“Sharon’s body of work is ridiculous,” said Heywood, who works at Brashear High School in Pittsburgh. The stories are rendered in a voice that is compelling, authentic and truthful.
The book has been something that children have gravitated to throughout my teaching career since it’s been published.”įlake attests that her books are about children who are likely viewed as the least valued, loved and appreciated - black, urban youths. “There are a lot of books that become less popular over time, this is not one of them in my experience with my students.
“It’s one of the books that I have to replace constantly because kids are so enthralled with it, they don’t return it, and I find myself hoping that they pass it on to other people to read,” she said. Carlton Heywood, a librarian for 30 years and teacher for 27 with Pittsburgh Public Schools, says he intentionally buys paperbacks of her works because students pick up copies that then get passed to someone else.ĭawson, who thinks the book should be in every classroom, couldn’t keep copies in her own either. Chin up, shoulders back, voices lifted, beaming."įlake said it was the schools, teachers, librarians, and parents who kept “The Skin I’m In” out there for youths all these years.
"Before incredible movements and monikers like ‘Black Girls Rock,’ ‘Black Girl Magic’ and ‘Well-Read Black Girl,’ there was ‘The Skin I’m In,’ which is not just a book but a platform for young people - especially the Maleekas of the world - to stand on. Young adult author Jason Reynolds wrote a foreword and introduction for the new edition of the book, which will be released Oct. When you get those kinds of stories, then you realize the power of reading and writing.” I’ve had principals over the years say they keep a copy in their office so when kids are in trouble and they need to sit in the office, they give them the book, and a lot of times, they’ll ask, ‘Can I take this book with me?’ I’ve had teachers come up to me in tears who said they had girls that really would have taken their lives, had it not been for the book. “I’ve had people give it to students who were dark-skinned in hopes of helping them understand that they’re not alone and there’s something beautiful about who they are. “It’s that book that people give to readers for a multitude of reasons,” Flake said.
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