CUNY Academic Commons

Hi Kaitlyn! This story looks like a very interesting read from your lede. I love how you mention in your summary the story is spoken from 4 different characters perspectives. That is not something you see often. Also, the theme you mentioned about trusting others and not sharing too much is suspenseful especially when referring to the time period…[Read more]

Hi Heeji! I found your lede very interesting there are not many books in schools exploring the history of Spain. This book would be able to help students understand dictatorship and form a greater appreciation for freedom. From your lede it seems that this story examines many ethical issues in society.

Hi Connor! I found your lede very interesting especially since I am interested in historical readings. I like how you include the way you would teach this novel in your classroom such as adding a pre-reading activity or anticipation guide. These are both great ideas to include when dealing with deep concepts such as morality and ethics.

Hi Anthony, I love that you mention in your lede this story isn’t dark because when you hear illness in a story that is what you automatically think of. I think a story like this would bring light to challenges many students face but do not express to the public. I think it is important to expose students to stories like this so they understand…[Read more]

Hi Rubina! I love how clearly you explained this book in your lede. I think this would be a great book to incorporate in lessons around diversity and inclusivity like you said. From your lede it seems like this book could teach students how to unite regardless of differences.

Hi Rachell, I enjoyed your lede I think you used the perfect visuals to represent the book. I actually read the same book for this week. I like how you listed the topics because this book had A LOT of topics in it and all of them were extremely relevant.

Hi Tatiana! I found your lede very detailed and insightful. I think this book would be crucial to explore in a HS class or even 8th grade. Being that bullying and suicide are so prevalent in our society today. I like how realistic this story is about how adolescent life really is but it is rarely addressed in the classroom.

Susan, I appreciated the visuals you used in your lede I think they matched the text perfectly. This story seemed to have an interesting take of different perspectives of different refugees. I would like to use this story in my classroom where I have many students that are newcomers to the U.S. I am glad you mention this text is suitable for…[Read more]

Safa, the themes you discuss in your lede are very interesting when you speak about the internalized misogyny that has a hold on these girls in the story. I like how you explain in your audience that this text is abstract and has mature themes. This is something to consider with which students a text would fit best for. I also enjoyed the colors…[Read more]

Brian, I liked the themes you said were present in this story bullying,friendship and reconstruction. I think these themes could be especially important to teach to adolescents in this day and age. After reading your lede I thought of many students who I teach in 7th grade who would enjoy reading a story like this.

Yuqi,I enjoyed the subtitle you used under the title of the book.I think it described the text you read perfectly.I like the way you mention in your audience that teachers need to take into consideration the students mental health.

Victoria, the layout and colors you used for your lede was very visually stimulating. I like the way you wrote your summary including questions that were presented in the story. You mention the theme of this story is family which could be a great concept to go over with students.

Erin, this story seems very interesting after reading your lede.I like how you explained what goes on in the story without giving away every detail. I find this story especially interesting for adolescents because at this stage in their lives they don’t seem to consider death as a real consequence of their actions sometimes. I also enjoyed the way…[Read more]

Rachel your lede was very engaging visually. I like how you subtly incorporated important points of the text in the images you used. I also appreciated the way you clearly explained the important aspects of the book without using so many words. Love this book definitely should be incorporated in any curriculum teaching about the Holocaust.

Nicole your lede gave so much detail about this book! I would definitely use it in a H.S. class. You are correct when you say that age group could relate to the struggles experienced in the book. This story reminded me of the movie “The Hate You Give” it had similar  events that happened to a young African American boy. This text is especially…[Read more]

I would recommend this novel “The Poet X” by: Elizabeth Acevedo for adolescent readers in the grades 8 through 12. The book has some parts that can be considered explicit but in my opinion they are important cultural & social issues that 8th grade students should be exposed to as well. This book gives a direct insight into the realities of the…[Read more]

My favorite books as a teen were “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” and “Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl”.