Multicultural American Literature suggestions?

[ohiowan]

I'm working on my curriculum for English III, and I want to incorporate more multicultural literature for the class. Does anyone have any title or author suggestions? Poetry, short stories, essays, novels, etc. 

Background: Juniors in rural MN. 

[Saint Monica]

That one book by Sherman Alexie (not sure if I spelled his name right).

[Captain Serious]

Anything by Daniel Alarcon. www.amazon.com/War-Candlelight-Daniel-Alarcon-ebook/dp/B000NJL79Q

[lilles]

When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago

How the García Girls Lost their Accent by Julia Alvarez

The brief wondrous life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

[Captain Serious]

Anything by Julia Alvarez. www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277.Julia_Alvarez

[Saint Monica]

The Fifth Chinese Daughter!!!

[marshmallow]

Zitkala-Sa's short stories/essay/memoirs (however you want to frame them) have gone over really well for me. NA literature tens to be really forgotten in many English programs, and she's from rural western SD, so not a totally unfamiliar world. Toni Morrison's Recitatif has been popular with other teachers in my school and is really useful for framing discussions. American Born Chinese is something I really want to teach someday, but haven't been able to yet.

[cherryvalance]

What are you funds like? Can you do books or just easily printable stories? Are you looking for texts that represent different cultural groups within the United States, or literature from around the world that connects thematically to American literature?

My students enjoyed both "Mother Tongue" and "Rules of the Game" by Amy Tan. There are many resources on TPT for "Rules of the Game," as well.

If you can do novels, my students love The Color Purple.

[Deleted]

The short stories in the Interpreter of Maladies would likely have good candidates. (Indian American author)

[sweetday]

Aug 8, 2016 11:42:35 GMT -5 @stilljustash said:

my junior year english teacher was really into isabel allende everything (we read paula and house of the spirits, but i've read several others on my own and they're all fantastic) and japanese lit (specifically, obasan, kitchen, the sailor who fell from grace with the sea, and shogun).

I loooove her!

[lust2hart]

I enjoyed "Notes from No Man's Land" which is a collection of essays by Eula Biss. She appears to be white, but talks about diversity from her living in New York, California, and the Midwest.

[ohiowan]

Aug 8, 2016 12:07:35 GMT -5 cherryvalance said:

What are you funds like? Can you do books or just easily printable stories? Are you looking for texts that represent different cultural groups within the United States, or literature from around the world that connects thematically to American literature?

My students enjoyed both "Mother Tongue" and "Rules of the Game" by Amy Tan. There are many resources on TPT for "Rules of the Game," as well.

If you can do novels, my students love The Color Purple.

I need to find out how much I can order for this year. I wish seashell books was still open. It was a used bookstore out of Florida. I used to order a ton of books from there for $1 a piece and any order over $25 was free shipping. I haven't found another place like that since it closed though. 

[ohiowan]

The overall theme I'm going to focus on this idea is how people shape their identities. A lot of these suggestions will fit in very well with that; thank you!

[Deleted]

Aug 8, 2016 12:31:49 GMT -5 ohiowan said:

The overall theme I'm going to focus on this idea is how people shape their identities. A lot of these suggestions will fit in very well with that; thank you!

Then definitely look very seriously at Sherman Alexie.  I think it would be perfect.

[lust2hart]

Aug 8, 2016 12:31:49 GMT -5 ohiowan said:

The overall theme I'm going to focus on this idea is how people shape their identities. A lot of these suggestions will fit in very well with that; thank you!

The Bluest Eye would be great for this. 

[Deleted]

I don't know if a book chapter works, but in Mindy Kaling's newest book she has a section about being brown and not super thin in hollywood. It may not be a great fit, but would be lighter.

[meganew]

Aug 8, 2016 12:10:34 GMT -5 @astrid said:

The short stories in the Interpreter of Maladies would likely have good candidates. (Indian American author)

Really anything by Jhumpa Lahiri would work. She's my favorite <3

[Captain Serious]

In that case, I'd add Honolulu and Molokai by Alan Brennert to your list as well.

[NewOrleans]

It has to be American?

Short stories by Welty.

Essays or poetry of by Alice Walker

Poetry and stories of Langston Hughes

Essays by Baldwin and Sonny's Blues

Battle Royale by Ellison

Stories by Cisneros (excerpts from Woman Hollering Creek work well)

Sherman Alexie is just so terrific. If you don't have time for a novel, he has some mini essays on each grade of school he went through. I can't remember what here called but it's about growing up Native.

Native creation stories

Excerpts from Under the Feet of Jesus

[NewOrleans]

Amy Tan has glorious memoir type of stuff such as Fish Cheeks it stories such as Two Kinds from her novels

You owe it to your female students to teach Their Eyes Were Watching God

Esmeralda Santiago also has essays similar to Tan's... Guavas

Gary Soto has good stuff

Toni Morrison is probably too much, huh?

[NewOrleans]

Also, literally one of my favorite books in the world is Song of the Exile, half about native Hawaiians

poetry of Nikki Giovanni

stories by Roth (Jewish)

[NewOrleans]

Aug 8, 2016 12:31:49 GMT -5 ohiowan said:

The overall theme I'm going to focus on this idea is how people shape their identities. A lot of these suggestions will fit in very well with that; thank you!

Yup, then you need Under the Feet of Jesus, Fish Cheeks, Their Eyes/God, and Sherman Alexie, and Gary Soto.

[cleo29]

In the Time of The Butterflies was a wonderful book.

www.amazon.com/Time-Butterflies-Julia-Alvarez/dp/1565129768

[sonrisa]

Aug 8, 2016 11:58:00 GMT -5 lilles said:

When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago

How the García Girls Lost their Accent by Julia Alvarez

The brief wondrous life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

I love Junot Diaz. He taught me in college. But that book is much too violent to assign broadly. (For the right high school student, it could be a great choice.).

[lilles]

Aug 8, 2016 13:17:05 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

Aug 8, 2016 11:58:00 GMT -5 lilles said:

When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago

How the García Girls Lost their Accent by Julia Alvarez

The brief wondrous life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

I love Junot Diaz. He taught me in college. But that book is much too violent to assign to 7th graders blindly. (For the right high school student, it could be a great choice. But the graphic violence isn't appropriate for middle school kids).

I thought she meant she was teaching high school juniors. I do agree that it is violent, didn't thing about that part.

So jealous that he was your professor!!

[Serenity9]

The Gangster We Are All Looking For - Le Thi Diem Thuy - a Vietnamese immigrants' family story

[sonrisa]

Aug 8, 2016 13:24:38 GMT -5 lilles said:

Aug 8, 2016 13:17:05 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

I love Junot Diaz. He taught me in college. But that book is much too violent to assign to 7th graders blindly. (For the right high school student, it could be a great choice. But the graphic violence isn't appropriate for middle school kids).

I thought she meant she was teaching high school juniors. I do agree that it is violent, didn't thing about that part.

So jealous that he was your professor!!

I miss read the age and edited above :-) He was great :-)

It works particularly well with the theme she talked about: forming identity. His character is a  sci fi nerd with dominican heritage and both those facets shape his identity.

[ErinExpat]

Aug 8, 2016 12:00:13 GMT -5 Captain Serious said:

Anything by Julia Alvarez. www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277.Julia_Alvarez

Yes, absolutely. 

Also: Amigo Brothers by Piri Thomas

[miso]

Anything by David Henry Hwang and Maxine Hong Kingston.

I fucking hate Amy Tan.

Addendum:

This is a nice list (even if it does include Amy Tan, ugh).

[insominac]

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates would spark some interesting discussions...