Who Will Tell My Brother? by Marlene Carvell

This book will show students the prejudice and racism that still exists in today’s society, in this specific case against Native Americans. The fact that the book is written in free verse is a unique contribution to the book and how it can be used in the classroom. Aside from the story exposing racism and promoting racial tolerance, the book can also be used to help students in the realm of poetry. It can help students in comprehending poetry’s meaning, recognizing symbolism and poetic devices, or even writing their own poetry.     

Edited summary from http://blackteensread2.blogspot.com/2009/11/male-monday-who-will-tell-my-brother.html

Who Will Tell My Brother? is a novel written in free-verse that tells the story of Evan Hill, a teenager who decides to carry on his older brother’s fight to have his high school’s offensive Indian chief mascot changed. The free-verse narrative showcases the intense feelings and effects of alienation, determination, humiliation and ignorance. Poetry and free-verse are very deep and can help paint a picture as to what a person is like. The reader learns that Evan is an artist, half-Mohawk on his father’s side, intelligent, articulate, brave, persevering and honest. Despite the taunting and violence from his classmates and the resentment from the school board, Evan continues to push for the cause he believes in. This story remains a valuable lesson to today's society.

Carvell, Marlene. (2004). Who Will Tell My Brother? New York: Hyperion Paperbacks for Children. 160 pp. ISBN: 0-78-681657-0.

The Rough-Face Girl by Martin Rafe

The Rough-Face Girl is the Native American version of Cinderella. This picture book is a good representation of similar stories existing cross culturally and would be good opener to a unit on Native American literature. It also has the important moral of beauty existing on the inside rather than the outside. Middle school students struggle with issues of body image and self-esteem so I think this is an important message to get across to them.

Summary Courtesy of http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/280313.The_Rough_Face_Girl

In an Algonquin village by the shores of Lake Ontario, many young women have tried to win the affections of the powerful Invisible Being who lives with his sister in a great wigwam near the forest. Then came Rough-Face Girl, scarred from working by the fire. Can she succeed where her beautiful, cruel sisters have failed?

Rafe, Martin. (1992). The Rough-Face Girl. New York: Putnam’s Sons. 32 pp.  ISBN: 0-399-21859-9.