Discovering Urban Fiction for Middle School Students Compiled by: K.C. Boyd, MLS Chicago Public Schools

What is Urban Fiction? Urban Fiction is a popular yet controversial genre especially among young African-American and Hispanic patrons. The genre features characters living in large urban cities that are usually involved in drug dealing, gang violence, and/or prostitution. http://www.libsuccess.org/Urban_Fiction/

Urban Fiction is a popular yet controversial genre especially among young African-American and Hispanic patrons. The genre features characters living in large urban cities that are usually involved in drug dealing, gang violence, and/or prostitution.

http://www.libsuccess.org/Urban_Fiction/

What is Urban Fiction? Urban Fiction is also identified as: Urban Literature Gangster Literature Ghetto Literature Hip Hop Literature Street Fiction Street Literature

Urban Fiction is also identified as:

What Are Some of the Characteristics of Urban Fiction

Characteristics of Urban Fiction Often self-published or published by small, independent presses Generally published in a trade paperback format Some are poorly edited and have weak storylines Often not reviewed in mainstream publications Some authors are or have served time in jail/prison http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Often self-published or published by small, independent presses

Generally published in a trade paperback format

Some are poorly edited and have weak storylines

Often not reviewed in mainstream publications

Some authors are or have served time in jail/prison

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Characteristics of Urban Fiction cont. The genre is made up of young, first-time African-American authors. Stories take place in large urban cities such as Richmond, VA, Chicago, IL, New York , Washington, D.C. and Newark, New Jersey. Gritty and includes plenty of sex, drugs, and violence. Written in the language of the streets, with plenty of slang and four-letter words. http://teenlibrarian.com/

The genre is made up of young, first-time African-American authors.

Stories take place in large urban cities such as Richmond, VA, Chicago, IL, New York , Washington, D.C. and Newark, New Jersey.

Gritty and includes plenty of sex, drugs, and violence.

Written in the language of the streets, with plenty of slang and four-letter words.

http://teenlibrarian.com/

Heavy references are made to designer clothing, jewelry and expensive cars. Female characters are often shallow and self-centered at the beginning. Characters may profit from drug dealing, enjoying their wealth, but eventually most pay the price. Many titles end in tragedy – violent deaths, prison. The cover art often feature photos of scantily clad women, men with guns, expensive cars, etc. http://teenlibrarian.com/ Characteristics of Urban Fiction cont.

Heavy references are made to designer clothing, jewelry and expensive cars.

Female characters are often shallow and self-centered at the beginning.

Characters may profit from drug dealing, enjoying their wealth, but eventually most pay the price. Many titles end in tragedy – violent deaths, prison.

The cover art often feature photos of scantily clad women, men with guns, expensive cars, etc.

http://teenlibrarian.com/

Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?

The stories reflect a world that many young readers can relate to. The stories give the reader an opportunity to escape their own difficult circumstance. The stories are fast paced filled with taboo subjects such as sex, drugs and violence. Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?

The stories reflect a world that many young readers can relate to.

The stories give the reader an opportunity to escape their own difficult circumstance.

The stories are fast paced filled with taboo subjects such as sex, drugs and violence.

Urban Fiction books are shared between family members. Some school districts have integrated books from the genre into the school curriculum. Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?

Urban Fiction books are shared between family members.

Some school districts have integrated books from the genre into the school curriculum.

Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular? Universal themes/messages from rap/hip-hop music are present.

Universal themes/messages from

rap/hip-hop music are present.

What Are the Positive and Negative Characteristics of Urban Fiction?

Positive Gives hope to young people who need help The stories are ‘cautionary tales’. Lesson are learned. Ideal for reluctant readers Encourages young people to become authors The stories reflect topics that young people can relate to.

Gives hope to young people who need help

The stories are ‘cautionary tales’. Lesson are learned.

Ideal for reluctant readers

Encourages young people to become authors

The stories reflect topics that young people can relate to.

Negative Promotion of sex, drugs and violence Reinforces stereotypes and encourages irresponsible behavior Negative references to women Heavily commercialized Strong use of explicit language

Promotion of sex, drugs and violence

Reinforces stereotypes and encourages irresponsible behavior

Negative references to women

Heavily commercialized

Strong use of explicit language

Just for Librarians

Just for Librarians

Make sure your school has a written selection and reconsideration policy that addresses written challenges to books. If you don’t, you’re totally vulnerable. http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6632974.html

Make sure your school has a written selection and reconsideration policy that addresses written challenges to books. If you don’t, you’re totally vulnerable.

A Dirty Little Secret: Self-Censorship Self-censorship is rampant and lethal By Debra Lau Whelan School Library Journal, 2/1/2009

Street Fight: Welcome to the World of Urban Lit Teens love it. Some librarians loathe it. Welcome to the world of urban lit. By Amy Pattee School Library Journal, 7/1/2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzaXRLWLTkI 6:17- 8:53 Dr. Sandra Hughes-Hassell Director of the School Library Media Program University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Urban Teens in the Library: Research and Practice by Dr. Sandra Hughes-Hassell

Takin’ it to the Street: Teens and Street Lit By Megan Honig Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), August, 2008

Six Steps to Meeting Urban Fiction Readers Needs by Megan Honig http://pdfs.voya.com/Vo/yaT/VoyaTakinItToTheStreets.pdf Respect the genre Provide Satisfying Alternates Provide Access Collect Urban Fiction books Use Urban Fiction in Library Programs Broaden your collection

Respect the genre

Provide Satisfying Alternates

Provide Access

Collect Urban Fiction books

Use Urban Fiction in Library Programs

Broaden your collection

Where can I find more information about Urban Fiction novels?

Where can I find more

information about

Urban Fiction novels?

Selection Tools Book reviews from professional journals Booklist *School Library Journal Kirkus Reviews Horn Book Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books Voice of Youth Advocates

Book reviews from professional journals

Booklist

*School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

Horn Book

Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books

Voice of Youth Advocates

http://www.libraryjournal.co Rollie Welch Collection Manager, Cleveland Public Library Vanessa J. Morris Assistant Professor Clarion Univ. of Pennsylvania http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/ Word on Street Lit. #1-16

Selection Tools Urban Fiction Book Reviews 1. American Library Association – YALSA Good Reads for Teens http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/tenreading/recreading/recommendedreading.cfm 2. Amy Pattee, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science http://gslis.simmons.edu/blogs/yaorstfu 3. Crazy Quilts http://http.campbele.wordpress.com/ 4. The Pinnacle http://urbanreviews.blogspot.com/ 5. RAWSISTAZ Reviews http://www.therawreviewers.com/index_sample.shtml 6. School Library Journal http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/ 7. Street Fiction http://www.streetfiction.org 8. Teen Librarian http://www.teenlibrarian.com/streetlit/ 9. Teen Reads http://teenreads.com/ 10. Teen Urban Fiction http://www.teenurbanfiction.com/

Urban Fiction Book Reviews

1. American Library Association – YALSA Good Reads for Teens

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/tenreading/recreading/recommendedreading.cfm

2. Amy Pattee, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science

http://gslis.simmons.edu/blogs/yaorstfu

3. Crazy Quilts

http://http.campbele.wordpress.com/

4. The Pinnacle

http://urbanreviews.blogspot.com/

5. RAWSISTAZ Reviews

http://www.therawreviewers.com/index_sample.shtml

6. School Library Journal

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

7. Street Fiction

http://www.streetfiction.org

8. Teen Librarian

http://www.teenlibrarian.com/streetlit/

9. Teen Reads

http://teenreads.com/

10. Teen Urban Fiction

http://www.teenurbanfiction.com/

Urban Fiction Publishing Companies Black Expressions – search under kids http://www.blackexpressions.com/ The Cartel Publishing http://thecartelpublications.com/ Kessington Books – search under YA http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/ Qboro Books http://www.qborobooks.com/ Terri Woods Publishing http://teriwoodspublishing.com/site.html Triple Crown Publications http://www.triplecrownpublications.com/ Urban Books http://www.urbanbooks.net/ Urban Literature http://www.urbanliterature.com/

Black Expressions – search under kids

http://www.blackexpressions.com/

The Cartel Publishing

http://thecartelpublications.com/

Kessington Books – search under YA

http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/

Qboro Books

http://www.qborobooks.com/

Terri Woods Publishing

http://teriwoodspublishing.com/site.html

Triple Crown Publications

http://www.triplecrownpublications.com/

Urban Books

http://www.urbanbooks.net/

Urban Literature

http://www.urbanliterature.com/

Author Websites Coe Booth - http://www.coebooth.com/ K’wan - http://www.kwanfoye.com/ L. Devine - http://www.dramahigh.com/ Sharon Draper - http://sharondraper.com/ Sonia Hayes - http://soniahayes.com/home.php Shannon Holmes - http://us.macmillan.com/author/shannonholmes Janet McDonald - www.janetmcdonald.com Denene Millner - http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3747285 Mitzi Miller - http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3747286 Earl Sewell - http://www.earlsewell.com/ Sister Souljah - http://sistersouljah.com/ Nikki Turner - http://nikkiturner.com/ Omar Tyree - http://www.omartyree.com/ Vickie Stringer - http://www.triplecrownpublications.com/ Terri Woods - http://teriwoodspublishing.com/site.html

Coe Booth - http://www.coebooth.com/

K’wan - http://www.kwanfoye.com/

L. Devine - http://www.dramahigh.com/

Sharon Draper - http://sharondraper.com/

Sonia Hayes - http://soniahayes.com/home.php

Shannon Holmes - http://us.macmillan.com/author/shannonholmes

Janet McDonald - www.janetmcdonald.com

Denene Millner - http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3747285

Mitzi Miller - http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3747286

Earl Sewell - http://www.earlsewell.com/

Sister Souljah - http://sistersouljah.com/

Nikki Turner - http://nikkiturner.com/

Omar Tyree - http://www.omartyree.com/

Vickie Stringer - http://www.triplecrownpublications.com/

Terri Woods - http://teriwoodspublishing.com/site.html

Urban Fiction Blogs and Wikispaces Bluford Series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bluford_Series Crazy Quilts http://http.campbele.wordpress.com/ M. Doyle, MLK Middle School, San Francisco, California http://teenlibrarianblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/urban-fiction-for-teens.html The Pinnacle http://urbanreviews.blogspot.com/

Bluford Series

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bluford_Series

Crazy Quilts

http://http.campbele.wordpress.com/

M. Doyle, MLK Middle School, San Francisco, California

http://teenlibrarianblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/urban-fiction-for-teens.html

The Pinnacle

http://urbanreviews.blogspot.com/

Urban Fiction Journal Articles What teens are reading by Felicia Pride and Calvin Reid http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6620241.html “ From the Street to the Libraries” by Anne Banard http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/nyregion/23fiction.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all “ Inner City Teens Do Read” by Vanessa J. Morris, August, 2007 http://www.jahreinaresearch.info/VJMWebsite/urbanfiction/Inner%20City%20Teens%20Do%20Read.rtf “ Is Urban Fiction Appropriate for African-American Teenagers” by LaQuisha Hall http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/322469/is_urban_fiction_appropriate_foraafrican.html?cat=38

What teens are reading by Felicia Pride and Calvin Reid

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6620241.html

“ From the Street to the Libraries” by Anne Banard

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/nyregion/23fiction.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

“ Inner City Teens Do Read” by Vanessa J. Morris, August, 2007

http://www.jahreinaresearch.info/VJMWebsite/urbanfiction/Inner%20City%20Teens%20Do%20Read.rtf

“ Is Urban Fiction Appropriate for African-American Teenagers” by LaQuisha Hall

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/322469/is_urban_fiction_appropriate_foraafrican.html?cat=38

Urban Fiction Journal Articles “ The Real World” by Vanessa E. Jones http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2008/11/03/the_real_world “ Street Fight: Welcome to the World of Urban Literature” by Amy Pattee http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6573998.html “ Takin it to the Street: Teens and Street Lit” by Meagan Honig http://pdfs.voya.com/Vo/yaT/VoyaTakinItToTheStreets.pdf The Real World by Vanessa J. Morris http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2008/11/03/the_real_world/

“ The Real World” by Vanessa E. Jones

http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2008/11/03/the_real_world

“ Street Fight: Welcome to the World of Urban Literature” by Amy Pattee

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6573998.html

“ Takin it to the Street: Teens and Street Lit” by Meagan Honig

http://pdfs.voya.com/Vo/yaT/VoyaTakinItToTheStreets.pdf

The Real World by Vanessa J. Morris

http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2008/11/03/the_real_world/