Compelling novel in verse about controversial school mascot.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Community disputes result in fights in the stands, protesting, screaming, people not talking to each other. Impacts of racial discrimination experienced by students, ie. a student goes to the school bathroom to vomit, another student recalls the enslavement of his ancestors. Sports and historical references are made to tomahawks, battles, and the gesture of "chopping." References made to studies that show the negative impact of racial mascots on the academic and mental health of youth. Historical references included, such as the forced march of the Trail of Tears.
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Rare strong language ("what the hell"). Some derogatory name-calling between students, i.e. "stone-cold sucker," "woke warrior," "racist" and "misogynist." Translated language and slang is also included and defined in the glossary such as "púchica (POO-chee-kah): damn" and "yonegs (transliterated slang of yo-nay-gah ᏲᏁᎦ): white people."
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Multiple references are made to actual locations of cultural significance, such as the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Several websites are included for education and activism in the back pages, particularly the Highlights Foundation which also offers workshops and courses for purchase.
Diverse Representations
a lot
The story focuses on a set of six diverse main characters -- students -- and their families and community. The students are Cherokee and Black, Black, Indian, White, and Salvadorean, one student is an immigrant, another student's parents were immigrants, and they have various class backgrounds. The fictional town of Rye is described as about 50% White, the school board has Black, Latino, and Asian members, and incomes are "pretty high" in the DC suburb. The authors, Charles Waters and Traci Sorell are writers of color. Traci Sorell is of a citizen of Cherokee Nation.
In order to affect positive change, it is often critical to allow multiple perspectives to be heard about culturally sensitive, controversial subjects. This approach promotes positive communication and understanding.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Some adults and the community overall are supportive or opposed on different levels. The story allows for this in order to show varied beliefs, communication, and growth in the community. Strong, positive role models are centrally featured in the story, particularly the English Honors teacher, Ms. Williams, who gives her students "books, poems, and short stories where [they] could see [themselves] and each other." Parents, relatives, and caregivers model care, affection, and deep engagement with their children and community.
Educational Value
some
The back pages detail information about the history of campaigns against the stereotypical use of Native mascots and provide learning resources and glossaries for Cherokee and Salvadoran Spanish words used within the story.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Mascot by Charles Waters and Traci Sorellis a middle-grade novel in verse set in a fictional town just outside of Washington, D.C., about six middle schoolers -- each with different ethnicities, backgrounds, and beliefs -- who are assigned to a project with the title "Pros and Cons of Indigenous People as Mascots." Over the course of the story, the students, their families, and their community get involved in a controversy over whether the local school mascot should be changed. Non-graphic violence includes fights in the stands at sports games, protesting, and screaming, historical and sports references (tomahawks, battles, "chopping" gesture, Trail of Tears), and the negative impacts of racial mascots and racial discrimination on the mental and physical health and academic performance of young people. Language is limited, but includes "what the hell," "púchica" Spanish for "damn," and name-calling ("stone-cold sucker," "woke warrior," "racist" and "misogynist"), and "yonegs (transliterated from Cherokee slang of yo-nay-gah ᏲᏁᎦ): white people."
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What's the Story?
When new student Callie Crossland, who's Cherokee and Black, attends her school pep rally set in the fictional town of Rye just outside of Washington, D.C., she is angered by its offensive mascot and chants. In response, she shares a personal poem in her honors English class, which prompts her teacher to assign the class to a persuasive writing project discussing the pros and cons of using Indigenous people as mascots. Told from six diverse student perspectives and unfolding in conversational poems, each student examines their own identity, beliefs, biases, and passions, as well as the different perspectives of their peers, their family, and their community in response to the local mascot controversy.
Mascot is a deeply compelling social justice narrative of a challenging topic with real-world relevance and diverse perspectives. Clear in its mission from its book title to its back pages, this novel confronts a challenging topic with accessible tween-friendly dialogue and complex characters with their own mix of personal biases, passions, and influences. This novel in verse is an easy read about a heavy topic with a direct call to activism. The authors don't shy away from including highly politicized content such as cancel culture and white supremacy, nor nuances to topics such as homeschooling and immigration. Admirable effort is made to include and represent the complexities of characters with compassion. Readers will relate to the challenges of honest, respectful communication between peers and adults of different identities, backgrounds, and beliefs; and ultimately be inspired by how students, families, and communities of different perspectives can come together learn, listen, find positivity and create change. This book provides ample opportunity for classroom and family discussions around racism and civil conversations.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how to honestly and respectfully communicate thoughts and feelings. How can we communicate how we really feel without disrespecting another person?
Learn about mascots and the role they play in entertainment and excitement. What kind of mascots exist in your school or community?
Talk about activism. What topics are important to you, and what would you like to help change?
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