Inspired by Chapin’s theme of the year, Our Future, Our Voices, Middle School Librarian Natasha Goldberg has created a new reading program that facilitates students finding and sharing their voices with their classmates and the community around them.
With the help of Middle School Humanities teacher Jenet Dibble, Ms. Goldberg compiled a core set of age-appropriate books centered on current social justice issues like racism, sexism, poverty and immigration. The result was a large assortment of autobiographies and novels that would appeal to all kinds of Middle School readers. Titles include “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents” by Julia Alvarez, and “Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary” by Walter Dean Myers. (You can find the entire set of titles on display outside of the library.)
“I wanted to put these issues front and center and get conversations started,” Ms. Goldberg explained. “We created the Social Justice Book Club as a way of intriguing students and exposing them to social justice topics without putting any pressure on them.”
The Social Justice Book Club is an optional and individual endeavor targeted to students in Classes 6 and 7, but anyone in the Chapin community is welcome to participate. Students are encouraged to check out a book from the list that most interests them and read it at their own pace. Once they’ve finished the book, they can post their thoughts on a special bulletin board outside of the library.
At the recommendation of students in a Class 7 history class, Ms. Goldberg kicked off the book club in October with a colorful email blast that encouraged students to find their voices and grow their minds (and mindsets) by participating. Since then, seven students have already finished books and written reviews, and even more titles are currently out on loan.
“I hope I started something that the students will take ownership of and run with,” Ms. Goldberg added. Given the thoughtful, inspired student book reviews posted outside the library, it seems that she has.
A selection of these reviews includes:
“I learned a lot about slavery in the south. (…) I think that Frederick Douglass was an amazing, inspiring and historic man. I definitely suggest that people read this book.”
“It’s important to remember that everyone can be whatever they want to be. We should not try to make someone something they’re not.”
“Oliver Button is a boy who (…) does things that typical boys wouldn’t do. I learned that he follows his dreams and doesn’t go by the stereotypes.”
“What a beautiful book! I admire Frederick Douglass for his fortitude and his passion to end slavery. (…) I thought his strength was inspirational. (…) This is a great book about a true hero!!!”