The Other Side by: Jacqueline Woodson (realistic fiction)

This is the story of two girls, one African American and one white, who step out of the racial barriers set in place for them.  The story takes place when Clover and Annie are told by their parents not to cross the fence that separates their two yards.  Instead the two girls stare at each other from across the yard, until one day they introduce themselves and become friends. Even though they are not allowed to cross the fence, their friendship grows as they sit on top of it.  With criticism from her friends, Clover maintains her friendship with Annie and even invites her to play with the rest of her friends.

I would use this book two different ways in the classroom. I could use it once during Black History Month to explain how things used to be in history and how those things have changed. I would continue to tell students that they can make decisions for themselves and do the right thing on their own.  Another way to use this story is to read it to the class at the beginning of the year. It can teach students to treat everyone as equals and to always stand up to what you believe in. You could get pictures of your students and create a fence using Popsicle sticks with the students "sitting" on the fence. This can be displayed outside of your classroom with a caption like "we all sit on the same fence" to create unity in the classroom. It is also a great book for teaching questioning strategies in reading.

The Other Side by: Jaqueline Woodson by Sam Alinaghi