I thought it was interesting that Slater showed the advantages and disadvantages to online discourse; and showed the importance of accountability and justice. Social media shapes behaviors of students in and out of school, how do we as upcoming teachers take this and teach them their actions have consequences even when it‘s posted online and not in school?

I will definitely be including this on my bookshelf, ideally it would be nice to have students read at least bits and pieces of this to teach on the importance of consequences of posting online but finding a unit to put it in may be difficult depending on the grade.
I think this book should be read by teachers so they can learn ways to advocate for their students and teach them accountability matters for ALL students

A nonfiction book that keeps your attention and informs the reader while telling of the story and dangers of digital media. I love that interviews and real accounts were pulled into this to be used by the author as evidence in a sense. Having the multiple perspectives and standpoints in this book is an interesting way to write and very much appreciated, it would have been nice to see more of the affected girls‘ story/side.

{just to remember for later on} This weeks book and my second choice book, “Dark Parts of the Universe” by Samuel Miller could be paired and compliment one another in a lesson/unit about themes and use them as examples to coming of age as a theme.

“On language: I made every effort to use historically accurate language used in this book” (pg 397).
I appreciated the extensive author‘s note at the end and bibliography included. It shows that Lo put the time, effort, and energy into making this novel so that it is a strong piece of work, culturally relevant, grammatically correct for the time it was based, and while remaining sensitive to subjects.

In a post colonial class that I had we talked about conformity to the extent that as a person lives in the same place as the colonizers they begin to take on characteristics to fit in or because they‘ve rubbed off. The book Reminds me of this as we see Lily adapt to the environment around her but also staying true to her culture. Having a dual identity to conform to the environment but also not give up on her heritage.

I didn‘t particularly enjoy this book, it definitely wouldn‘t have been a fun choice read for me but I liked getting to read something different and not my speed so that I can use it later in a book recommendation. It may also not be a book that I teach but it will definitely go on my class bookshelf so that student can have a book to grab and relate to whether through identity or culture.

“Life lessons live in fiction.” “This is what books can do, but only if the reader is deeply engaged with the text.”
Students aren‘t going to be engaged with a text if they don‘t enjoy it, when they have options and choices they seem to be more interested and engaged and can become a better person, leaner, and reader (speaking from personal experience in this one).

On page 15 Kittle talks about teachers know students aren‘t reading what they‘ve assigned yet they continued to assign readings they knew weren‘t being used. A question that came to my mind while reading this is why not find something that amused them more? If our goal as teachers is to raise up lifelong readers why not find ‘gateway‘ readings for these students to see they can engage in readings they enjoy.

“It is one thing to say, "These kids aren't prepared." It's quite another to make them no better, or even worse, in the year that we have them.”
I had never thought about lack of progress in the classroom is caused by practices of the teacher and are looked at as the student getting worse in that area rather than better. Difficult curriculum and continuing to push students ahead affects them and their learning more than I had ever thought.

Media-literacy and knowing how to be informed while on the internet is important. This book throws out vocabulary words that we see around everywhere on media but don‘t know the real meaning, and gives new more detailed words to use about fact checking. With how fast paced the world is and how much technology plays a part in our lives this book teaching how to discern misinformation or disinformation is so so important.

“‘I realize I still have some unanswered questions. Let me go do some research and then I‘ll get back to you‘” (p 91).
We aren‘t meant to know everything about every topic that people (students) might throw our way so instead of making a quick guess, take the time and let them know you‘re not certain but will research it and come back to them. It shows them you‘re human too and you too are still learning as they are.

“Stories hold the power to shift our beliefs and influence our behaviors” (pg 70).
It was super interesting to see how much cognitive work goes into play when we read stories or news articles. Most of chapter two kept me so hooked because it was so cool to see how our brain works with reading and then making decisions.

Seeing formations like this always makes me think about my high school English teacher who had us write a poem in the shape of a thing relating to the theme (shape poems). Even if this isn‘t necessarily a shape I think the scattered-ness of it brings about a theme of scattered thoughts. Shapes are all about bringing an experience of reading the poem, or in this case the novel and I think McBride executed this in a cool way when you notice

This description and personification of sorrow was super interesting to me. I had not thought about people being so engulfed with sorrow and pain that they felt like it was holding them in a grip so tight they couldn‘t move. It seems like McBride personifies sorrow throughout this novel to show the hold it has on this person, on page 172-3 “sorrow chuckles…taps its fingers…smiles.” It was neat to me to read this and acknowledge what others feel

Round of applause for McBride tackling these issues that most people (and authors) just breeze over. She was able to bring awareness using their inner thoughts. That said I am not a fan of this style of book, I don‘t like the novel in verse writing or fantasy reads. Absolutely nothing against McBride taking on these topics and themes is super important I will absolutely keep this on my bookshelf to recommend to students it‘s just not my cup of tea

“‘While the meaning of a book may be informed by the author‘s intentions, it isn‘t defined by them” (of 67).
This is a wow statement that I think is important to remember as readers take on a book. It‘s how we interpret and understand books that make them what they are to us, the author does not define everything in it so that the reader is left to their own devices. Students should know and learn that early in their learning journey.

“You learn more about the story and you also learn more about yourself as a reader…” (pg 32).
This is the part where the students are told they‘re going to read Harriet the Spy, some of them had already read it and this is what the teacher had to say about reading books over again. I thought it was such a good takeaway to remember even for us in college, reading books over again can be important and teach you even more than you can imagine

I really enjoyed reading this book, I was able to pick it up and not put it down until it was over. I can see myself recommending it to students in the future so they can see that everyone, no matter the age, has a voice to use and can speak up. I also think this gave a good inside look on how book bans and challenges go about getting solved, something students may not know too much about!

There are bigger things than the what, learning the why gives so much more context and knowledge to the story of everything. This is one of the parts that I thought was a great life lesson to take away, that most people (including me) don‘t think about all the time. Teaching students this in the classroom and setting the stage with this in mind from the get go will build a strong classroom environment.

I did not think would like this since it‘s a graphic novel, they are not my favorite read, but I enjoyed the book for what it was worth. The funny moments, familial aspect, showing history, and bringing attention to more political aspects all brought the book together and made it a fun, easy, and fast read.

Absolutely loved reading this book, it was such a fast easy read that will absolutely be recommended to students, even if it‘s just showing them one of the many stories in this book. It was a unique way to be able to read so many stories from different authors with varying writing styles but almost all having a main theme of teaching a lesson of finding purpose and enjoying who you are in your family and culture, and where you are put at in life.

A cool thing/side-note from Alexander‘s “Seventy-Six Dollars and Forty-Nine cents” mentioned father, Jack Jackson. My grandfather‘s name is Jackie Jackson and great grandfather‘s name was Jack Jackson as well

“The Beans and Rice Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn” by Kelly J. Baptist is one of the few stories in this that I would love to have more of the story, to know what happens after and maybe even have a blurb of the story the dad had written. The high hopes of Isaiah (publishing the story) given the circumstances surrounding him is admirable and would be a great short read to give students in my future class.

Meg Medina‘s story “Sol Painting, Inc.” was one of the first of these stories to stick out to me. The siblings dynamic is what caught my attention at first and made me think back to my own family life, being the oldest I was able to think about how my younger siblings may have felt about standards that were set for us. The big thing that sticks out is the use of bilingual dialogue that was kept in, it was such an interesting read for me.