A Mini-Expert Project

Carol J. Forbes
August, 2000

Educators:

This project has been created to assist you as you build a unit for the core literature novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Corollary books were selected with a range of age levels and reading levels in mind. All of these novels could serve as excellent supplemental and/or book club readings. They represent different aspects of this richly thematic novel. The books chosen represent some of the best and most current multi-cultural (African American) books available. They may be read in other units of study or they can be read and studied on their own merit, outside of a curricular unit.

The project also includes Internet Links of websites that can assist both you and your students during a unit on the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. I hope this project is a valuable resource for you and your students.

Author Title Publisher Year
Lee, Harper To Kill a Mockingbird Warner Books 1960
This is one of my favorite novels. I was amazed to see that it is still on the best seller list. This book is perfect for initiating a collaborative unit between English teachers and LMTs. This novel is the inspiration for my mini-expert project.
Myers, Walter Dean The Glory Field Scholastic Inc. 1994
The Glory Field chronicles the lives of several members of the Lewis family. The reader follows the roots of this family tree through several generations, from the kidnapping of Muhammad Bilal from Africa for the slave trade to the city life of descendants during present times. The reader witnesses the trials, the hopes, the dreams, and the heartbreaks of this African American family. Through this family, the reader witnesses the birth and growth of the civil rights movement. The reader is left contemplating the challenges that lie ahead. The novel is extremely long and may be overwhelming and difficult for some students to follow. The format of a book club should help these students. Jigsaw reading of this novel is also a good option. The beauty of this book lies in the strength of the individual family members who find strength from the land, the family bonds, and the inner strength that they learn is deeply rooted in their family line.
Meyer, Carolyn White Lilacs Harcourt Brace Jovanovich 1993
The city council of Dillon, Texas reveals its plan to move Freedomville - a black community in the heart of town - to the sewer flats, in order to build a park. This proposal outrages the community. Twelve-year-old Rosa undertakes a mission to unite her community and save her home. This novel is based on a true incident and serves as a lesson in courage, conviction, and the spirit of community.
Parks, Rosa Rosa Parks: My Story Dial Books 1992
Rosa Parks: My Story is the autobiographical story of the woman who challenged racial injustice and inequality. Her story served as the impetus for the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Reading this message of courage is inspiring for all students.
Staples, Suzanne Fisher Dangerous Skies Harper Trophy 1996
Two childhood friends have their friendship challenged when they discover a dead body. This novel is an excellent companion piece for the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, as the reader explores themes such as racism, betrayal, and loyalty through the eyes of a child. There is one discussion of sexual molestation, but the event is discussed in a sensitive manner.
Jurmain, Suzanne Freedom's Sons: The True Story of the Amistad Mutiny Lothrop, Lee, & Shepard 1998
This brief, easy-to-read book chronicles the 1839 revolt of Africans on the slave ship, Amistad. It covers the trial and the human emotion behind the incident. The book gives an interesting and human-centered picture of this historical event and its subsequent court case.
Davis, Ossie Just Like Martin Puffin Books 1995
Fourteen-year-old, Martin, Stone, organizes a civil rights march to combat racial intolerance after 2 young people are killed in a church bombing that was racially motivated.
Beals, Melba Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High Pocket Books 1995
The author displays her strength and personal conviction in this novel about the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Drawing from her personal diaries, she shares the many abuses she suffered from people of all ages and races, as she exercised her civil rights.
O'Leary, Patsy Baker With Wings As Eagles Houghton Mifflin Co. 1997
Twelve-year-old Bubba Hawkins learns lessons about loyalty, friendship, and family when his father is released from prison after serving 6 years for a crime he did not commit. Bubba witnesses the cruelty of racism and the importance of community in the novel, With Wings As Eagles.
Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson Before Dying Vintage Books 1994
Jefferson is a young African American man who is sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit. Grant is the reluctant teacher who is coerced by this aunt to teach Jefferson a lesson of human pride before his death. During the several months leading to Jefferson's execution, the two form a bond. Together, the men learn to live beyond their boundaries and their own needs. They learn lessons of friendship, commitment, dignity, and the strength of the human spirit.
Taylor, Mildred D. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Puffin Books 1976
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the emotional story of one turbulent year in the lives of an African American family during the Depression. Their personal experiences regarding racism strengthened their devotion to each other and to the land that sustained them. This is an exemplary novel that shows the strength, pride, and devotion many families displayed during these difficult times.
Myers, Walter Dean Monster HarperCollins 1999
Sixteen-year-old, Steve Harmon, is accused of participating in a robbery that ended in the murder of the store's owner. He must cope through a nightmare ordeal as he tries to prove his innocence. He finds  the only avenue to escape his fear is through his love for filmmaking. He decides to write a film of his trial; the entire book is written as his screenplay. This fresh approach will engage even the most reluctant readers. It is an outstanding companion piece to the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Young adults will enjoy reading the novel, and they will be challenged when they reflect on the themes of racism and self-esteem portrayed in this poignant novel.
Cooney, Caroline B. Burning Up Delacorte Press 1999
When fifteen-year-old, Macey Clare, researches the history of a burned out barn across the street from her grandparents' home, she begins to unravel a mystery of arson and attempted murder which evolves around racial hatred and social injustice. This contemporary look at events from our nation's recent past will engage the minds of young adult readers and give them an opportunity to contemplate the frightening power that racial hatred can produce.
French, Albert Billy Penguin Books 1995
Billy is a powerful novel set in the deep South in 1937. It is about a ten-year-old African American boy who is convicted of murdering a fifteen-year-old white girl and is subsequently sentenced to death. This book of racial injustice could elicit deep discussion with young adult readers. Reading the dialect can be difficult at first, but the novel, with its challenging questions, is worth the effort. Young adult readers of all ages will benefit by reading this book.
Campbell, Bebe Moore Your Blues Ain't Like Mine G. P. Putnam's Sons 1992
Your Blues Ain't Like Mine is an unforgettable novel about racism, poverty, and social injustice. It is the story of the senseless death of a young African American boy and the far-reaching impact of his death on so many people. It is a powerful novel that is written for very mature readers. There are several explicit sexual and violent scenes that must be considered before assigning this novel to students. The book is not appropriate for young readers, but it is a very thought-provoking novel for mature readers.
Selected by Rochman & McCampbell Leaving Home HarperCollins 1997
Leaving Home is a collection of emotionally rich stories that explore the myriad of feelings experienced when one leaves home to begin a new life. Stories by several distinguished authors of multi-cultural novels are featured. The story titled, "Recitetif" by Toni Morrison, would be an excellent supplemental story to add to a unit on To Kill a Mockingbird.
Hughes, Langston The Dream Keeper and Other Poems A. A. Knopf 1996
Langston Hughes encapsulated the African American experience in this collection of over 60 poems about hardships, victories, emotions, and dreams. These poems would be great for journal writing assignments to supplement the unit.
Angelou, Maya And Still I Rise Random House 1978
This collection of poems by Poet Laureate, Maya Angelou, is moving and inspirational. Angelou shares both her turbulent and her triumphant experiences with her readers. This is an excellent collection that will certainly enhance this unit of instruction.