1. Discovering Urban Fiction for Middle School Students Compiled by: K. C
Discovering Urban Fiction for Middle School Students Compiled by: K.C. Boyd, MLS Area Library Coordinator Department of Libraries and Information Services Chicago Public Schools

2. What are pre-teens reading?

3. What is Urban Fiction? http://www.libsuccess.org/Urban_Fiction/
Urban Fiction is a popular yet controversial genre especially among young African-American and Hispanic patrons. The genre features characters living in large urban cities that are usually involved in drug dealing, gang violence, and/or prostitution.

4. Urban Fiction is also identified as:
What is Urban Fiction?
Urban Fiction is also identified as:
Urban Literature
Gangster Literature
Ghetto Literature
Hip Hop Literature
Street Fiction
Street Literature

5. What Are Some of the Characteristics of Urban Fiction

6. Characteristics of Urban Fiction
Often self-published or published by small, independent presses.
Generally published in a trade paperback format
Some are poorly edited and have weak storylines
Often not reviewed in mainstream publications
Some authors are or have served time in jail/prison

7. Characteristics of Urban Fiction cont.
The genre is made up of young, first-time African-American authors.
Stories take place in large urban cities such as Richmond, VA, Chicago, IL, New York , Washington, D.C. and Newark, New Jersey.
Gritty and includes plenty of sex, drugs, and violence. Drug dealing, or “the game”, is a common theme.
Written in the language of the streets, with plenty of slang and four-letter words.

8. Characteristics of Urban Fiction cont.
Heavy references are made to designer clothing, jewelry and expensive cars.
Female characters are often shallow and self-centered at the beginning, but learn valuable lessons through facing hardships.
Characters may profit from drug dealing, enjoying their wealth, but eventually most pay the price. Many titles end in tragedy – violent deaths, prison.
The cover art often feature photos of scantily clad women, men with guns, expensive cars, etc.

9. The Pioneers of Urban Fiction

10. Pioneers of Urban Fiction
Claude Brown
1965

11. Pioneers of Urban Fiction
Robert “Iceberg Slim” Beck
1969

12. Pioneers of Urban Fiction
Donald Goines
1971

13. Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?

14. Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?
The stories reflect a world that many young readers can relate to.
The stories give the reader an opportunity to escape their own difficult circumstance.
The stories are fast paced filled with taboo subjects such as sex, drugs and violence.

15. Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?
Urban Fiction books are shared between family members.
Some school districts have integrated books from the genre into the school curriculum.

16. Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?
Universal themes/messages from
rap/hip-hop music are present.

18. Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?
Influence of
Recording Artists
Tupac Shakur
1999

19. Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?
Influence of
Recording Artists
Ashanti
2002

20. Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?
Influence of
Recording Artists
Alicia Keys
2005

21. Why Is Urban Fiction So Popular?
Influence of
Television
HBO’s The Wire

22. What Are the Positive and Negative Characteristics of
Urban Fiction?

23. Positive
The stories are ‘cautionary tales’ – the overall messages conveyed in these stories are positive.
Gets an audience of reluctant readers excited about reading
Encourages young people to become authors.
Gives hope to young people who need help.

24. Negative Reinforces stereotypes and encourages irresponsible behavior.
Promotion of sex, drugs and violence.
Negative references to women.
Heavily commercialized.
Strong use of explicit language.

25. Popular Adult
Urban Fiction Authors

26. The Top Three Male and Female Adult Urban Fiction Authors

33. Popular Adult Urban Fiction Authors
Treasure Hernandez
Ashley JaQuavis
Tu-Shonda Whitaker
Ashley Antionette
Sapphire
Darrell Debrew
Jihad
Deborah Mayer
Victor L. Marter
Leo Sullivan
Shavonn Moore
Wahida Clark
Kashamba Williams
Deja King
Omar Tyree
Keisha Irving
Zane
Relentless Aaron
Kiki Swinson
Teri Woods
Lisa Lennox
Quentin Carter

34. Critics of Urban Fiction

35. Dr. Gloria Wade Gayles Independent Scholars Program Spelman College
Urban fiction threw out African American family values and
rituals, and it makes older people in the community invisible.
There are exceptions, but most of this fiction is of the very brief
now. It's not born to be read ten years from now. There are no
James Baldwins, no Ralph Ellisons, no Toni Morrisons, no
Ernest Gaineses. What is this genre‘s value, other than to
make money?

36. Meeting the Needs
of Your Students

37. Make sure your school has a written selection and reconsideration policy that addresses written challenges to books. If you don’t, you’re totally vulnerable.

38. Chicago Public Schools Collection Development Policy for School Libraries
Librarians should make purchasing decisions based on
their knowledge of the following:
Students
Communities
Collection needs
Other criteria set forth in the CPS Collection Development Policy for School Librarians

39. A Dirty Little Secret: Self-Censorship Self-censorship is rampant and lethal By Debra Lau Whelan School Library Journal, 2/1/2009

40. Street Fight: Welcome to the World of Urban Lit Teens love it
Street Fight: Welcome to the World of Urban Lit Teens love it. Some librarians loathe it. Welcome to the world of urban lit. By Amy Pattee School Library Journal, 7/1/2008

41. Amy Pattee
Assistant Professor
Graduate School of Library Science
Simmons College
Do our collections reflect the needs and tastes of the young people we serve? Or do they just reflect our own literary preferences?
Are we willing to challenge ourselves professionally and to open up to new forms of literary expression? Or are we set in our ways?
As librarians who are committed to serving teens, it’s essential to embrace urban street lit—even if its stories occasionally clash with our values.

42. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzaXRLWLTkI Dr. Sandra Hughes-Hassell
Director of the School Library Media Program
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Urban Teens in the Library:
Research and Practice
by Dr. Sandra Hughes-Hassell
6:17- 8:53

43. Takin’ it to the Street: Teens and Street Lit By Megan Honig Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), August, 2008

44. Six Steps to Meeting Urban Fiction Readers Needs by Megan Honig
Respect the genre
Provide Satisfying Alternates
Provide Access
Collect Urban Fiction books
Use Urban Fiction in Library Programs
Broaden your collection

45. Popular Urban Fiction
Novels And Series

46. Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List
* Appeared on the 2008
Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List

48. Anne Schraff and Paul Langan
The Bluford Series is a collection of 15 novels that focus on the lives of a group of high school students and their families Each novel addresses complex topics relevant to the lives of today's students: family, friendship, trust, violence, and peer pressure.

55. Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List
* Appeared on the 2008
Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List

57. Platinum Teens Series
Created by former Triple Crown Publications author, Kasamba Williams. This series is written by teens, marketed as teen friendly and comes with a discussion guide.

63. Monica McKayhan
Earl Sewell

66. * 2009 Mayor Daley’s Book Club Spring Conference Gift

69. Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List
* Appears on the 2009
Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List

70. * 2008 Mayor Daley’s Book Club Spring Conference Gift

71. www.earlsewell.com * Currently appears on the 2009
Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List

76. Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List
* Appears on the 2009
Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List

79. * 2008 Mayor Daley’s Book Club Spring Conference Gift

82. Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List
* Appeared on the 2008
Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List

83. Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List
* Appeared on the 2008
Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List

84. Urban Lit Books with an Edge

86. Drama High Series by L. Devine
Drama High is a series of books that focuses on the lives of teens struggling with peer pressure, acceptance and self-esteem.

93. Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List
* Appeared on the 2008
Mayor Daley’s Book Club Choice List

97. Adult Books that Teens are Reading

99. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5FYahzVU 44

104. Where can I find more
information about
Urban Fiction novels?

105. Selection Tools Book reviews from professional journals Booklist
*School Library Journal
Kirkus Reviews
Horn Book
Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books
Voice of Youth Advocates

106. Clarion Univ. of Pennsylvania Cleveland Public Library
Word on Street Lit. #1-16
Vanessa J. Morris
Assistant Professor
Clarion Univ. of Pennsylvania
Rollie Welch
Collection Manager,
Cleveland Public Library

107. Selection Tools Urban Fiction Book Reviews
1. American Library Association – YALSA Good Reads for Teens
2. Amy Pattee, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science
3. Crazy Quilts
4. The Pinnacle
5. RAWSISTAZ Reviews
6. School Library Journal
7. Street Fiction
8. Teen Librarian
9. Teen Reads
10. Teen Urban Fiction

108. Urban Fiction Publishing Companies
Black Expressions – search under kids
The Cartel Publishing
Kessington Books – search under YA
Qboro Books
Terri Woods Publishing
Triple Crown Publications
Urban Books
Urban Literature

109. Author Websites Coe Booth - http://www.coebooth.com/
K’wan -
L. Devine -
Sharon Draper -
Sonia Hayes -
Shannon Holmes -
Janet McDonald -
Denene Millner -
Mitzi Miller -
Earl Sewell -
Sister Souljah -
Nikki Turner -
Omar Tyree -
Vickie Stringer -
Terri Woods -

110. Urban Fiction Blogs and Wikispaces
Bluford Series
Crazy Quilts
M. Doyle, MLK Middle School, San Francisco, California
The Pinnacle

111. Urban Fiction Journal Articles
What teens are reading by Felicia Pride and Calvin Reid
“From the Street to the Libraries” by Anne Banard
“Inner City Teens Do Read” by Vanessa J. Morris, August, 2007
“Is Urban Fiction Appropriate for African-American Teenagers” by LaQuisha Hall

112. Urban Fiction Journal Articles
“The Real World” by Vanessa E. Jones
“Street Fight: Welcome to the World of Urban Literature” by Amy Pattee
“Takin it to the Street: Teens and Street Lit” by Meagan Honig
The Real World by Vanessa J. Morris

113. Online Hip-Hop Dictionaries
Hip Hop Galaxy Dictionary
Rap Dictionary
Urban Slang Dictionary

114. Urban Slang Dictionary - www.urbandictionary.com

115. K.C. Boyd, Area Library Coordinator
Department of Libraries and Information Services
Chicago Public Schools
Facebook: K.c. Boyd