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Reviewed by: Kathy Jaccarino, High School Librarian Title: Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman Author: Kristen R. Lee Publisher: Crown
Year: 2022 Good for Grades: 10-12, Adult Genre/Type of Book: Realistic Fiction
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: Some college drinking and drug use Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: The reviews of this book were exceptional, and I was intrigued by the premise of the innate racism that occurs on college campuses. If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: Take a walk in Savannah's shoes, experience the eye-opening struggles a smart, hard-working Black girl faces on an elite college campus. We have not come far enough!
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Review:
Savannah Howard is a freshman getting ready to attend Wooddale College, an elite (Ivy League?) school that is predominately all white. Her desire to go to an all-black college is nixed by her mother who feels the best place to set Savannah up for her future is Wooddale. In high school, Savannah “takes the hardest classes, gets perfect grades, and gives up a social life to score a full ride to a top school.” However, things at Wooddale aren’t what they seem. The white students at Wooddale assume Savannah, as one of the few Black students, is there because of Affirmative Action…and isn’t she lucky to get such a chance! There are definite racist activities on campus that get swept under the rug, and have been for years- until Savannah feels the need to stand up for what is right and true.
The thing I love most about this book is the way the author, Kristen Lee, makes you feels as if you are right there, on campus. At one point Savannah makes a comment about these entitled white students walking in her shoes…this book allows the reader to indeed, walk in Savannah’s shoes…and the shoes of all minority students struggling to overcome the benefits of white privilege. I thought this was extremely well-written. Savannah struggles with her conscience- does she keep quiet to keep her scholarship, or does she speak up and out against the racists behaviors on campus?
This book could easily be used in a social studies classroom, US History, especially given the recent Supreme Court ruling on Affirmative Action. It would pair nicely with The Hate U Give in an ELA class for a discussion on oppression and racism.
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Find resources for Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman at Teachingbooks.net
For more information about this book, see the Publishers Website
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