Nappy Hair

 

Summary:

 Brenda's Uncle Mordecai decides to tell her why her nappy hair is important to her culture and what it represents. Brenda learns through her uncle's storytelling that her ancestors that came over from Africa had nappy hair, and she can still be successful in school if she has nappy hair. The expressive language in this story tells students that its okay to be different and diverse and to embrace what makes your culture yours. Many black students are made fun of for their nappy hair, and Uncle Mordecai is telling Brenda to love it and wear it proud.

About the Author: Carolivia Herron

Herron is a Jewish-African American woman from Washington D.C. She received numerous degrees in English and Literacy and has work with several colleges including SUNY Binghamton and California State University, Chico. Her book Nappy Hair is viewed as controversial and she wants to continue her journey with a book tour. Teachers have been removed from classrooms after reading this book to students. Herron defends these teachers and her book by telling readers that her story is not offensive. 

Theme/Skill: Multi-cultural, Diversity, African American, Controversial

Grade Level: 2-12

Pre-Reading Activity:

Introduce students to what culture means. Each person has their own culture and everyone's is different. Discuss some traits of their cultures. For example, Italians and Greeks might be olive skinned and people of Irish descent maybe lighter skin toned. Set the tone for the book that not all traits are for everyone of that culture or ethnic background.

Post-Reading Activity:

Discuss how this book could be viewed badly. Also discuss some other "bad" stereotypes of other cultures. Remind students to keep emotions out of this conversation. These conversations may not work in every classroom.

Reflection:

As soon as I saw the title of this book on the shelf I knew I had to read it. I cannot express how many times I've heard the term "You nappy headed" or "you bald-headed" in the hallways or classrooms of my schools. This is the ultimate insult for African American children. Reading this book in you classroom would have to be done in a tasteful manner and the students would have to be mature.  The reason why I put the grade level up to twelfth if because this book could be revisited in African American History classes and what message it's saying. Personally I would not use this book in all of my classes because not all students are mature enough to handle the content.

Don't Call Me Fatso

Summary: 

Rita is a  young girl in a class where she is the outcast because of her weight. When the class has lunch, she inhales her unhealthy food. When the class is weighed by the school nurse she is announced as the heaviest in the class. She tells her parents she doesn't want to eat sweets anymore and tries her best to exercise more. Rita continues to be picked on by her peers and feels low about herself. Finally she is re-weighed and has lost five pounds but has grew one inch. By the end of the book she is confident and slim.

Author: Barbara Philips

Theme/Skill: Character Education, Fiction, Problem Solving, Health, Bullying

Grade Level: K-4

Pre-Reading Activity:

Provide children with a plate of fake food (healthy and unhealthy). Have volunteers come up and choose healthy foods out for the class to see. Discuss with the students what a healthy diet means. Then discuss what it means to be unhealthy and different body types. Not two people look alike and being "chubby" does not mean you're unhealthy.

Post-Reading Activity:

Ask the students to respond to what Rita's peers/teachers did wrong. What would they change?

Reflection:

Honestly, I picked this book because I knew it would have some controversial content. What school now would weigh a class in front of each other? What class would allow bullying like the art teacher tolerated? Bullying is such a bigger topic now than it was around this books publishing date in 1980. Now it's unheard of that a book would recommend to students to go on a diet, work out and then you won't be picked on. At the end of the book, I perceived the message as "if you're skinny you'll be popular." What a horrible message to send to children.