The Skin I'm In Author: Sharon G. Flake | Language: English | ISBN:
1423103858 | Format: PDF
The Skin I'm In Description
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-8-Seventh-grader Maleeka Madison is miserable when a new teacher comes to her depressed inner-city school. Miss Saunders evidently is rich, self-assured in spite of the white birthmark across her black skin, and prone to getting into kids' faces about both their behavior and their academic potential. Black and bright, Maleeka is so swamped by her immediate problems that Miss Saunders's attentions nearly capsize her stability. The girl's mother has just emerged from a two-year period of intense mourning for her dead husband, during which time her daughter has provided her with physical and moral support with no adult assistance. At school, Maleeka endures mean-spirited teasing about the darkness of her skin and her unstylish clothing. She seeks solace in writing an extended creative piece, at Miss Saunders's instigation, and also in the company of a powerful clique of nasty girls. Told in Maleeka's voice, this first novel bristles with attitude that is both genuine and alarming. The young teen understands too well that her brains aren't as valuable as the social standing that she doesn't have. In the end, she is able to respond positively to Miss Saunders; she also becomes socially anointed through the affections of the most popular boy in the school. This message rings true in spite of the fact that Maleeka's salvation isn't exactly politically correct. Young teens will appreciate Flake's authenticity and perhaps realize how to learn from Maleeka's struggle for security and self-assurance.
Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Sharon G. Flake won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award for her first novel
The Skin I'm In and is a two-time Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book winner. Beloved by children and adults, critics and booksellers, librarians and teachers, she is the author of a middle-grade novel and five books for young adults that have sold more than half a million copies. The mother of a college-age daughter, Flake writes full-time from her home in Pittsburgh.
To learn more about Ms. Flake, please visit her at www.sharongflake.com.
- Age Range: 12 and up
- Lexile Measure: 670L (What's this?)
- Paperback: 176 pages
- Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (July 31, 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1423103858
- ISBN-13: 978-1423103851
- Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
- Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
May-18-2005
I never been teased about my skin color, but I feel like I know a girl who has Maleeka Madison, is the main character in the book call The Skin I'm In, by Sharon G. Flake (1998). Maleeka Madison is a 13 year old girl that gets teased about how extremely dark her skin color is and how she dresses. Maleeka meets a teacher name Ms. Saunders who teaches her how to love who she is and how to deal with bullies. MCclenton Middle school is where Maleeka attends that's where she gets all her problems from with a few kids. John-John, Char, and the twins Raise and Riana. Hose are the few kids that give her the biggest problems John-John makes up songs about her skin color. Char runs over, she scares her to deaf, and the twins just do whatever Char tells them what to do.
The Skin I'm In is a book based on life lessons. Like Maleeka always had a problem about how she was born with dark skin color. Until, one day she mat a teacher name Ms. Saunders. Ms. Saunders also has the same problem as Maleeka she gates teased because she has a birthmark on her face. The students call her a two-faced monster; they tell her she is half alien. Maleeka and Ms. Saunders get along very well. This book can really teach teenage girls some lessons like don't down touch yourself and don't let other people down talk you. Don't ever feel bad about your skin complexion or how you dress because if you do you are letting other people run your life.
Maleeka had got so tired of people talking about her so she did something that will prove to her school she can be very hard. She did that just to take the attention off her skin color, and the attention focus on how tough she is. I will give this book five big stars.
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