The Text Adoption Committee recommends adoptions of the following books for use at Woodland High School. The English department intends that each of these books would be optional readings students may select from during their literature circle unit. Currently, the unit of instruction focuses on the book To Kill a Mockingbird and explores social injustice. These books are intended to supplement their learning by exploring current issues of social justice.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The book is a young adult novel that follows events in the life of a black 16-year-old girl, Starr Carter, who is drawn to activism after she witnesses the police shooting of a childhood friend. The text does not demonize any group or provide easy answers about how to respond to injustice rather offers students the opportunity to explore injustice and they might address injustices.
After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson
The book is based on three girls: two black eleven-year-old girls, Neeka and the anonymous narrator, and D Foster, who was of mixed race and had just moved into Neeka and the narrator's neighborhood in Queens, New York. The author packs a lot of topics into an easy-to-read story with a focus on social injustice and issues of equality.
Sold by Patricia McCormick
Sold addresses the sensitive but current problem of sex trafficking in a manner that is approachable for high school students. The narrator is a hardworking 13-year-old Nepalese girl who is sold into prostitution. Despite her circumstance, she makes friends that help her survive until she makes a hard decision that ultimately leads to freedom. Although it is a demanding and sometimes painful book to read, these challenges serve to shed light on a global crisis unknown to most teenagers.
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely
This novel reveals the complexity that accompanies instances of police brutality. The story reveals meaningful perspectives of two boys at the heart of the story. Each boy is of a different race, each highly relatable to contemporary teenagers, both are good-hearted, thoughtful young men thrust into a situation in which they are forced to face decisions and consequences they have never considered before. The book offers students the opportunity to explore different points of view on this social justice issue and explore problems from a variety of perspectives.
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
This book is written as a movie script, which often appeals to reluctant readers. It gives insight into issues that young black males deal with from the perspective of a young black male within the prison system. The book reveals how a single decision changed the main character's life forever. The book offers students the opportunity to explore questions about the path to crime, our judicial system, and the prison system through a perspective different from their own.
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez
This book provides a thoughtful exploration of why families and individuals come to the United States. The main character is a 15-year-old girl who has suffered a traumatic brain injury. Her parents bring her to the United States from Mexico (legally) to try to get better treatment for her. The book focuses on their life in the United States and is told through multiple points of view. The book offers readers the opportunity to understand the character’s situations from more than one perspective.