How may I Help You? by Deepak Singh

Today is All School Seminar Day at New Trier and we offered over 100 sessions related to civil rights; in two that I attended, we actively discussed immigrants and their assimilation within the United States.  I mentioned to several students that I was reading HOW MAY I HELP YOU? by Deepak Singh. It's subtitled: “An Immigrant’s Journey from MBA to Minimum Wage,” and tells the story of Singh’s immigration in the early 2000’s to Charlottesville, Virginia.  He left a BBC World Service position in Lucknow, India in order to join his new American wife, Holly, who was pursuing a PhD. Mostly, Singh shares his frustrations with waiting for a work permit, eventually finding a job at ElectronicsHut, and then learning to be a salesman working on commission in America. 

There are some funny moments, of course, like his learning the expression “all hands on deck.” In addition to describing his own misconceptions and others’ biases, Singh shares many, many wry observations about life in America, making sales to various customers, and dealing with co-workers.  HOW MAY I HELP YOU? is a relatively easy, engaging read and while Deepak’s character at first seems rather immature, he causes readers to pause and consider: “I realized that while I was struggling to keep my job, my colleagues were dealing with much more serious problems. ... I didn’t know that behind the bright lights of this country there was a darker side, and that in that darkness there were people who struggled to make ends meet.” Perhaps our English teachers will consider assigning HOW MAY I HELP YOU? as an updated replacement for Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed.

Although not a refugee, Singh struggled to afford life in America.  And, if you are interested, this week the New York Times profiled charities and other ways to help refugees in the United States and around the world.

A Death in the Dales by Frances Brody

As frequent readers know, I especially enjoy mysteries set in England and just finished A Death in the Dales by Frances Brody which was released earlier this month.  That’s the latest entry (#7) in the Kate Shackleton mystery series which is set in 1920s England.  This time, private detective Kate is planning to take a fortnight holiday with her niece in the rural village of Langcliffe. 

They soon learn of a case from the previous decade where the wrong man may have been convicted.  Somehow combining that quest with a newly missing boy and a suspicious farmer’s death, Kate has plenty of questioning to do. The quiet country setting was fun to envision and the multiple story lines had me guessing up until the end.  Read these cozy mysteries by Frances Brody especially if you like others from a similar period by Jacqueline Winspear or Charles Todd.

PIECING ME TOGETHER by Renee Watson

PIECING ME TOGETHER by Renee Watson is a must-read book in my opinion and I do not say that very often.  I kept wishing that our students could meet the main character, Jade, and have a frank conversation with her. Reading her thoughts in PIECING ME TOGETHER will prompt much discussion about racial and class stereotypes, about the nature of friendship, and empathy for others and their history.  Jade is a talented artist and high school student at [she says] “the best private school in Portland, which means it’s mostly white, which means it’s expensive.”

Jade is often torn between her neighborhood friend, Lee Lee, and a new schoolmate, Sam, neither of whom can fully appreciate the other’s world.  At times, Jade struggles with self-acceptance, perseverance, and forging a relationship with a mentor, Maxine, a young black woman from a more affluent background.  Jade has to learn to speak up for herself; even telling Maxine, “sometimes you make me feel like you’ve come to fix me; only, I don’t feel broken.”  

PIECING ME TOGETHER would be a great book group for teachers/students and mentors/mentees like those at Link Unlimited in Chicago to read and discuss together. Similarly, art teachers could incorporate a unit featuring the collages of Romare Bearden or art by Mickalene Thomas, both of whom are mentioned in PIECING ME TOGETHER.   If you wish to start reading an excerpt or see more well-deserved praise for Renee Watson’s novel, check out the publisher’s site. PIECING ME TOGETHER received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

New Trier’s All School Seminar Day is coming next Tuesday and some of my colleagues will be talking about diverse books.  Here are the images and titles of a few that are due to be published in 2017. We will publish reviews and more suggestions soon.  

American Street by Ibi Zoboi; The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera; When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon; The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas; A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi; Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson; Flame in the Mist by Renée Adieh.