The story (think The Sandlot meets The Outsiders) is a feel-good story about a bunch of misfits who—led by a no-nonsense coach; a homeless, loyal assistant; and a talented, fearless team captain—band together to defy the odds and earn themselves a coveted prize. It’s a tale as old as time. Crutcher could have easily written a trite and predictable underdog story, but instead delivers a tale full of heart, hope, and forgiveness. These kids are diamonds in the rough and each is given an opportunity to shine and show their worth not only to their team, but to one another. These are principled young men who understand that they’re not fighting for a jacket with a fancy letter, but they’re standing up against stereotypes and proving that they are more than the label they’ve been assigned by their peers and society. These characters are steadfastly devoted to each other and you can’t help but cheer as each touches the wall and moves closer to achieving their goal. Crutcher is a master storyteller and truly taps into the high-school mindset with characters that are relatable, likeable, and you just can’t help but root for. With morally centered characters (including T.J.’s adoptive parents and especially his father who was given an incredibly heartbreaking backstory) and themes of acceptance, perseverance, and grace, Whale Talk should be moved from the banned books and instead placed on the required reading list.

Although T.J. may have started this journey with a questionable motive, he learned a lot about his teammates and himself along the way. There is a common theme of being able to project your own thoughts and feelings to the world so that everyone would instantly know your challenges, struggles, triumphs, and joys. T.J.’s therapist once told him that, “There is very little about humans that doesn’t have to do with connection.” Author Rachel Naomi Remen wrote, “The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen.” Imagine how many problems we could solve if we all just stopped being human for a moment and instead started acting a bit more like whales.

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams (YA Fiction)

Genesis Begins Again

Alicia D. Williams (YA Fiction)

Thirteen-year-old Genesis Anderson hates moving (her family is on number four), broken promises (too many to count), her father’s hateful words when he’s had too much to drink (too painful to count), her hair, and staying with her grandmother. She also hates the darkness of her skin, which she’s tried to lighten using a variety of household products. But mostly, Genesis hates the list that was started back in sixth grade by two classmates who listed one hundred things (the stupid girls only listed sixty) they hated about her. The joke’s on them because Genesis has been adding to that list on her own and will probably make it to 100 in no time. There’s a lot of things Genesis hates, but a new school with new friends and new opportunities finally show Genesis that there are a lot of things to like. With things finally beginning to look up, you can bet that it won’t be long before something comes along to mess it all up. Genesis hates that.

Very few young adult books have grabbed me the way Genesis Begins Again has. Williams’s opening paragraph leads us into a false sense of security that is quickly and horribly stripped away in a matter of paragraphs. Williams snuffs out our girl’s light in one raw and shameful event that immediately shows us the obstacles that Genesis faces, the character of the “friends” she has, and the girl that she ultimately is. Behind all that self-loathing is a strong, loyal, fierce, and intelligent girl who is wise beyond her years and determined to make her fractured world whole again…no matter the cost. She is instantly a character that we root for and we find ourselves either wanting to take her by the shoulders to remind her that she’s better than she thinks or wrap our arms around her to reassure her that everything will be alright.

It’s hard to believe that this is Williams’s debut novel. It received the Newbery Honor award in 2020, as well as the John Steptoe Award for New Talent. Her book began as an autobiography but was soon revised to better reflect the present rather than the past. The themes of bullying and colorism play predominantly throughout the story and often emanate from surprising and unexpected sources. The characters are wonderfully developed, the prose is engaging and allows us to fully immerse ourselves within Genesis’s world, the conflicts and outcomes are realistic, and there’s enough drama and tension to keep the story moving at a wonderful pace.

Highlighting the important and influential role that teachers have on our children, Genesis is highly influenced by her music teacher, Mrs. Hill. It is she who introduces Genesis to Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Etta James who showed her that there is beauty in brokenness and joy beyond the pain. Music healed Genesis…it freed her…and proved to be a lifeline to those around her who needed it the most. Billie Holiday once said, “If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all.” All through the story, Genesis was always trying to be someone else: lighter, braver, smarter, hipper, or more popular. It was only after she discovered and began to sing her own song, that she was truly able to begin again.

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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