Review of "Ordinary Resurrections" by Jonathan Kozol

In his book, Ordinary Resurrections: Children in the Years of Hope, Jonathan Kozol pulls back the veil and provides readers with a glimpse of the harsh conditions and unrelenting hope that exists in a community located in the South Bronx called Mott Haven. Mr. Kozol provides his own socially conscious and very informative view of the issues facing the children and educators in this poverty ravaged neighborhood. Just his commentary would paint a very bleak picture of the future. It is the words of the children that give this book optimism and meaning. The courage and care exhibited by the volunteers of St. Ann's after school program and the creativity of the teachers at P.S. 30 are utterly inspiring. They work long hours and go beyond the call of duty to protect the innocence and cultivate the hope that resides in the hearts of Mott Haven's youngest residents. The children in this book at times seem wise beyond their years. They are exposed to difficult issues that force them to grow up very quickly. Almost all of the struggles that the children face stem from the root problem of intense poverty. In Mott Haven, the typical family yearly income is about $10,000, "trying to sustain" is how the mothers generally express their situation. Kozol reports "All are very poor; statistics tell us that they are the poorest children in New York." (Kozol 4). The symptoms of the kind of poverty described are apparent in elevated crime rates, the absence of health care and the lack of funding for education. High crime rates not only put the children at risk as potential victims but also robs them of the male role models that are vital to their development. Most of the fathers of the Mott Haven community are incarcerated in a nearby prison. The children are aware of this fact and often visit the jail. Kozol describes an intimate conversation with a group of children in the sanctuary of St. Ann's in which several of the children reveal that they miss their fathers

Bibliography: Kozol, Jonathan. 2000. Ordinary Resurrections: Children in the Years of Hope. New York: HarperCollins.