Ms. Dirickson's Reading List

       "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou is one of the most classic autobiographies to date. She tells of her difficult childhood, and the hardships she faced, but she does so in a poetic manner. Maya explains the racism she experiences in Stamps, Arkansas, as well as her familial problems she suffers in Missouri and California. Everywhere she goes, her life is followed by tragedy, until she is finally old enough to find her own footing in the world and stand up for herself. Her story is very emotional, painful and yet so moving and inspiring.      As a teacher, I would suggest this book for 10th - 12th grade, as there is some very mature and intense moments in the novel. I also believe it is important to preface with the culture of the time, and explain what most people of color were experiencing at the time. This is a great novel to teach about autobiographies and memoirs, and also to delve into a poetry unit. I also view it as an opportunity to teach about

      "The Atomic City Girls" is a Historical Fiction novel by Janet Beard. The novel begins with a prologue to give the reader some background, where the government has started buying people's homes and forcing them to leave immediately. Their goal was to build Oak Ridge - a sector of the Manhattan Project - in the state of Tennessee. The men and women who were recruited to work here were also strictly held to privacy, just like those working on the Manhattan project in New Mexico. The story focuses on June Walker, a young farm girl from Tennessee. She is hired to work at Oak Ridge only a year after she graduated high school, and she is doing a job she does not really know the purpose of- she only knows that she is to operate a machine, and she can never tell anyone about her work or where she lives. Throughout the novel, she struggles with romance, homesickness, and of course her curiosity about the project. June's story at Oak Ridge is based on the women who worked

  Cover of "The Place Where You Live" by James Luna, Illustrated by Thelma Muraida     "The Place Where You Live" is a children's book about home. The author is from San Bernardino, California and grew up with Mexican and American culture. Every page has the words printed in English and Spanish, and contains beautiful artwork to help the reader understand the book. Throughout the story, the author describes "the place where you live", which is your home. He describes what his kitchen is like when his grandmother (Abuela) is cooking, what school is like, the park, corner store, library and more. Throughout the book, the reader can get an idea of what the characters daily lives are like, and more importantly what their favorite aspects of home are.  I really enjoyed the artwork in this book. I have said this almost every week, but I really do think this is my favorite artwork. The colors are very bright and warm, and each page reminds me of the time I ha

                                                                  Harriet Tubman: Toward Freedom Cover     "Harriet Tubman: Toward Freedom" is a graphic novel about the infamous Harriet Tubman's life. The book opens with an introduction explaining some of the historical context as well as Harriet's significance. The story then starts with Harriet in her late 20's, after her initial escape, and then jumps back and forth between different points in time to depict different parts of her life. The main event it chronicles is when she returns to where she was formerly enslaved to help her brother's escape their enslavement and find a free life in Canada. The book is approximately 100 pages long, if the reader goes through the Introduction and the "Panel Discussions" in the back of the book, which explain the different characters of the story as well as a few important factors, such as Harriet's head injury and what the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 entai

                                                                          "My Powerful Hair" Cover         " My Powerful Hair" is a picture book for elementary age students, but the message and history behind it is deep, and powerful. The story is told from a young Native girl's point of view, and she explains how she wants to grow out her hair, because it holds memories and strength for Native peoples. The book explains the cultural significance of growing one's hair and connecting to earth, how braiding a loved one's hair is a symbol of love, and the act of cutting one's hair and putting it in a loved one's grave. All of these actions are important to Native American culture, and it was something I did not understand as a child personally. I did not truly learn about these traditions and symbols until I was in college and made friends with native people who are still involved with their tribes.  At the back of the book, the author provides a ba

  For this week's graphic novel theme, I could not pass up the opportunity to re-read Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. When the first book came out, I was in 3rd grade. I remember it very quickly taking over the scholastic book fair, and everyone fighting to get a copy from the library. I think this is the first time I really experienced a cultural obsession with a book, where everyone at school was reading it, knew the inside jokes from it, and just couldn't get enough of it. It really was that important. That was 2009. I'm 26, and it still holds up as a very funny book. My boyfriend, and all of our friends, know what we're referencing when we say "they have the cheese touch". Like I said- this book was a cultural phenomenon. Not because it was romantic or life changing literature, but because we could all laugh and relate to it. What's not to like? The story is told from the perspective of a middle school student, Greg Heffley. Greg decides to start