What I’m Reading

     I’ve been reading Karen Hesse’s work lately. She’s an American author out of the East Coast whose well known for her page-turning historical fiction.

I’d recommend reading Out of the Dust, written in free verse in the voice of a young girl who lives through the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression. It won the 1998 Newbery Medal and is a highly accessible and enjoyable read.

     You also can’t go wrong with Witness, the story of a Vermont town’s changes during an attempted take-over by the KKK in the 1920s. The story’s told from the perspective of several of the townsfolk, who bear witness to the growing threat of the Klan. Each character’s unique voice and revelations weave together to form a compelling story arc. I’d recommend pushing this toward any middle- or high schooler studying racism.