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A review by sfujii
Fresh Ink by Lamar Giles
4.0
4.5 stars for this one.
I am always on the lookout for good short texts to incorporate into my classroom, but many of my discoveries feel like more of the same voice. I loved this collection because it was anything BUT that.
In case there are any fellow educators on the hunt, I'm including a super brief description of the beautiful voices in this anthology.
"Eraser Tattoo" - Jason Reynolds - a young couple says goodbye as the girl moves away. Subtle messages about race (white family moving into their old apartment), but it's also a sweet love story.
Interesting symbolism with the tattoo she gives him with an eraser.
"Meet Cute" - Malinda Lo - the setting is a Sci Fi Fantasy convention. Two girls meet by chance when the wifi goes out, and they have a spark. Very sweet love story.
"Don't Pass Me By" - Eric Gansworth - a young Native Indian endures health class. constantly comparing himself with another girl "from the Rez" who makes more of an effort to remove herself from her culture. Defining moment when he chooses to color his anatomy color sheet (wtf...) with his actual skin tone v. the colors he has been given by the teacher.
"Be Cool for Once" - Aminah Mae Safi - a pair of friends goes to a concert, and surprise! The boy one of them likes is there. She is shy, he is super popular - much cute.
"Tags" - Walter Dean Myers - written as a short play, it's a group of boys all tagging a hallway in the afterlife.
"Why I learned to Cook" Sara Farizan - A young girl wants to come out as bi-sexual to her Persian grandmother. She learns to cook in order to invite her girlfriend over.
"A Stranger at the Bochinche" - Daniellas Josè Older - Sci fi vibes. A notebook with inventions is stolen by an other worldly creature. A crew of friends goes to retrieve it, only to be confronted by the very monsters they were trying to keep out.
"A Boy's Duty" - Sharon G. Flake -a young runaway works at a restaurant. Trying to define himself amidst presumptions, assumptions, and a crew with different goals than he has.
"One Voice: A Something In-Between Story" - Melissa de la Cruz - Setting is Stanford university after someone graffitis hate speech on one of the campus. She struggles with how to react, and how others are reacting to the injustice. The structure is really cool - each section a different time, or location. This one was a favorite.
"Paladin/Samurai" - Gene Luen Yang - This is a graphic short, with beautiful images highlighting a group of friends playing a game. One of them wants to be a samurai, but that isn't in the rules of the game.
"Catch, Pull, Drive"" = Schuyler Bailar - About a transgender swimmer who has just announced the name and pronouns he will now identify with. He is on the swim team, and attends his first swim practice since the announcement. Powerful internal monologue as he makes his way back and forth across the pool.
"Super Human" - Nicola Yoon - favorite of the favorites. About a super hero, X, who is threatening to destroy humanity. The president calls the Syrita, the first girl he saved with his super hero status, in an effort to try and save humanity. X's identity is revealed, and it becomes a powerful social commentary. OMG. So good. I can't say much more because ... spoiler.
I am always on the lookout for good short texts to incorporate into my classroom, but many of my discoveries feel like more of the same voice. I loved this collection because it was anything BUT that.
In case there are any fellow educators on the hunt, I'm including a super brief description of the beautiful voices in this anthology.
"Eraser Tattoo" - Jason Reynolds - a young couple says goodbye as the girl moves away. Subtle messages about race (white family moving into their old apartment), but it's also a sweet love story.
Interesting symbolism with the tattoo she gives him with an eraser.
"Meet Cute" - Malinda Lo - the setting is a Sci Fi Fantasy convention. Two girls meet by chance when the wifi goes out, and they have a spark. Very sweet love story.
"Don't Pass Me By" - Eric Gansworth - a young Native Indian endures health class. constantly comparing himself with another girl "from the Rez" who makes more of an effort to remove herself from her culture. Defining moment when he chooses to color his anatomy color sheet (wtf...) with his actual skin tone v. the colors he has been given by the teacher.
"Be Cool for Once" - Aminah Mae Safi - a pair of friends goes to a concert, and surprise! The boy one of them likes is there. She is shy, he is super popular - much cute.
"Tags" - Walter Dean Myers - written as a short play, it's a group of boys all tagging a hallway in the afterlife.
"Why I learned to Cook" Sara Farizan - A young girl wants to come out as bi-sexual to her Persian grandmother. She learns to cook in order to invite her girlfriend over.
"A Stranger at the Bochinche" - Daniellas Josè Older - Sci fi vibes. A notebook with inventions is stolen by an other worldly creature. A crew of friends goes to retrieve it, only to be confronted by the very monsters they were trying to keep out.
"A Boy's Duty" - Sharon G. Flake -a young runaway works at a restaurant. Trying to define himself amidst presumptions, assumptions, and a crew with different goals than he has.
"One Voice: A Something In-Between Story" - Melissa de la Cruz - Setting is Stanford university after someone graffitis hate speech on one of the campus. She struggles with how to react, and how others are reacting to the injustice. The structure is really cool - each section a different time, or location. This one was a favorite.
"Paladin/Samurai" - Gene Luen Yang - This is a graphic short, with beautiful images highlighting a group of friends playing a game. One of them wants to be a samurai, but that isn't in the rules of the game.
"Catch, Pull, Drive"" = Schuyler Bailar - About a transgender swimmer who has just announced the name and pronouns he will now identify with. He is on the swim team, and attends his first swim practice since the announcement. Powerful internal monologue as he makes his way back and forth across the pool.
"Super Human" - Nicola Yoon - favorite of the favorites. About a super hero, X, who is threatening to destroy humanity. The president calls the Syrita, the first girl he saved with his super hero status, in an effort to try and save humanity. X's identity is revealed, and it becomes a powerful social commentary. OMG. So good. I can't say much more because ... spoiler.