Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson This story brings to light the feelings of a young girl named Frannie in a black sixth grade classroom when a new boy that appears to be white joins the class. The class bully gives him the nickname of “Jesus Boy” and taunts him asking him to go across the highway. This story deals with segregation, deafness and the longing of finding “hope” in young kid’s lives. Frannie’s brother is deaf and longs to be accepted by his peers, Frannie’s best friend Samantha begins to believe that the new boy is in fact Jesus. The main characters go through various struggles with race, prejudice, hope and religion. This is a good book to recommend to readers that hope is a powerful tool to have.
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
This is a great book to introduce the students to slavery in the social studies classroom. The book is about a 13 year old boy that is the first child “born free” to former slaves in the town of Buxton. Elijah does not know what it means to be a slave but ends up learning after he travels into America to help Leory get back the money that was stolen from him to free his family. He has to grow up and mature so that he can make it back to his home where he is truly able to be a free man. You begin to feel what Elijah goes through and experience the journey as if you were right beside him. This book will have you laughing and crying alongside Elijah.
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