Annotated Bibliography - Diversity / Multicultural
Bui, T. (2017). The Best We Could Do: An illustrated memoir. New York
YA Universal Theme(s): Family, Racism, Identity, Coming of Age, War, Hope
Grade Level: Secondary
Summary: This graphic novel tells the story of a Vietnamese family who flees to American in the late '70s. The story is narrated by a girl named Bui, and she switches between past and present to give the reader a complete understanding of the challenges of immigration. The story flashes back to tell the story of Bui's father and how his childhood was devastated by the political turmoil in the 1950s. On the contrary, Bui's mother was raised in a privileged home, and she gave birth to Bui and her siblings while still living in Vietnam. Bui's family fled from the Communist uprising after the war ended, and Bui was only three years old when she and her family escaped South Vietnam. Unfortunately, the family continued to struggle once they had settled in the United States. Culture shock, language barriers, and incessant racism were among some of the most difficult challenges of immigrating. Bui's parents go through an enormous struggle to provide for their family while working long hours at a low-paying job. Before Bui was old enough to attend school, she would stay home with her father and contend with his damaging paranoia and superstition. Bui and her family had a very difficult time assimilating comfortable into American society. Americans use racial slurs against her family, and Bui feels incredibly unwelcome in this strange place. Years later, Bui tells the story of how she gave birth to a son who has grown to be 10 years old. Bui fears that she will transmit all the horrors of fleeing the war onto her child. As the title suggests, Bui understands that she must follow the example of her parents and do her best to provide a more peaceful life for her child.
Hosseini, K. (2003). The Kite Runner: A Graphic Novel New York: Riverhead Books.
YA Universal Theme(s): Friendship, Coming of Age, Good vs Evil, Innocence, Redemption
Grade Level: Secondary
Summary: This novel is narrated by a boy named Amir who had grown up in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Amir grows up in an upper-middle-class household with his father and servants. Amir is good friends with one servant boy named Hassan. These two friends have both lost their mothers, one to childbirth and the other to abandonment. Although there is a significant ethnic and socioeconomic gap between them, Amir and Hassan have a genuine and brotherly friendship. Amir has a tense relationship with his father. While Amir's father values machismo and sports, Amir is more interested in poetry. In order to impress his father, Amir and Hassan compete in the annual kite-fighting tournament. Amir flies the kite, and Hassan has the role of the kite runner who will chase down the opposing kite once it falls to the ground. Hassan finds the enemy kite, but he also gets mixed up with three cruel bullies. The bullies threaten Hassan at first, but their leader attacks Hassan and rapes him in the street. Amir hides during the attack unable to do anything to help besides hiding. Amir feels incredible shame for his cowardice, and Hassan refuses to talk about the incident. Amir doesn't know how to fix their relationship, so he decides to sabotage it instead. During a party, Amir plants cash in Hassan's room, and he accuses his friends of stealing. Hassan and his father leave shamefully. Later, the Soviet Union closes in on Afghanistan, so Amir and his father make a daring escape through Pakistan to California. Growing up in America, Amir's father struggles to earn money, but Amir eventually falls in love with a a woman named Soraya. Eventually, Amir's father dies of cancer, and he marries Soraya. One day, Amir receives a call to return to Afghanistan for a chance to redeem himself. Once he arrives, Amir learns that Hassan has been executed, but his son is being held captive by the same man who had raped Hassan. Amir goes to rescue the child, and he brings the child back to The United States.
Washington, M. (2013). Remembering the March on Washington, and King's historic speech. Retrieved May 30, 2019, from https://newsela.com/read/civilrights-march/id/929/
YA Universal Theme(s): Racism, Justice, Community,
Grade Level: Secondary
Summary: This article was written in lieu of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington D.C. 50 years later, thousands of people have gathered to continue the ongoing fight for total racial equality. At this event, a man named John Lewis spoke to the crowd. He was apart of the 1963 march with Dr. King, and his words generated inspiration and courage within the crowd. Mr. Lewis stories of his encounters with brutal violence and multiple arrests, but he has not stopped fighting for civil rights. Within the crowd, many people had donned buttons, signs, and pins in remembrance for Trayvon Martin, and his mother received a great cheer when she appeared in front of the crowd. The article highlights people from all around the country who have traveled to the capital to participate in the fight for equality. Some of the members of the crowd express gratitude for their ability to gather and protest peacefully. In other parts of the world, this sort of gathering would often not be possible without bloodshed. Later, President Barack Obama is expected to deliver a speech on the same spot where Dr. King stood 50 years earlier. President Obama is expected to share his reflections on how the United States has come far in half a century, but there is still much more work to be done.
Berman, M. (2017). FBI says hate crime rate climbs as Jews, Muslims, LGBTs mostly targeted. Retrieved May 30, 2019, from https://newsela.com/read/increase-hate-crimes/id/37730/
YA Universal Theme(s): Injustice, Good vs Evil, Religion, Sexuality, Racism
Grade Level: Secondary
Summary: This article goes into detail about the pervasive issue of hate crimes spreading across the United States. The FBI made a statement that Jews, Muslims, and people in the LGBTQ community have been the most targeted groups of these hate crimes. Since the previous year, there has been an increase of over a hundred reported hate crimes across the country. This information from the FBI illustrates a growing sense of bias, unease, and tension across different religious groups in this country. People believe the Trump Administration's ideology has played a role in the increase in hate groups and hate-related incidents. About half of all hate-crimes are targeted towards people who are African-American. Additionally, about half of all hate crimes are committed by people who are white. The article points out that most of these sets of data are considered incomplete two reasons. First, not every hate crime is successfully reported, and even if they are reported, not all jurisdictions share their statistics with the public. The former FBI director was quoted saying he wants to improve the tracking and interception of hate groups before another incident.
Washington, M. (2013). Remembering the March on Washington, and King's historic speech. Retrieved May 30, 2019, from https://newsela.com/read/civilrights-march/id/929/
YA Universal Theme(s): Racism, Justice, Community,
Grade Level: Secondary
Summary: This article was written in lieu of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington D.C. 50 years later, thousands of people have gathered to continue the ongoing fight for total racial equality. At this event, a man named John Lewis spoke to the crowd. He was apart of the 1963 march with Dr. King, and his words generated inspiration and courage within the crowd. Mr. Lewis stories of his encounters with brutal violence and multiple arrests, but he has not stopped fighting for civil rights. Within the crowd, many people had donned buttons, signs, and pins in remembrance for Trayvon Martin, and his mother received a great cheer when she appeared in front of the crowd. The article highlights people from all around the country who have traveled to the capital to participate in the fight for equality. Some of the members of the crowd express gratitude for their ability to gather and protest peacefully. In other parts of the world, this sort of gathering would often not be possible without bloodshed. Later, President Barack Obama is expected to deliver a speech on the same spot where Dr. King stood 50 years earlier. President Obama is expected to share his reflections on how the United States has come far in half a century, but there is still much more work to be done.
Berman, M. (2017). FBI says hate crime rate climbs as Jews, Muslims, LGBTs mostly targeted. Retrieved May 30, 2019, from https://newsela.com/read/increase-hate-crimes/id/37730/
YA Universal Theme(s): Injustice, Good vs Evil, Religion, Sexuality, Racism
Grade Level: Secondary
Summary: This article goes into detail about the pervasive issue of hate crimes spreading across the United States. The FBI made a statement that Jews, Muslims, and people in the LGBTQ community have been the most targeted groups of these hate crimes. Since the previous year, there has been an increase of over a hundred reported hate crimes across the country. This information from the FBI illustrates a growing sense of bias, unease, and tension across different religious groups in this country. People believe the Trump Administration's ideology has played a role in the increase in hate groups and hate-related incidents. About half of all hate-crimes are targeted towards people who are African-American. Additionally, about half of all hate crimes are committed by people who are white. The article points out that most of these sets of data are considered incomplete two reasons. First, not every hate crime is successfully reported, and even if they are reported, not all jurisdictions share their statistics with the public. The former FBI director was quoted saying he wants to improve the tracking and interception of hate groups before another incident.
Comments
Post a Comment