“When you are targeted for who you are, it doesn't just hurt your feelings. It hurts every cell in your body.“

What a quote. Talking about the intensified consequences of hate crimes, this quote reveals the sheer weight of racism to the victim. Everyone is on the road to figure out their identity; unless it is found in something higher than oneself, that identity can only be temporary. Regardless, when our identities are targeted, that hurts more

I think this is also an important book on the impacts of social media. Teenagers are stupid - that is a part of being a kid. In the past, these actions were covered up or unknown, but now, social media gives students an avenue to publicize their poor choices. I think having conversations not only about racism but about one's digital footprint and being wise online are easily done after reading this. Our world is only getting more digitized.

Alright, straight from the get go: another non-fiction that I did not dread. I think for our students (and us), the idea of a non-fiction read can bring dread and boredom before the first page is even read. However, this book was both interesting and relevant. The situation itself with the memes and social media is sure to keep students engaged, and this will lead to open doors for discussions about hard topics like racism and one's voice.

“That means there was no one from Chinatown to recognize her, but it also made her stand out all the more.“

In a post colonialism class, we often talked about the fragmented identities of the colonized civilizations. The people were not native, but they had begun to adopt the colonizers' ways and were a new “mix“ of people. In the same way, Lily is both not fully conforming to her Chinese traditions but also not completely in this “new“ world.

I think the focus on Lily as a Chinese American is so important! Nowadays, Asian Americans are highly discriminated against and put down in society. We see other marginalized groups receive support, but it feels as though Asian Americans rarely do. I think a book like this raises awareness for students in our classrooms, and though set in the 1900s, this book still has relevant insights for today's America.

“They looked so American.“

This comes at a point in the story when Lily notices other Chinese Americans who looked “so American.“ This really stood out to me. In a divided country, the question of “what it means to be American“ is so up for debate. There are so many political divides and such that it makes a “good American“ a simply subjective term. In Lily's case, this was her experience of racism - maybe being a good American is being yourself.

I love the end of the section of reading that talks about the importance of relationship versus the “system“ in place to keep students reading. Thinking to my high school days, I remember my favorite teachers were the ones who I had the best relationship with. Because of that, I would do their work and even find time to read outside of class just because I knew it mattered from the way they had placed an emphasis on it. I want to be like this.

“Books matter; the rest just gets in the way.“

There is something about HAVING to read that makes anyone (myself included) not want to read. Even worse, in high school, when we would be graded with reading quizzes, I dreaded the reading I did because I knew it was for a grade. Kittle makes a good point here that the BEST reading happens when students get to read on their own - that means creating a class environment that makes reading attractive.

One thing that I really loved that Kittle does is interview their students! I think this is an important strategy to build relationships with your students, and it also allows for you, as the teacher, to know what is going on in the ins-and-outs of your student's reading life. More than just understanding what types of books students read, interviews also allow for a teacher to see a student's reading habits. This can help shape a class.

“Students can get the gist of the book and give it back to us by listening in class, but do they leave tenth grade as stronger, more capable independent readers or just knowing the gist of a few books?“

I found this quote very compelling! My biggest thing that I am concerned about as a future educator is making my students better people - not just students. Being able to think critically for oneself and analyze texts/literature matters.

Overall, I thought this book was a solid book. Initially, I was worried because hearing “nonfiction“ makes me immediately have my guard up (a bias of mine?). However, the formatting of this book made it very digestible, and when thinking practically, I think a book like this is useful in showing students that reading nonfiction does not have to be boring. This book was relevant and informative, and it can help us navigate information in the year.

Ahh, the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary. What a hilarious example of how misinformation can spread like wildfire - even if it is ridiculous! I think misinformation and fake news is even more “lethal“ in our society because of things like A.I.. Nowadays, A.I. has become so advanced that it is hard to tell sometimes what is true and what is not. I wonder what the implications of this are especially as A.I. only continues to advance further and further.

I think this book is very eye opening for students who come from a homogeneous culture. Often, we believe what we believe because that is the way it has always been. This book really challenges readers to critically think of how they came to believe what they believe, and when thinking about creating productive citizens in society, this is important. To seek out the origin of our beliefs can be a scary thing, but it is our role as a teacher.

“Some of the data stored in your brain is not accurate...“

I remember learning in psychology how we create false memories of certain events. We think we are completely factual, but our brains have created an unreal narrative of what actually went down. It's actually super important for instances in court and such. I think this is important for both students and teachers though. we need to be critically thinking and not trusting only ourselves.

I liked what Kittle said about introducing students to book talks. You model what you want for them, and then you release responsibility to them to go and do their own book talk. I think pairing this with things like TikTok and Instagram could be super fun! There is literally a whole side of TikTok called “BookTok“ that is basically mini book talks. Having students interact with one another on there and post is a cool way to be relevant.

“The only way out is through.“

What a line! In dealing with difficult emotions and anxiety, the only (true) way to escape them and be free is to face them head on. I think this line works well with the magical realism elements too, and the ominous forest is a cool thing to relate mental health issues too. When one finds themselves in the woods, the only way to get out is to go through the woods; the same applies to mental health issues.

I think this book is why young adult literature shines. It takes a serious topic like mental health and presents it in an appropriate and manageable way for young adults. This generation is the most anxious generation (because of the “darn phones“), and so I feel like, to some extent at least, most students can relate to the events in the book. When thinking about engagement, having characters or situations that students can relate to matters.

One part I liked that Kittle mentioned when discussing Book Talks was when she suggested reading a short passage. I think this is such an important thing to do for our students. Not only does this show students what the prose of the book is like, but it also allows us to teach them how to read. What I mean by that is they can hear us use different inflection and emphasis as we speak, and they can take that into their own reading experience.

“We are who we are and we'll be who we'll be. A book can make us feel that, but it can't invent that. It is already inside of us.“

This sounds sweet at first, but I do not like this idea. This idea assumes that we cannot change as people, and that we cannot choose to act/not act on the things we feel. I think it is pretty clear that in everything in life, what you put into something is what you're going to get out. Acknowledging this is important

According to the article, 15-24 year olds only read for fun 7-10 minutes everyday. That is wild! For us as aspiring educators, it is an uphill battle to get kids to read and actually engage with texts. I think it is so important for us to be aware of the reality of education and reading - students are not going to be reading everything we assign. They may not read at all. That is why it is important for us to use multiple avenues of engagement.

Banned in the USA Web Article

10,046 book bans! That is a ton of instances of books challenged/removed in a school. Something this made me think about was the litigation (?) of it all. The school year is already so tight with time, and having issues like book bans can take up even more time. I think the topics banned are understandable to me - there are so many issues and viewpoints that it is hard to please everyone.

I really like the topic of banned books. I think this, even, is a book that could be banned in some places, and I love the meta aspect of it all. A book like this helps students think about what constitutes a worthy ban for a book, and having this in a narrative format is a really interesting and unique way to stir up discussions. I think, regardless of how students feel on the LGBTQ issue, thinking about these topics are relevant.

Immediately, I think that comic books are so helpful for students! It provides them a visual medium for text, and it is often less intimidating for them. What I really love about Martin's work is that it is quite bright and vibrant. It grabs the eye and is fun to take in as one is reading it. Too, Martin often does unique borders for his art here. Specifically, I liked the scene in the RV where other cells are above them as they travel.

We Need More Diverse Books Website

This website was very insightful. I looked at their programs, and they offer things like mentorships to marginalized authors to help them edit their work and seek publication. When it comes to what our students read, the literary canon has been the same for decades. Organizations like these are extremely helpful in getting material out that will reflect our students and current culture.

“Some of us slip and slide between an American-style name and a Mexican one.“

I thought this quote was very powerful and telling of the conflict that would be found throughout this book. The fact that there are American and Mexican names show a duality in identity found in these characters - the fact that they “slip and slide“ between these names/identities shows how they come and go based on their environment and other factors.

Comics Belong in the Classroom - video
I think what he said about the “permanence“ in comic books is an interesting idea. Giving students the ability to choose their own pace and the ability to go back and read something they did not understand is very helpful for a teacher. Instead of having to “hold the hands“ of the students, they can allow them their own autonomy to go back and reread the things they need to.

I just thought it was important to say - the layout in “Main Street“ is different than the other writing! When thinking of ways to get students to read, I feel like we have to break their expectations. Changing the layout of a text or the structure of it is a good way to grasp students. Plus, most of her breaks leave sentences isolated, and this makes the text less intimidating for readers who otherwise would struggle.

In “Sol Painting. Inc.,“ the moment where the girls disturb the paint is so interesting to me because a lot is going on. For one, the stereotype of “protective“ manhood is challenged - the narrator expects her father to be angry; he instead reacts passively. This is further complicated by the motivation for him acting this way: he doesn't want to ruin things for his children. I think there is an argument about how racism emasculates individuals.

“For people like you, ball is more than just ball.
It's a way out.“

Right off the bat, as an aspiring educator, I can see how the stories within this book are going to make an impact. The idea of a sport being “a way out“ will resonate with students who are not high achievers or have their own “ways out.“ Students like to relate to characters, and this can be helpful in engaging those students who do not feel academically able.