Must Reads

Some books should be read because they teach amazing lessons. Some books should be read because they are immensely enjoyable (for me that means that they make me FEEL something). Some books should be read because they give you a new view of a topic that you couldn't otherwise have. Some books should be read because others think they should be banned. The two books I'm talking about fit all of those categories.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas will stay with me for a while. I wanted to cry through much of it, but it was light-hearted enough that it didn't send me into a depression. I loved that there was a white kid in the book that was a part of the life of one of the main characters, but still kind of clueless as to what she was going through. It shows that no matter how hard we try, we cannot know what goes on in the lives and minds of others. I love that it was realistic in regards to the friendships and everything else that happened.

There are parts of it that I can see people not wanting high-schoolers to read:the relationship parts (but honestly, it's what high-schoolers are dealing with),the drug references and gangs (however those aren't things that are unfamiliar to high-schoolers either), and the language.

The content of the book and what the characters go through are things that high-schoolers need to read, whether because they experience it as well, or that it is foreign to them. Just because a book has things that may be objectionable to some doesn't mean it doesn't have worth. As a white woman I needed to read this book and the book I'm about to discuss. I don't see things the way some people do and I needed to have their lens in front of my eyes at least for a little while. I have some of the fears that were expressed in the books, however not to the extent that was described in the books. I am thankful for the life that I lead, and thankful that I got to experience someone else's view of the world through the safety of a book. I am blessed.

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely is similar to The Hate U Give, but incredibly different at the same time. This book is so good. There is a lot of cursing which fits with the characters, but I still find to be too much. However, the content of the book is what makes it a worthy read. I would love to know what happens next, but the last line of the book was perfect and I wouldn't want anything to mess that up.

This is another book that high-schoolers should read. I am not sure that middle-schoolers are the right age group for this text, although I did recommend these two books to my students for when they get older.

I love that it goes back and forth between Rashad, the kid beaten by the police, and Quinn, the white kid who witnessed it. Seeing how this event impacted their lives and the lives of their families and friends gets you thinking. The tough questions that are asked, that are uncomfortable, that is why I think it should be read by students. 

I am able to look through things with a different lens after reading these two books and I am forever grateful that they were put into my hands.