The Skin I'M in Notes
Mary Denay Busby Reading Rants
APA citation Title: Flake, Sharon G. (2000). The Skin I’m In. New York: First Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children.
Genre: Page numbers Fiction: 171 pages
Reading/Interest Level:
Awards:
Reviews: *
Main Characters:
Michael Saunders – new English teacher who is passionate about her job. “Tall and fat” (p. 1), with a birthmark across her face.
Maleeka Madison, the third – 13 year old seventh grader at McClenton Middle School. “Spend[s] a lot of time trying to fit in” (p. 2), insecure about her extremely dark skin, the clothes that her mother sews for her and her tall and skinny body. Good student, and a math wiz, but teachers have noticed a change in her attitude ever since she started borrowing a classmate’s store bought clothes.
John-John McIntyre – “the smallest seventh grader in the world” (p. 3), full of put downs about Maleeka, especially about her skin complexion. Ironically he is the same color as herbut has been teasing her “about being too black” since the second grade (p. 4).
Charlese – aka “Char” her parents died two years ago. She lives with her older sister who apparently boosts (steals) clothes and then sales them for much less. Known for not forgiving people and is “the baddest thing” at school, which means she is popular. “You have to go along with Char if you want to get along with her” (p. 12). Maleeka agrees to do Charlese’s homework if she’ll let her hang with her. Initially Charlese rejects the idea but Maleeka is so persistent that she eventually gives in but lends Maleeka clothes to wear at school so that she’ll be worthy of being seeing together. She doesn’t treat her nice though, often pokes fun of Maleeka and hurts her feelings. One day Charlese suddenly tells Maleeka to take off the clothes she is wearing (in front of about nine other kids) so Maleeka must change into her own clothes at which point she decides to quit letting people treat her any old way.
Caleb Jamaal Assam – “the
APA citation Title: Flake, Sharon G. (2000). The Skin I’m In. New York: First Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children.
Genre: Page numbers Fiction: 171 pages
Reading/Interest Level:
Awards:
Reviews: *
Main Characters:
Michael Saunders – new English teacher who is passionate about her job. “Tall and fat” (p. 1), with a birthmark across her face.
Maleeka Madison, the third – 13 year old seventh grader at McClenton Middle School. “Spend[s] a lot of time trying to fit in” (p. 2), insecure about her extremely dark skin, the clothes that her mother sews for her and her tall and skinny body. Good student, and a math wiz, but teachers have noticed a change in her attitude ever since she started borrowing a classmate’s store bought clothes.
John-John McIntyre – “the smallest seventh grader in the world” (p. 3), full of put downs about Maleeka, especially about her skin complexion. Ironically he is the same color as herbut has been teasing her “about being too black” since the second grade (p. 4).
Charlese – aka “Char” her parents died two years ago. She lives with her older sister who apparently boosts (steals) clothes and then sales them for much less. Known for not forgiving people and is “the baddest thing” at school, which means she is popular. “You have to go along with Char if you want to get along with her” (p. 12). Maleeka agrees to do Charlese’s homework if she’ll let her hang with her. Initially Charlese rejects the idea but Maleeka is so persistent that she eventually gives in but lends Maleeka clothes to wear at school so that she’ll be worthy of being seeing together. She doesn’t treat her nice though, often pokes fun of Maleeka and hurts her feelings. One day Charlese suddenly tells Maleeka to take off the clothes she is wearing (in front of about nine other kids) so Maleeka must change into her own clothes at which point she decides to quit letting people treat her any old way.
Caleb Jamaal Assam – “the