Bluford Series on Go Readers

     I just loooooovvvvve Paul Langan, author of the popular Bluford Series for pre-teens and teens. He has cleverly created a audiobook player called Go Reader.  Each volume contains five novels in the popular Bluford series and is a must buy for your library media center program.  This is great because my reluctant/struggling readers can enjoy the twenty books in this wonderful series with their classmates.  So far, the students absolutely love the Go Readers!   #BossLibrarianChronicles#libraries #librarians

http://authorpaullangan.weebly.com/biography.html

The Urban Underground

Here's some new releases from Saddleback Publishing that can be added to your teen Street Lit. library collection.  The Urban Underground book series is written by author Anne Schraff.  You may recognize this author's name because she was one of the early writers in the Townsend Press, Bluford High book series.  Schraff, a former high school teacher understands teens and continues to write stories that they enjoy.  My students love these stories from their Urban Underground book series and yes, they are constantly checked out from the library!  

The stories take place in an African American neighborhood.  Their high school, Tubman High bridges the gap between the projects and the slightly more fortunate.  The books follow a core group of friends at Tubman High--with new characters joining all the time.  Each story confronts coming-of-age issues that teens can relate to while maintaining satisfying resolutions.  The stories are engaging and discuss challenges and experiences that teens are faced with today.  I've included the covers of these books below along with a short synopsis for your review.  Many thanks to the folks at Saddleback for allowing me to preview and share their releases.

"I guess there are a lot worse things than being lonely. There's being with people who end up hurting you. That's the worst. You try to trust somebody, and you know, love them. Then you find out they aren't decent people, and they just trashed your love."

Denique thought that if she wasn't so messed up in her head, she'd sort of like Trevor. But it would just end badly. So she focused on school. She wanted to graduate and get a job. College was now out of the question. Her family lived in the projects. She had to get a job as soon as possible.

"Well, I got news for you. You got us all wrong, Sereeta and me. We have no doubts about each other. We're solid."

Jaris was furious. He would never keep a secret from Sereeta. And he was hurt that Trevor thought he was hot for another chick. He hired Amberlynn Parson because he thought she was best for the job. Period. But Jaris kept second guessing his decision.Trevor had stirred up Jaris's self-doubts.

"We all wanna live some fabulous life that's fun and exciting--and with lots of money maybe. If I were you, I'd ride this roller coaster as far as it takes me. You'd be a freakin' fool not to."

What was the big deal? Oliver Randall was helping out two rocker friends by fronting for their band. He didn't think he was Lil Wayne. but he was enjoying it more than he thought he would. And he was creating a lot of buzz for the group. Girls were practically throwing themselves at him.

"Kevin, do you know what it would do to your grandparents if you did something stupid to get your hands on some fast money?"

Kevin had been talking about how much he wanted some real money, and that he'd do almost anything to get it. Jaris could sympathize with Kevin wanting to help his grandparents out, but wanting--needing--money that desperately was dangerous. It led to getting mixed up with the wrong crowd.

"Sereeta volunteers sometimes at the hotline for abused women and kids. And sometimes she arranges for abused women to get to a safe house. Last night, she said she's got a good mind to go out to the Becker house."

Jaris and Marko were in a position where they could see through the doorwary. The Slider was open to let in cool, fresh air. Sereeta was sitting in a chair from the kitchen table. Her hands were bound. An older woman sat in another chair, her hands bound too. Both looked terrified.  

The Bluford Series Is Very Traditional

Special thanks to author Dr. Vanessa Irvin Morris, author of the popular Street Literature blog and The Reader's Advisory Guide to Street Literature for posting this interview of author Paul Langan!

For those who are critical of the popular Bluford Series (Townsend Press), please read the following response.  In a 2011 New York Times interview, author Paul Langan explains why tweens and teens are so drawn to his books.  It's time to wake up everyone and recognize our tweens and teens need to read stories that reflect themselves, neighborhoods and challenges in their lives.

New Bluford Series releases, "Promises to Keep" and "Survivor" by Paul Langan

This portrait of the Bluford Series is incomplete. While the series does depict tough issues that urban teens encounter in their lives, there is much much more going on.

The Bluford Series celebrates family, friendship, and civility. Characters in the books are complex human beings, not stereotypes or caricatures. They are vulnerable and insecure. They have fears and anxieties as well as strengths. Some are honor students; others are caretakers for their siblings or ill grandparents. A few work to support their families while also going to school. All of them face difficulties that young people encounter in their lives. Each must wrestle to make good choices even when those choices are not popular or easy or obvious. Readers can relate to this; they do it everyday - or at least they try to.

Watch kids reading the series, and you will see young people concentrating on complex moral questions. You will see them comparing what they read to what they have experienced. You will see them on the edge of their seats rooting for a character to save a peer, help a family member, or avoid a pitfall. In short, you will see young readers absorbed in the written word. This is why the Bluford Series exists: to get kids reading - to give them that magic experience of being totally absorbed in a book.

To achieve this, I made choices to keep the books meaningful, relevant, and exciting. But at the core, the Bluford Series is very traditional. It speaks to issues of the heart - only in this case that heart includes diverse teens, an audience often on the outside looking in when it comes to books.

Street Lit Appears on Fox-32 News

Author Earl Sewell was recently featured on a Fox Channel-32 news segment about African-American teens and reading.  Bravo to Robin Robinson for reporting fairly about this often times misunderstood genre.

Enjoy!

Chicago News and Weather | FOX 32 News

Keysha's Drama by Earl Sewell

This book is the first in the Keysha Series by Earl Sewell.

Keysha is a Chicago teen who lives with her 'party girl' mother Justine. When she and her mother are evicted from their apartment, Keysha's world is turned upside down. With no money or hope, she is placed in foster care and connected with her real father she has never met.

Despite having her own room, new home and school to attend, Keysha still has drama. She doesn't want to forget where she has come from so she battles with her hard as nails step-mother and spars with her annoyng step-brother Mike. When she connects with the wrong crowd, her actions land her deep in trouble with her family and causes a great deal of embarrassment. This is where Sewell is at his best: describing the inner thoughts of Keysha as she struggles to fit in with her family/classmates and make positive decisions. Many authors attempt to do this, but fail to do so because they cannot capture the character's 'voice'. Not the case with Sewell; this is probably why the Keysha series is so popular with teens.

Though "Keysha's Drama" is directed at teen audiences, adults can learn some valuable lessons from the story as well. This is a good book for pre-teens and teens that will surely spark lively discussions.