Our Stories, Our Voices by Amy Reed (10)

• ASIN: B075RSWTSY
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (August 14, 2018)
• Kindle: 2700 KB
• Print: 321 pages

AMAZON

This collection of twenty-one essays from major YA authors—including award-winning and bestselling writers—touches on a powerful range of topics related to growing up female in today’s America, and the intersection with race, religion, and ethnicity. Sure to inspire hope and solidarity to anyone who reads it, Our Stories, Our Voices belongs on every young woman’s shelf.

This anthology features essays from Martha Brockenbrough, Jaye Robin Brown, Sona Charaipotra, Brandy Colbert, Somaiya Daud, Christine Day, Alexandra Duncan, Ilene Wong (I.W.) Gregorio, Maurene Goo. Ellen Hopkins, Stephanie Kuehnert, Nina LaCour, Anna-Marie LcLemore, Sandhya Menon, Hannah Moskowitz, Julie Murphy, Aisha Saeed, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Amber Smith, and Tracy Walker.

Amy Reed is the author of the contemporary young adult novels Beautiful, Clean, Crazy, Over You, Damaged, Invincible, Unforgivable, The Nowhere Girls, and The Boy and Girl Who Broke the World. She is also the editor of Our Stories, Our Voices. She is a feminist, mother, and quadruple Virgo who enjoys running, making lists, and wandering around the mountains of western North Carolina where she lives. You can find her online at AmyReedFiction.com.

REVIEW:

Such a great anthology of stories from authors sharing their experiences.

I felt deeply connected to Christine Day's story. It's the first time that I have read an Indigenous persons' account in an anthology. As an Indigenous person myself, I understand how she felt with the lack of Indigenous education in the formal school system. The information is sparse and slightly bias from one (caucasian) persective. That is something that definitely needs to change in curriculum. Our people are in the school systems and should learn more about the Indigenous populations around them, instead of having to get further education after high school. Also non-Indigenous people should learn about the people who were on the land before anyone else. Before you teach about The Mayflower. It should be taught in history before any of the wars either. Although, that is my bias opinion.

Still, one of the most powerful snippets in the book comes from Sona Charaipotra's story. It says, 'We have to raise our voices and create the change we want to see.' Today, more than ever, no truer words are spoken.

This is a book that will effect whomever reads it. One of these stories will definitely hit you in a way you won't expect! Pick it up today!

5/5

**Compensation may be earned from the link within. This copy was read free at SimonPulse. Opinions are owned by Freda's Voice.