[NIFL-WOMENLIT:1067] RE: Books

From: Marnie Whelan (mwhelan@womensassoc.org)
Date: Fri Oct 20 2000 - 12:28:59 EDT


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From: "Marnie Whelan" <mwhelan@womensassoc.org>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:1067] RE: Books
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I have a similar concern.  I've been trying to oragnize a recreational
reading program for my students and have been seriously hampered by the lack
of materials of interest to the young, African-American, often originally
inner-city, women who come to my classes from their interim resience here in
the suburbs!  I do have a list of titles I have developed, which I'll pass
on.  Sadly, it is short enough to reproduce here!

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Sounder, William Armstrong
The Skin I'm In, Sharon Flake
Shimmershine Queens, Camille Yarbrough
The Friends, Rosa Guy
Sidewalk Story, Sharon Bell Mathis
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Mildred Taylor
House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros
El Bronx Remembered & Felita, Nicholasa Mohr
Local News and Pool Party, Gary Soto

Some of these are recommendations from a librarian friend and some come from
the reading lists at a local high school.  I haven't acquired all of them
myself; but the ones I have gotten my hands on have sparked interest.

I'd love to hear what other people recommend?-----

Marnie Whelan

Original Message-----
From: nifl-womenlit@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-womenlit@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of
Daphne Greenberg
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 10:46 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:1066] Books


I was wondering if anyone would like to recommend works of fiction or
nonfiction that they would suggest would be interesting  to our women
learners.  I just finished reading a very moving book that I want to
recommend:
The Last Time I Wore A Dress by Daphne Scholinski, printed by Riverhead
Books, 1997.
Phyllis Burke, author of Family Values and Gender Shock is quoted on the
sleeve of the book as saying:
"The Last Time I Wore A Dress is an extraordinary, dramatic document,
tracing a young girl's incarceration in institutions for the mentally ill
because she was not considered appropriately 'feminine'.  Daphne Sholinski's
story is horrifying, but ultimately triumphant.  It makes you want to go
through the country's psychiatric wards, finding and freeing the girls whose
only 'illness' is a refusal to wear makeup, or dresses, curl their hair, sit
'like a lady', or bat their eyelashes.  This book is a wake-up call for all
of us."
What amazed me the most about this book is that it took place in the 1980's.
I did not realize how archaic so many of our mental hospitals were at that
time (and maybe still are).
I think that this book may be appropriate for adult learner book discussion
groups, and for younger adults who could relate to the difficulties Daphne
had in school.
The book is not written for the adult learner, and therefore, would only be
easily read by advanced GED learners, or if read to by an instructor.
Anyone else have recommendations?
Daphne

Daphne Greenberg
Center for the Study of Adult Literacy
Georgia State University
University Plaza
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
Fax: 404-651-1415
Ph: 404-651-0400
E-mail: alcdgg@langate.gsu.edu



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