Cryptocurrency By Matt Chandler

For the reader looking for a very basic understanding of cryptocurrency, this book provides just that. Written at a 6th grade reading level, Cryptocurrency keeps things very simple covering the history of how this relatively new currency came about,  how it works, its advantages and disadvantages,  and how one acquires and uses cryptocurrencies. 

And finally the book addresses the dangers that have emerged with cryptocurrency’s proliferation.

Students who want to learn about digital currencies and investments should pick up Cryptocurrency.  – Claudio Leon

Programming Spotlight: New Victory Residency + ELA collaboration

This month students at Belmont participated in a New Victory residency program that brought two extraordinary teaching artists from the theatre into our school library for a week.  The gifted teaching artists were Marisol Rosa-Shapiro and Ugo Anyanwu who led the series of workshops at Belmont  which were bookended by two trips to the New Victory theater where we saw productions of both Romeo and Juliet  and The Three Musketeers.  

Our two wonderful teaching artists played theater games with us,  taught us to give compliments and Shakespearean insults,  facilitated the drafting of an original soliloquy, and had us read and recite pieces from the classic texts connected to  the two plays we saw at the New Victory. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass By Mariko Tamaki, Art by Steve Pugh

A new take on an original… Badgirl? Anti-heroine? You’re never sure where Harley Quinn stands on the spectrum of good - bad. Even in this remake of her original story all the pieces are here - Poison Ivy as just Ivy, The Joker and even Bruce makes an appearance. However that is as far as the similarities go.  In this new story about Harley Quinn the author brings social elements to the table touching on the problems the LGBTQ+ community faces, gentrification, the economic divide,  and even climate change. 

All these topics can’t be addressed at a very deep level;  however this graphic novel is a good way to pique the interest of readers while they get their DC Comic fix.  Readers of the books Birds of Prey,  Ms Marvel,  Nubia and Real One should pick this one up. --Claudio Leon

Tamaki, Mariko & Pugh, Steve. Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass. Burbank: DC Comics 2019. Print

Che Guevara’s Face: How a Cuban Photographer’s Image Became a Cultural Icon by Danielle Smith-Llera

How did one image of the revolutionary leader Che Guevara’s face become so popular?  Students who have seen the iconic image - originally a photo by the Cuban photographer Alberto Korda - may be very interested in this picture book-sized volume. 

The author tells the story of Che’s famous photographic portrait in four chapters that draw the reader in by setting the scene in which the original photo was taken-- a memorial service for the 100 killed and 200 wounded by a 1960 explosion in Havana Harbor that destroyed a ship carrying grenades and munitions.

Using historical photographs as well as Korda’s photographic contact sheet from that day,  author Smith-Llera provides context for this shocking and gruesome moment, inviting the reader to imagine the life of a photographer working in Havana at the time.

The author also includes a summary of Cuban history with many historical photographs,  however other than Korda’s,  the images are not credited within the text.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Smith-Llera, Danielle.  Che Guevara’s Face: How a Cuban Photographer’s Image Became a Cultural Icon.  Minnesota: Capstone, 2017.

“Aight, so boom.  Check it.” 

So begins When We Make It narrated by 8th grader Sarai, who lives in Bushwick, Brooklyn.  

It’s the late nineties and Sarai,  who identifies herself as a first-generation U. S. born Puerto Rican, lives with her mother and sister.   The family are continuously on the move and trying to survive while dealing with daily challenges of hunger,  loss of dignity, and basic safety.

Short poem-chapters and searing honesty make this book a highly engaging read for fans of novels in verse and of strong characters in realistic YA fiction.  

Spanish phrases are not translated and text is accompanied by an author’s preface.  Backmatter includes acknowledgements, resources for readers needing support, and a list of poetry that inspired the author in writing her own poem-chapters for this book.  Recommended for middle school book clubs. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Velasquez, Elisabet.  When We Make It.  New York: Dial, 2021.

Click here for an educator's guide/discussion guide offered by the the publisher.

Don’t Mess With Me By Paul Erickson

Have you ever been curious about venomous sea creatures? Well you’re in luck!  Don’t Mess With Me is filled with tidbits of information about some of the most insane and deadly creatures living in the sea! On every page beautiful images are accompanied by text explaining how and why the featured creature attacks, and  sometimes highlighting something extraordinary about it. Anyone interested in dangerous animals or sea life should pick this one up!--Claudio Leon

Erickson, Paul. Don’t Mess With Me. Tilbury House: Thomaston, 2018. Print.

Jackpot by Nic Stone

While her mom is at work Rico basically runs her family while attending high school -  taking care of the budget,  seeing the bills are paid,  working herself after school and weekends at a convenience store,  shopping for groceries, and caring for her little brother -  and she really could use a break.

Working at the convenience store on Christmas Eve Rico sells a winning lottery ticket -  but it hasn’t been cashed yet.  Determined to find the kind, elderly woman she thinks bought the ticket,  Rico joins forces with her unbearably smug  and handsome football player classmate,  Zan Macklin. 

This YA romance is a fun read and may appeal to teen readers who loved Nic Stone’s Dear Martin and Dear Justyce.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Welcome Back!

 The Passages Academy library Team would like to welcome you all back to our blog. Once again we are up and running for the school year and looking forward to bringing you all of our reading recommendations for incarcerated and detained youth and exciting programming that we have planned for the year. We will be starting with a program that, at this point in time, has never been more important: Banned Books Week. In our library we will be speaking to students about banned books and the importance of exercising our first amendment. --Claudio Leon

Mo’s Bows: A Young Person’s Guide to Start -Up Success by Moziah Bridges with Tramica Morris, forward by Daymond John

This book is a wonderful introduction to business and  entrepreneurship for teen readers.  While Bridges’ unique voice is a bit lost in the translation to the written  page, his story isn’t! Mo and his co-author (his mother Tramica!) use Mo’s youngful success in his home state of Tennessee and then his national television appearances on Steve Harvey’s show and Shark Tank to draw the reader in.   The authors motivate their young audience to believe they can succeed as Mo did if willing to learn from failure and follow the  BOWS acronym: B=  believe in yourself,  O= take the opportunity to give back,  W= work hard, and S = seek support.  

Confident readers looking for how-to-improve-your-hustle advice will appreciate this book.   And although they may balk at the “corniness,”  Mo’s success is undeniable.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Sky the Limit by Passages Academy Students

 

Another year, another National Poetry Month celebrated!  Students enjoyed playing with magnetic poetry tiles so much last year that we brought them out again, and thanks to LIT's generosity, we were able to gift a set to each NSP and NSD house.  

In class we shared Reynolds' Ain't Burned All the Bright and today we're publishing a second ebook anthology of students' creations.  Click here to access 20 new poems handcrafted in Brooklyn.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Programming Spotlight: Word. Sound. Power. 2022 at BAM

 

Students from the Blum group home attended Word. Sound. Power. 2022, Brooklyn Academy of Music’s poetry celebration for teens.  Participants had the pleasure of experiencing live music and performances presented by Drew Drake, Dizzy SenZe, Freakquencee, and Amyra, including dance choreographed by Jade Charon.  

The event was emceed by Mikal Lee, and the students participated in a follow-up session in our library with Mr. Lee himself.  Students learned about Lee’s role as producer in crafting the show and the teaching artist elicited reflection, shared some of the lyrics performed by SenZe, and engaged students in a creative writing exercise. We are grateful to everyone at BAM for including our students in this special experience. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Programming: Field Trip to Queens Library Teen Space

Image of the interior from Library Journal article by Lisa Peet

On Friday, April 8th, three of us educators (librarian, ELA teacher, Speech-language pathologist) took our Martin DePorres group to the Queens Library’s Hunters Point branch teen space.  We were met by teen librarian Maggie Johnson who had worked with her team to prepare library cards for our students in advance of their arrival. 

Students completed a library scavenger hunt, learned how to print using their new library cards, and enjoyed a board game. When our visit was over, students said they did not want to leave and can’t wait to go back.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Kid Start-Up: How You Can Be an Entrepreneur by Mark Cuban, Shaan Patel, and Ian McCue

Students who know the TV show Shark Tank may be interested in this  book co-authored by the American billionaire Mark Cuban, former Shark Tank contestant Shaan Patel,  and Ian McCue who is a successful teen entrepreneur.

The book offers direct, practical advice for younger readers with a section on “10 businesses that any kid can start”  including pricing and strategy suggestions, procedural directions, and a list of supplies needed - it is a how-to book rooted in the practical.  

Chapter 5  “The Nuts and Bolts of Launching Your Business” gives screenshot-illustrated directions on creating an advertising flyer,  setting up social media, building a weekly website, and selling items on eBay.  These directions link to templates that unfortunately may frustrate detained readers who are without Internet at present, but may be usual nevertheless and in the future.

Chapter 7 is designed like a workbook with lines where readers can write their comments and responses.  Backmatter includes info on affiliate marketing, a glossary, and affiliate links to resources.  Page 65 lists legal tips and may spark additional interest.

While not a perfect fit for all older NYC adolescents,  nor culturally relevant to most Passages students,  the book nonetheless offers useful information and a reader-friendly table of contents.  Older readers may find the book valuable despite the  “kid” focus and language.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Cuban, Mark and Shaan Patel, Ian McCue.   Kid Start-Up: How You Can Be an Entrepreneur.  New York: Diversion Books, 2018.

Programming Spotlight: Creative Writing with Paul Griffin

L-R: Paul Griffin, Math Teacher Wanda Carter and her students in Abbott House during the workshop

With his usual kindness and warmth the author Paul Griffin facilitated two creative writing workshops for detained  students at Belmont last Wednesday.   As always Griffin nurtured the students’ voices,  and motivated them to pick up their pencils to express themselves and tell their stories.   He then encouraged everyone interested to enter the contest for the Ned Vizzini Writing Prize.  

We are grateful to Karen Keys and the Brooklyn Public Library for arranging the workshops. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris

After he loses his parents in a tragic accident Alex is somehow able to see into the future.  But when he tries to alter what will happen he quickly learns that he cannot,  whatever was going to happen will happen.  Then when he sees a future vision of his brother,  he has no choice but to take action.  Can Alex save his brother and change the future?  Or is the future an absolute certainty? 

Readers who enjoyed When by Victoria Laurie should be sure to pick this book up too.  — Claudio Leon

Click here for discussion questions from the NEA website plus links to additional teaching resources.

Programming Spotlight: Creative Writing Workshops with Paul Griffin

We're very excited to learn that author Paul Griffin will be visiting Passages Academy's students this week to lead several creative writing workshops.  These sessions were arranged by Karen Keys at Brooklyn Public Library as part of BPL's Teen Writing Contest & Ned Vizzini Teen Writing Prize.  All NYC teens are eligible to enter.  Deadline is this Thursday, March 31st.  Click here to enter.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Y’all Hiring?: The Black Teen’s Guide to Navigating Employment by Albert Phillips Jr.

The title of this slim,  self-published volume tells it all!   Author Phillips deserves our thanks for this greatly necessary and  informative book on a topic not previously addressed.

In clear terms and accessible language,   he offers advice for upper middle and high school readers seeking employment, including tips on how to prepare for an interview, how to dress for success, how to make a good impression, and how to exit gracefully.  Notably, Phillips also discusses how to contend with work-related discrimination.  Highly recommended for all who serve Black teens.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Click here to visit the author’s website where you can download his common-core aligned seven-paged teaching and discussion guide by submitting your email address.

Phillips Jr., Albert.  Y’all Hiring?: The Black Teen’s Guide to Navigating Employment.  Baltimore: self-published, 2020.  Print.

How to Turn $100 into $1,000,000: Earn! Invest! Save! by James McKenna, Jeannine Glista and Matt Fontaine

The title and cover of this book make it hard to keep on our library shelves.   Although  the book lacks cultural  and class-sensitivity,  it is straightforward.  The authors put forth their concept of the “million-dollar mindset (MDM)”  using examples of famous American multi-millionaires, emphasizing how entrepreneurship career choices paid off. 

While providing ideas for suburban adolescents hoping to make money, the authors do not provide detailed, specific information for making the crucial savvy investments required to generate the power of compound interest.  

Nevertheless this book is good for teens of all backgrounds who want to gain financial literacy.

Click here for Daria Plumb’s twenty-page educator guide offered by the publisher.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Facing Frederick: The Life of Frederick Douglass, A Monumental Man by Tonya Bolden

Author Tonya Bolden, at the end of her book  writes,  “It is my hope that Facing Frederick will inspire readers to take a good long look at, and think more deeply about, a multi-faceted, monumental man.  A man utterly beyond category.”  In this beautifully-written,  compact biography,  Bolden certainly succeeds.

The author’s brilliant research, her synthesis for younger readers,  and the visual record she includes of this most photographed man of his time make Facing Frederick a must-read for all interested in American history.  

Back matter includes a poem about Douglass by Robert Hayden,  a timeline,  a list of sources, author’s acknowledgements, image credits, and an index.  Click here for the Indiannapolis Public Library’s guide to teaching Frederick Douglass.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Ida B. the Queen: The extraordinary life and legacy of Ida B. Wells by Michelle Duster, illustrated by Hannah Giorgis.

Did you know that the FBI kept files on activist Ida B.Wells? 

This intriguing biography by the subject’s great granddaughter offers middle and high school readers an introduction to Ida Wells the activist, journalist, publisher, editor, teacher and probation officer.  The first section links Wells to other African-American activists who were also followed by the FBI.

We then learn about her early life,  see a timeline of African American history, and consider  Wells’ legacy and that of other powerful figures and events of her time.   And finally the author discusses contemporary activists including Stacy Adams,  and the Black Lives Matter movement.  

Backmatter contains hyperlinked sources, image credits, and an index.  Highly recommended for proficient readers eager to know more about Black history.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Duster, Michelle and Hannah Giorgis.  Ida B. the Queen: The extraordinary life and legacy of Ida B. Wells. New York: Atria, 2021

Notable Native People: 50 Indigenous Leaders, Dreamers, and Changemakers from Past and Present by Adrienne Keene, illustrated by Ciara Sana

Did you know that Billy Frank Jr. was arrested for fishing as an act of civil disobedience?  That tattooing has been part of Inuit culture for millennia?  That Lili’uokalani was the first woman to rule Hawai’i and the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom before the US illegally overthrew the monarchy?  That baller Kyrie Irving has been “welcomed home” by the Lakota Sioux?  

This book about 50  “notable natives” interweaves historical context with short sections on topics like “settler colonialism 101,”  “whose land are you on?” and  “who belongs?”   

Highly accessible short biographies of 2-4 paragraphs each,  and portraits of the 50 subjects make this book a good choice for readers at middle school level or above.  Students will likely find something to whet their appetite to learn more,  and the index makes topics,  locations,  as well as biographical subjects easy to find.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Keene, Adrienne.  Illustrated by Ciara Sana.  Notable Native People: 50 Indigenous Leaders, Dreamers, and Changemakers from Past and Present. New York: Ten Speed Press, 2021.  Print.

Programming Spotlight: Author & Activist Jamal Joseph

Dr. Joseph reads to students at Belmont from his memoir

Humanitarian, activist, veteran Black Panther, professor, director, playwright, filmmaker, author, poet,  screenwriter Jamal Joseph visited with students at Belmont yesterday.  It was impossible not to feel moved by his brilliant storytelling, hard-won insight, and deep compassion.  Two groups of placement students who have been studying the Black Panther Party for the last six weeks with their Social Studies, ELA, Art teachers and reading specialist, speech language pathologist and school librarian as part of an interdisciplinary collaborative unit participated in the program. 

 

We are extremely grateful to Dr. Joseph for making the time to visit and to Dietrice Bolden for all of her assistance, and to Robert Galinsky for connecting us and Literacy for Incarcerated Teens for generously supporting the visit.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds, artwork by Jason Griffin

Jason Reynolds uses the aesthetic of magnetic poetry in this book-length poem of over 300 pages,   which is beautifully illustrated by Jason Griffin.   Give this to students who like their poems one book at a time,   and readers who hunger for an artist’s journal.  Perfect for lessons or library programs exploring what an artist and poet can create together.   This book can also serve as an example of how artists use notebooks,  and a model of how we can all write, paint, and draw to express our feelings. Included is a teaching guide by Amy Jurskis available here.   This book is highly recommended.

The audiobook of the book is 37 minutes long containing two readings of the poem - one by the author himself.    Following the two readings is a conversation with the author and the  illustrator. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Reynolds, Jason.  Illustrated by Jason Griffin.  Ain’t Burned All the Bright. accessed through the NYCDOE digital library platform, Sora.

p.s. Although I have not read it yet, I attended a wonderful D79 PD led by Passages' Denice Martin-Thompson on Friday and I am guessing her creative writing workshop guide, This 1 is for U, would make a lovely pairing and a perfect pandemic valentine's day gift for your favorite poetry teacher.

Revolution In Our Time by Kekla Magoon

In this comprehensive non-fiction work for adolescent readers that has the heft of a text book,  author Magoon takes a comprehensive  look at The Black Panther party.   While it will intimidate most student readers at Passages, the graphic design, writing, and back matter are top notch;  this volume is a good choice for instructional use in the classroom.  

Back matter includes information on key people, a timeline, a glossary, recommendations for further reading, source notes, a bibliography, image credits and an index. Included is a comprehensive teaching guide by Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul available  here.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Special thanks to everyone at the National Book Foundation and especially Andy Donnelly for gifting us with a boxful of copies of this informative book.

Magoon, Kekla.  Revolution In Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People.  Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2021.

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

 Maverick and Lisa are very much in love,  but during a brief breakup Mav spent one night with Iesha.   Now he is sure that Iesha’s three month old son isn’t his - so sure that he hasn’t told Lisa about that one night with Iesha.

Iesha asks Mav to take a paternity test to prove to her boyfriend King -  who is Mav’s best friend - that her baby isn’t Mav’s.  But after the test,  no one’s life will be the same. 

Themes of gang loyalty, family,  paternity, and incarceration are explored with unmatched emotional intelligence and humor.  Concrete Rose is a prequel to Thomas’ On the Come Up.  Recommended for all high school aged readers and perfect for book club discussions as well.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Thomas, Angie.  Concrete Rose.  New York: Balzer and Bray, 2021.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration--Creative Writing

We are delighted to share that during January the wonderfully talented visiting artist J’miah Baird has been leading creative writing workshops with Mr Godley and Mr. Senft’s NSD students at Abbott and St. John’s.

These  will be part of our Black Panther Party interdisciplinary collaboration’s partnership with 826NYC,  and later on J’miah will  lead similar workshops with NSP students.  

We are privileged to have J’miah join us to share his warmth and his care for our students as he encourages them to shape  their emotions into stirring poetry.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

 

Zine Collections in Los Angeles!

Los Angeles Public Library Catalog listing Passages' students' zines

Back in December my Belmont colleague Jessica Ernyey, English Language Arts teacher, approached me about collaborating on a zine mini-unit with one of her groups. 

We were celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month then,  but due to Covid concerns we were foregoing the traditional food-oriented event planning.  Then Ms. Ernyey requested we do some zine-making centered around favorite foods and so we co-planned some lessons.  As the students became engaged in zine-making, I happened to learn about the Los Angeles Public Libraries zine collection through this article.  

We discussed it with our zine makers and with their permission we submitted their work to the LAPL collection.  And so now we're proud to say their zine work is part of the circulating collections at several public library branches in Los Angeles - check them out here and here! --Jessica Fenster-Sparber