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Reviewed by Angela Danley, Ed.D., Natalie Tye, MSE, & Karen Loman, Ed.D. from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO
Names Will Never Hurt Me
by Jaime Adoff, 2004
- Grade level: 8-up
- Reading level: 5.1
- Rating:
- Genre: Realistic fiction
Names Will Never Hurt Me is written from the first person perspective of four different teenagers
in a suburban high school. The characters in this book are dealing with everyday teen struggles while trying to fit in to a preexisting high school culture. Two students, one who is bullied and another who feels completely out of place because she’s biracial, navigate
two different worlds. A star athlete harbors a dark secret of his own. Finally, a snitch seeks power by running to the principal to rat on every student in school. All of these students go through their own set of circumstances while enduring the toxic side of high school culture. As situations get more intense, all four characters will have to ignore their own realities in order to reach out to another student who has reached a breaking point.
This is an excellent story for middle and high school students to engage in discussions surrounding topics of bullying, friendship, toxic school culture, and violence in schools. Many issues addressed, such as isolation and rejection by peers, often go unnoticed by adults such as parents, teachers, and administrators. This is a great text to engage students who feel disconnected and vulnerable within suburban schools. This text simultaneously includes similar issues related to schools that have had shootings across the nation. This text could springboard discussions related to those problems and empower students to make the necessary changes.
I believe this book adds value to the current literary landscape for young adults by creating a meaningful window into the young adult world. Often, the first books selected for young adult reading do not necessarily deal with the issues most prevalent within current teen culture. In order to embrace and provide access to more meaningful reading, as educators we must see the value in engaging students about important topics that, in many cases, can mean life and death for teen learners. Names Will Never Hurt Me brings to the forefront the issues of bullying, isolation, anger, resentment, and invisibility that many students experience within a high school. It is a must read for all middle and high school language arts educators.
Padlet App
- iOS or Android
- Grade level: K-12
- Rating:
- Teacher App & Student
Showcase
Padlet is a free web-based collaborative learning tool that can be accessed on all devices and computers. It can act as a virtual corkboard or online space to collect and view images and text, write notes, or share links connected to a content topic. Students may personalize their background by adding photos or other images from the web.
To take full advantage of this resource, students can create an account, which requires an email address. It will be important for the teacher to ensure confidentiality by checking the privacy settings, so outside viewers cannot see the work of the students.
Padlet may be easily used in the primary or intermediate grades to engage students in the learning process and to integrate content areas with literacy, bringing informational text to life for students. One example is to create a wall centered around geography. Students can research the different landforms and share their learning through Padlet. This can be done individually or collaboratively. Padlet was given 5 stars by the three reviewers because it can be easily used in the classroom to connect literacy and technology.
Reviewed by Tiffany Flowers, Assistant Professor of Education at Georgia Perimeter College
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