The document discusses street literature, which depicts stories set in urban environments focusing on the daily lives of people living in low-income neighborhoods. It explores some early writers of the genre like Claude Brown and Iceberg Slim. Popular titles for middle school, high school, and adult readers are recommended. Reasons for including street literature in library collections are provided, such as appealing to patron interests and exposing students to diverse genres. Guidelines for developing street literature selections are presented.

1. What Is Street Literature?
Presented by:
K.C. Boyd
Wendell Phillips Academy High School
Academy of Urban School Leadership School
1 Pictures courtesy of Google Images
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2. *
1975 2
1999
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3. Phillips Library Media Center
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4. What are pre-teens and teens reading?
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6. What do we call these books?
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7. Ghetto Literature
Hip Hop Literature
Street Literature
Urban Fiction
Urban Literature
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8. Urban Fiction
Subgenres of Urban Fiction8 K.C. Boyd, 11-29-11
The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Street Literature by Vanessa I. Morris

9. Urban Fiction – stories set in urban settings/cities
that feature characters whose experiences span
cultural, social, political, geographical, and
economic boundaries.
The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Street Literature by Vanessa I. Morris
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10. Sex and the City is Viewed as a Urban Comedy
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11. *What is Street Literature?
Street Literature –
reality based stories about the streets that are
authentic, unapologetic and truthful. The genre is location specific
and depicts tales about the daily lives of people living in lower-
income city neighborhoods.
“The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Street Literature” by Vanessa I. Morris
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12. Ghetto Literature
Hip Hop Literature
Street Literature
Urban Fiction
Urban Literature
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13. Why Should Library Collections
Contain Some Street Literature Titles?
- Timeless themes such as peer
pressure, violence, pregnancy, divorce, drugs and sex appear in the
stories.
- Students should be exposed to a variety of genres.
- The stories are cautionary tales that takes the reader on a journey that
forces them to compare the stories to their own lives.
- The students can directly relate to the characters and empathize with
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their struggles.

14. Why Should Library Collections
Contain Some Street Literature Titles?
- The stories within the genre serve as a platform for discussion/dialogue
for tweens and teens with adults.
- Some students are avid readers and are looking for a challenge when
reading Street Literature.
- Some students possess the emotional maturity to understand and handle
the content in these books.
- The genre meets the needs of a group of library patrons that have
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historically been ignored.

15. Not every
book
Is
Street
Literature
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16. Should I Have Street Literature In My Collection?
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17. Chicago Public Schools
Collection Development Policy for
School Libraries
Found under ‘CPS Board Approves Library Collection Development Policy –
Librarian Information’ http://policy.cps.k12.il.us/documents/604.7.pdf
Librarians should make purchasing decisions based on
their knowledge of the following:
Students
Communities
Collection needs
Other criteria set forth in the CPS Collection Development Policy
for School Librarians
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18. Be Prepared to Defend the
Genre and Books in Your Collection
- Make sure you understand the district selection
and reconsideration policy that addresses written
challenges to books.
- Understand your students and the community
- Read the books
- Read reviews
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6632974.html
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19. My Success is Attributed to….
Supportive Teaching Staff
Supportive Administration
Teachers that Read to
their Students
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Keeping Abreast of New Trends

20. Early Writers of Street Literature
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21. Author, Stephen Crane
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22. Author, Frank Norris
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23. Author, Abraham Cahan
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24. Author, Claude Brown
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25. Robert “Iceberg Slim” Beck
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26. Donald Goines
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27. Popular Street Literature
‘Read Alikes’ for Middle School and Early High School Students
Classics and My favorites
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30. *New Releases…
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35. Popular Street Literature
‘Read Alikes’ for High School Students
Classics and my favorites
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40. *
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47. Popular Street Literature
Novels And Series:
Adult Classics and My favorites
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59. Excellent Resources for Librarians
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60. Paula Brehm-Heeger
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61. Denise Agusto and
Sandra Hughes-Hassell
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62. Megan Sweeney
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63. Megan Honig
Former Young Adult Materials Specialist
Central Collection Development
New York Public Library
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64. The Reader’s Advisory Guide
to Street Literature
by Vanessa I. Morris
Assistant Teaching Professor,
The iSchool at Drexel University
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65. http://phatfiction.blogspot.com/
Susan McClelland
Reader’s Advisory Librarian
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Oak Park Public Library

66. Vanessa I.66
Morris K.C. Boyd, 11-29-11
http://www.jahreinaresearch.info/VJMWebsite/

67. *http://www.vanirvinmorris.
com/
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68. * http://www.streetfiction.org/category/genres/urban-teen/
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69. *
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70. K.C. Boyd, Library Media Specialist
http://www.missdomino.blogspot.com/
kcboyd1@gmail.com
http://www.slideshare.net/kcboyd1
Warrior Library Media Specialist, Lover of Street Literature,
Hip-Hop/House Music Lover, Reviewer of Books and Girlie Girl
You can follow me on:
Twitter@kc_boyd
Facebook@kcboyd
Linkedin@kcboyd 70 K.C. Boyd, 11-29-11