Gangs and Self-Esteem

I'm 8 years old, my name is Mariana and I live in Chicago. I hate street gangs. I have an uncle who joined a gang when he was young, and he always tells us stories sbout it and how its the biggest mistake for a young person to join a gang. He remembers when he was 19 and watched a friend beat up a old man. He thought it was funny at the time, but later felt real bad about it, and now gives money to the homeless shelter. I will never join a gang. To the San Diego youth officer that says that Mr. Williams books are boring to kids? You say you have better books for us to read, and that we should not be talked down to, but sorry, yes we do need strait talk not sweet talk. And the books are boring for you probly because your not a kid. Do you play with GI Joe, and do you know how it feels to be a leader when you are 19 years old? I do, and im not even 9 yet. Why? because someone who DOES know told me. The books will help. I would like to meet the author one day, and bring him to my friends houses so he can tell them in person. That would make a kid feel important. I don't care that he was a gang member. You can't change the past, but you can change the future.

I do not have to ask my students to read these books, they ask me IF I will let them read them! I have seven of this series, as well as his autobiographical "Life in Prison". We have been reading the books and looking up current information on the internet. The students are learning much from Tookie's mistakes and are pledging to not follow in his footsteps. I am hopeful that this is a lesson they will carry with them throughout life.

This book is a great resource for youth in our trouble times. The best teachers are those who lived that experince, and NOT those on the peace officer side. If your youth is going down that road or live in that urban area where youth are not directed, then get a copy and pass it on.

Maybe not for educators, most likely not for students, but for up and coming Lil Gs this book tells it like it is ... straight forward with excellent phonetic spellings in the back. This book steers you away from the bad and toward the good. Stay Clean and Say NO to glue. Dig the art, too, man. Pick this book up, G. Eighth Street Cadillac High Rollers in the House.

As a literacy professional and a volunteer in the Alternatives to Violence Project, I had serious questions about the Tookie books until I offered"Gangs and Self Esteem" to a incarcerated student, who read it with an intensity I had not seen before. He asked again and again where he could buy it - something I'd also never seen. I think these books are valuable. The author has credibility. The concepts and information they provide are important and the repetitions serve to underline them.The situations provoke personal stories & discussion which can be used to extend into personal writing and journals. I do think the publishers have make big mistakes. They have altered "street speech" into standard English. The photos are inappropriate and full of stereotypes. The age level seems all o ver the place. I agree that they are not for teens, but the simplicity of the language IS appropriate for older students with reading problems. I suggested to my student that he write Tookie with his ideas. In my opinion, the book company is trying to market these books to every age and condition of kids - and I wish Tookie could have more say about his audience and tailor the design decisions to them. I don't like the "pronunciation helps" in parentheses, or the "glossary". This was really "talking down". And I do think Tookie could write us a book designed for more literate kids. But hats off to everybody involved in publishing somthing we really need, even if it's not perfect.