Books about children growing up in poverty

[Anonymous]

The Ramona series books describe a poor/working class childhood. Addressing being in daycare, parent losing a job, etc. I loved these books growing up and I read them to my son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. Thank you for so many responses! I happen to teach in Baltimore City schools and would like to learn more about my students' backgrounds. I started reading a few books over the summer (Maid, Hillbilly Elegy, Nickel and Dimed, etc. I feel like many of my students' parents are in the same situations as the mother in Maid.

I remember reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in high school and I read The Other Wes Moore a few years ago. Now he is running for governor.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I don't read as much as I'd like during the school year but I'll keep a running list.

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The Corner would be a good book to start with, since it’s set in Baltimore. Both authors were extremely familiar with Baltimore. David Simon started as a journalist and Ed Burns started as a Baltimore City cop, retired, and taught middle school in the BCPS. They then went on to write and produce the Wire and the Corner. I say all this to say that the material might be dated, but for B’more, this is authentic.

If you want something a little lighter, Laura Lippman writes great mysteries— some stand alone and others part of her Tess series. She is wonderful at portraying multiple Baltimores, and is married to David Simon, adding additional credence to her detailed descriptions of life in and around Baltimore.

For something even lighter, check out Anne Tyler, although for the most part her books won’t address your initial questions.

Between The World and Me, and other works by Ta-Nehisi Coates might be important for you to read.

https://ta-nehisicoates.com/books/between-the-world-and-me/


D. Watkins is another writer that you might want to check out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtZN8vKTdWw

So many of these are written from a male point of view, so if I can balance that out a bit, I’ll add to the list.


https://www.amazon.com/Corner-Year-Life-Inner-City-Neighborhood/dp/0767900316

[Anonymous]

The Pinballs by Betsy Byars is about 3 foster kids. Quite a few of my students could identify with the characters and loved the book.

[Anonymous]

Born a crime

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Ramona series books describe a poor/working class childhood. Addressing being in daycare, parent losing a job, etc. I loved these books growing up and I read them to my son.

Only DCUM would think that Ramona’s family is poor. No wonder people here think they are middle class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:INVISIBLE CHILD
Poverty, Survival and Hope in an American City
By Andrea Elliott

What age are your students?

Such a compelling read, but just gut-wrenching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. Thank you for so many responses! I happen to teach in Baltimore City schools and would like to learn more about my students' backgrounds. I started reading a few books over the summer (Maid, Hillbilly Elegy, Nickel and Dimed, etc. I feel like many of my students' parents are in the same situations as the mother in Maid.

I remember reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in high school and I read The Other Wes Moore a few years ago. Now he is running for governor.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I don't read as much as I'd like during the school year but I'll keep a running list.

I LOVED The Other Wes Moore, and heard him give an excellent podcast about it a few years back. I'm so happy for him - I hope he does a great job as governor!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. Thank you for so many responses! I happen to teach in Baltimore City schools and would like to learn more about my students' backgrounds. I started reading a few books over the summer (Maid, Hillbilly Elegy, Nickel and Dimed, etc. I feel like many of my students' parents are in the same situations as the mother in Maid.

I remember reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in high school and I read The Other Wes Moore a few years ago. Now he is running for governor.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I don't read as much as I'd like during the school year but I'll keep a running list.

————————————————


The Corner would be a good book to start with, since it’s set in Baltimore. Both authors were extremely familiar with Baltimore. David Simon started as a journalist and Ed Burns started as a Baltimore City cop, retired, and taught middle school in the BCPS. They then went on to write and produce the Wire and the Corner. I say all this to say that the material might be dated, but for B’more, this is authentic.

If you want something a little lighter, Laura Lippman writes great mysteries— some stand alone and others part of her Tess series. She is wonderful at portraying multiple Baltimores, and is married to David Simon, adding additional credence to her detailed descriptions of life in and around Baltimore.

For something even lighter, check out Anne Tyler, although for the most part her books won’t address your initial questions.

Between The World and Me, and other works by Ta-Nehisi Coates might be important for you to read.

https://ta-nehisicoates.com/books/between-the-world-and-me/


D. Watkins is another writer that you might want to check out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtZN8vKTdWw

So many of these are written from a male point of view, so if I can balance that out a bit, I’ll add to the list.


https://www.amazon.com/Corner-Year-Life-Inner-City-Neighborhood/dp/0767900316

Heartland by Sarah Smarsh



https://sarahsmarsh.com/heartland

[Anonymous]

The PS Brothers for older elementary.

[Anonymous]

Peyton and Isabelle

[Anonymous]

How about a video? Does else any remember watching this video about an inner city boy that finds a cat in an abandoned building? As a suburban privileged kid, this movie showed me a side of things I’d never seen before.

https://youtu.be/czewVTzPu_Y

[Anonymous]

Not sure it would relate so much to your students if you're dealing more with Appalachian type issues but Random Family by Adrian LeBlanc was compelling to me