The Clear Bookbag

Image Courtesy of the Christian Science Monitor

     There is something that a high school teen in a lower economic neighborhood  despises: A clear book bag.

     For some of these neighborhoods, these clear book bags are in response to crime that permeates into high schools and holds them hostage.  Over time, the clear book bags have become  common practice, and are now used in some elementary schools across the city.  Teens have reluctantly accepted this form of adult invasion of privacy.

     For some teens the use of the clear book bags frustrates them because their personal items of value are exposed to all making them a target for theft.  Teens that resale candy, chips and box drinks during school hours are also frustrated because their grocery items are exposed in these bags and often confiscated during the morning x-ray scan.  In a post-Columbine school age, many would argue that this type of added security will provide a safe environment where learning can take place.

Image Courtesy of K.C. Boyd

     Individuality is often times very difficult to celebrate in high school for teens who live in lower income, crime stricken communities.   Teens must adhere to strict policies that dictate the appearance of their uniform, accessories, hair, piercing and the use of the clear book bag.  There are some teens that have embraced this practice as so much that they decorate their book bags with markers, stickers and other symbols that celebrate their individuality.

     Another group of students who display a creative form of teen expression are those teens who enjoy reading Street Literature books.  Also known as Urban Fiction, these soft covered books with their undaunted hip hop inspired titles and eye catching cover art are easily identifiable.  Students enjoy placing the current book that they are reading in the back of the book bag so that it can been seen by others while they are walking down the hallway.  One may observe that this type of display as a walking advertisement, for teens it’s an outward expression of what they feel is hip to read.  Generation Z teens living in economically challenged neighborhoods have found direction, solace and pleasure reading through this often overlooked and misunderstood genre called Street Lit.

Urban Fiction/Street Literature....The Debate Continues

    Yesterday I was informed that there was an interesting discussion about Urban Fiction/Street Literature on the YALSA listserv. After reading the posts and sleeping on it, I decided to put in my two cents.

  I've been using and advocating the use of the genre of Urban Fiction/Street Literature for over 10 years with allot of successes. I pride myself on having a healthy mix of teen friendly and adult Street Lit. books for my teen readers. Regardless of how one may feel about this genre, it's here to stay. 

My student Rebekah describes what Street Lit. means to her and her classmates who live in the Bronzeville neighborhood in Chicago.

My Final Thoughts About Urban Fiction/Street Lit.

1. All stories have VALUE, regardless of the lens/perspective it's told from.

2. Who are any of us (librarians/libraries) to say Urban Fiction is not a genre?

3. Urban Fiction is a genre and Street Literature is a sub-genre of Urban Fiction, both should be respected as such.

4. Urban Fiction is a genre that should be in all library collections for teens and adults. As should other books about various subjects and cultures.

5. To make excuses (I've heard many of them) not to include them is just plain sad and a disservice to your patrons.

6. Urban Fiction is a genre that should not be ignored by librarians. This genre has served as a catalyst to jump start reluctant readers to read more frequently.

7. Urban Fiction has provided a pipeline for readers to learn/understand communities unlike their

own.

8. From my personal experience, many critics of Urban Fiction have not bothered to either read not just one book, but a body of work representing various authors and reading levels.

9. Many critics of Urban Fiction just don't understand it. Just think about it: What happens when we don't understand something....We reject it.

10. Many librarians have Young Adult Urban Fiction and Street Literature books within their collections, and are unaware of their genre classification.

 If you would like to read more on this subject of Urban Fiction/Street Literature you can read my blog post on my other blog, MissDomino.BlogSpot: 

"Street Lit. Writers Must Be Heard"
  http://missdomino.blogspot.com/2014/08/street-lit-writers-must-be-heard.html 

Another post that should be read is Amy Koester's blog post,
"Selection is Privilege"
http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/2015/02/selection-is-privilege.html

Accused by Yasmin Shiraz

Author, Yasmin Shiraz

Yasmin Shiraz has written another winner!  I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of Accused and my students and I can't put it down.  I had read the prequel, Retaliation several years ago.  At that time I was a citywide coordinator for the Mayor Daley's Book Club for Middle School.   After reading Retaliation and observing the similarities between D.C. and Chicago teens, I knew that the students  would enjoy reading the book.  I was right.  Coordinators from across the city emailed commenting how much their clubs enjoyed the story.

I was really excited to hear from Shiraz and learn that she has cleverly continued the story of Ahmed and Tashera in Accused.   I don't want to give away key elements of the story so I have copied the synopsis from Shiraz's website for you to review.  This book is a recommended read for late middle school students through high school.  Stay tuned for an interview of Yasmin Shiraz in an upcoming blog post.

Synopsis:

An easier and more peaceful life seemed to be destined for Ahmed and Tashera when they left Washington, DC and entered Georgia Atlantic University.  But when Ahmed is accused of a crime that he didn’t commit and begins to be tried in the media, his popularity plummets, his self-esteem suffers, and his dreams of playing college basketball disappear.

Meanwhile, there is a serial rapist on campus who has been attacking freshman girls at record numbers and forcing them to keep silent. As Tashera learns about the girls, she begins to close in on the rapist. But is the attacker too crafty to be caught? Will the state prosecutor ignore key evidence to instead focus on the fame that comes with convicting a high profile basketball star?

Tashera is beyond stressed as she divides her time between trying to find enough evidence to clear Ahmed while at the same time stopping the rapist who roams the campus of Georgia Atlantic.  Ahmed and Tashera’s journey into a new life away from home is more challenging than they ever thought that it would be.

School Library Journal & Street Lit.

Special thanks to Dr. Joyce Valenza for her help in spreading the word about the 2014 Street Lit. Book Award Medal winners.  The SLBM list was featured on her NeverEnding Search blog today for School Library Journal.

Here's the link to the article and enjoy! - Street Lit and School Libraries by Dr. Joyce Valenza

2014 Street Literature Book Award Medal Winners/Honorees

Hello all!  Serving on the Street Literature Book Award Medal Committee has been a joy these past couple of years.  Below is a repost of this year's winners from  http://www.streetliterature.com/.    #StreetLitForever - Enjoy!
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For RELEASE: 2014 Street Literature Book Award Medal (SLBAM) Winners and Honorees
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

The 2014 Street Lit Book Award Medal (SLBAM) Committee is proud to announce the award winners for 2013 publications. The following winners and honorees were nominated based on popularity of books as read by the public in school, academic, and public library settings. In other words, the SLBAM honors what street lit readers are reading and deeming as their best authors and titles for the 2013 publication year.

The SLBAM Committee conducted three nomination rounds where they reported on field research of patron readership and reader response to street lit in libraries across the country. The committee discussed all nominated titles. The "Emerging Classic" category recognizes a street lit-plotted or -themed book that was published during or before the year of nomination but continues to be in popular demand by the reading public. Another special category, "Author(s) of the Year", recognizes an author or writing team whose publications were particularly well-received by the reading public during the nomination year. Aside from the "Emerging Classic" category, books eligible for SLBAM nomination were required to be published between January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013.

ADULT NON-FICTION WINNER: 
LETTERS TO AN INCARCERATED BROTHER: ENCOURAGEMENT, HOPE, AND HEALING FROM INMATES AND THEIR LOVED ONES BY HILL HARPER

Readers really resonated with the epistolary-styled book authored author/actor Hill Harper. A long-time activist for social justice, Harper's writings back to inmate letters is awe-inspiring and a clarion call for everyone to acknowledge that if one of us is imprisoned, then, we all are. This title was constantly requested last year, in its hardback version. It is also available on Kindle, and the paperback is due for release in April 2014.

Adult Non-Fiction Honorees:
-- Soul Train: The Music, Dance and Style of a Generation by Quest Love.
-- Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou.
-- Undisputed Truth by Mike Tyson and Larry Sloman.


ADULT FICTION WINNER:
HONOR THY THUG BY WAHIDA CLARK

Author and publisher Wahida Clark has a loyal readership that responds to her books consistently. Clark's works are always authentic in their voice and in their uncompromising representations of what goes on in the hood. Wahida keeps it real in her Thug Love series, of which "Honor Thy Thug" is the latest installment. Readers couldn't get enough of this title in 2013.

Adult Fiction Honorees:
-- The Prada Plan 3: Green-Eyed Monster by Ashley and JaQuavis.
-- Murderville 3: The Black Dahlia by Ashley and JaQuavis.
-- Fly Betty by Treasure Blue.


YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE WINNER: 
HIP HOP BIOGRAPHY SERIES - SADDLEBACK PUBLICATIONS

Saddleback Educational Publishing specializes in publishing relatable and readable fiction and non-fiction for struggling readers. This nicely packaged 10-volume series has engaged teen readers throughout the country since its release in early 2013. Librarians report that this series of 48-paged biographies successfully attracts reluctant readers.

Young Adult Literature (fiction and non-fiction) honorees:
-- Grace, Gold, and Glory My Leap of Faith by Gabrielle Douglass.
-- Way too Much Drama by Earl Sewell.
-- Butterfly: A novel by Sylvester Stephens.

EMERGING CLASSIC: 
MURDERVILLE TRILOGY BY ASHLEY AND JAQUAVIS

NYT Bestselling duo, Ashley & JaQuavis continue to grasp readers with their Murderville trilogy, Murderville: The First of a Trilogy (2011), Murderville 2: The Epidemic (2012), and Murderville 3: The Black Dahlia (2013). This woven tale of Liberty's journey from Sierra Leone to the Americas and back, is a powerful testament to the rich tapestry of stories that the street lit genre continues to convey.

AUTHOR OF THE YEAR: 
WAHIDA CLARK

Wahida Clark is a New York Times bestselling author who has long been noted for her pioneering contributions to contemporary street lit, as well as her commitment to the evolution of the genre. Known as the Queen of Thug Love, her "Thug Love" series has garnered an immensely loyal readership throughout the years. A  2007 SLBAM Adult Fiction winner, Wahida's latest novel, "Honor Thy Thug," has graced her in the winner's circle again with winning the 2014 SLBAM Award in the Adult Fiction category as well. Clark is a Cash Money Content author and she also runs her own publishing company, including a young adult imprint.

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For more information about the Street Lit Book Award Medal (SLBAM) or if you are interested in participating on the committee, visit the StreetLiterature.com website for a historical listing of SLBAM Awards.

2014 SLBAM Committee Members:

K.C. Boyd, M.A., M.Ed., M.L.S., is the Library Media Specialist at the acclaimed Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago, IL. Boyd is a nationally sought-out lecturer on street lit and urban young adult reading practices. Known as "The Audacious Librarian", KC blogs about young adult street lit/urban fiction at http://theaudaciouslibrarian.blogspot.com/.

Marvin DeBose, Sr., M.L.S., is an Adult/Teen Librarian with the Free Library of Philadelphia (PA). An often sought-out panelist for discussing street lit in libraries, Marvin manages the largest street lit public library collection in Philadelphia, and also runs a teen street lit book club where they discuss their readings on Facebook. Marvin blogs at Mr. Philly Librarian.

D.L. Grant, Jr., M.L.S., is an Assistant Branch Manager with the San Antonio (TX) Public Library System. Grant is studying for his doctorate's degree in English studies.

Patrice Grimball-Smith is a Librarian Assistant in Young Adult Services for the Charleston County Public Library System in Charleston, South Carolina. She is also President of the Readers in Motion Bookclub.

Vanessa Irvin Morris, M.S.L.S., Ed.D., is the convener of the Street Lit Book Award Medal (SLBAM) Committee (note: Dr. Morris only votes when there is need for a tie-breaker). Vanessa is the author of the Street Literature blog, and the award-winning publication, The Readers Advisory Guide to Street Literature (2011). A librarian with over 25 years' experience, Vanessa teaches library and information science at a private research university in Northeast USA.

For media inquiries about the SLBAM awards, contact: vanirvinmorris@gmail.com.

#TeamAnimal

My first post using the Blogger app on my Galaxy 3!

Guess who's #TeamAnimal, my student Dana.  Dana is a voracious reader of the genre Street Literature.  After conducting a Reader's Advisory interview, K'wan's Animal was the next and natural reading selection for this student. 

Dana visits the Library Media Center about three times a week during 8th period.   In this case with this book, Dana read the adult Street Lit book in one day.  As she explained to me, she gets much of her reading accomplished while using public transportation and when she completes classwork early. 

When she returned this book yesterday, she immediately inquired about the sequel.   As I informed her,   Animal II is scheduled for release on November 19th.   In the mean time, she is enjoying reading some of K'wan's previous books.

Struggling Readers and Common Core

I will be participating in an upcoming webinar!  See the announcement below.

Event status:	(Register)
Date and time:	Tuesday, October 22, 2013 1:00 pm Central Daylight Time (Chicago, GMT-05:00)
Program:	Booklist Webinars
Duration:	1 hour
Description:	The goal of the Common Core is to accelerate students’ reading achievement to grade level by the end of 2014, but educators can’t begin to make an impact on young adults who are reading below grade level without rich resources to aid them. In this hour-long, free webinar, sponsored by Orca Book Publishers and Saddleback Education, an expert panel will offer tips about how to implement the Common Core State Standards with struggling and striving readers in the middle- and high-school classroom. Presenters: KC Boyd is a library media specialist in inner-city Chicago and author of the popular blog The Audacious Librarian. Troy Fresch is the Assistant Principal at Tustin High School in Tustin, California and has served on the Tustin Unified School District’s Common Core implementation team. Tim McHugh is the co-owner and VP of Sales/Marketing at Saddleback Educational Publishing. Andrew Wooldridge is publisher at Orca Books and the editor of several series of successful novels for middle and high school readers.

Bluford Series Go Readers!

     I just loooooovvvvve Paul Langan, author of the popular Bluford Series for pre-teens and teens. He has cleverly created a audiobook player called Go Reader.  Each volume contains five novels in the popular Bluford series and is a must buy for your library media center program.  This is great because my reluctant/struggling readers can enjoy the twenty books in this wonderful series with their classmates.  So far, the students absolutely love the Go Readers!   #BossLibrarianChronicles#libraries #librarians

Conversations At The Circulation Desk

I've served numerous communities as school librarian for Chicago Public Schools for a number of years.  During this time I have heard stories that would make you cry, have had conversations that will raise an eyebrow and have heard stories that will just crack you up.   My students at my current school often times come in the Library Media Center and address me as 'Ma'.  (RANT - I blame my principal who started calling me 'Mama Boyd' in front of the children...LOL!)  I used to really trip out of this 'term of endearment',  but now I take this in stride.   In all of the years I have taught, I've learned one major thing about teens:  the will not share personal information with you if they do not like you.  #RealTalk

Conversations At The Circulation Desk is a new video series that I have created that celebrates the teen mind.  Videos shared through this series feature some of my students and the funny and prolific things that they say.  All students who appear in this video series have approved the use of their image and have had their parent sign a media release form for the school.   I'm a little late posting this video. I actually started taping this series in June and got sidetracked with other projects.  In this first episode, Junior student Rebeca talks about why teens enjoy reading Street Literature.   I hope you will enjoy what she says.

Collection Development and Street Lit.

CPS Librarian Hall of Fame Sideshow

Yesterday I gave a presentation at my district's annual librarian professional development day at the Chicago History Museum.  My presentation, "Urban Fiction/Street Literature Collection Development for School Libraries" provided librarians with a blue print for including great Street Lit. reads for 6th-12th students.  Books that appear on my list also include adult Street Lit. titles that teens would enjoy reading.  

So far, this year has been a wonderful school year for me.  My work with using technology with teens  has been highlighted and I have gained so much from learning from others during special training sessions.  The highlight of yesterday's professional development was my induction into the Chicago Public School's Librarian Hall of Fame.  To receive this recognition from my librarian peers meant more to me than all of the awards/recognition I've received this year.  As I said at the beginning of my presentation, "I'm a librarian, and it happens to be the best job on the planet!."

Enjoy the presentation below!

School Library Journal Announces the SLBAM Young Adult Winner/Honorees

School Library Journal recently announced the SLBAM Young Adult Winner and honorees.  The Street Lit. Book Award celebrates the best that has been published within the Street Lit. genre each year.  The winners and honorees are based on popularity by readers in school, public and academic libraries.  

The SLBAM committee is comprised of public, school and academic librarians from across the country.  The I'm proud to say that I have served as a committee member since 2010.   The committee members are proud of our contributions to this medal award because it serves as a wonderful resource for librarians as they continue to develop their Street Lit. collections in their libraries.  

To access this year's winners and honorees, adult and young adult, log onto Dr. Vanessa Irvin Morris website StreetLiterature.com.  To access a list of winners and honorees from years past, logon onto SLBAM Historical List.  

Re-posted from School Library Journal