Have you ever encountered a student that was just not into books? Never happens right? Honestly, this happen every year, sometimes more than once…. or twice. Last year a teacher friend of mine had one of these students. He was a third grader, reading on the cusp of grade level, but didn’t really get into books like she hoped he would. She couldn’t find that just right series. She tried all of the usuals. You know them. I don’t need to list them here. She soon discovered that he really wanted books that were more relatable. Being a young brown boy of African decent, he just couldn’t relate to the antics and adventures of the series that were shared with him. I wish I knew about the Carver Chronicles then, but glad I know them now! The Carver Chronicles is a collection of stories about a group of friends at the Carver Elementary School and all of the characters are African American or Latino. In my experience this is a rare find.
Pizza Party is the 6th book in the series by Karen English. The friends in Room 10 at Carver Elementary are sooo close to earning a pizza party, but a mean, slightly lazy and unreasonable substitute teacher arrives on the scene and imposes his lengthy rules and ridiculous mounds of homework. Any young person can relate to this scenario. The story highlights how the friends try their best to work together, stay on the substitute’s good side, while still having fun when they can.
So, if you are looking for a series and/or stories about brown and black students to add to your collection, the Carver Chronicles are for you. Your Brown and Black students will see themselves as the main character, the main character’s best friend and well…all of the characters.
What kids say-
“Good Book, those kids are so silly!”
“That school seems like fun, well… except for Mr. Blaggett.” (The substitute)
