Rural Voices
15 Authors Challenge Assumptions About Small-Town America
1 of 2 copies available
Gracie sees a chance of fitting in at her South Carolina private school, until a "white trash"–themed Halloween party has her steering clear of the rich kids. Samuel's Tejano family has both stood up to oppression and been a source of it, but now he's ready to own his true sexual identity. A Puerto Rican teen in Utah discovers that being a rodeo queen means embracing her heritage, not shedding it . . .
For most of America's history, rural people and culture have been casually mocked, stereotyped, and, in general, deeply misunderstood. Now an array of short stories, poetry, and personal essays, along with anecdotes from the authors' real lives, dives deep into the complexity of rural America and the people who call it home. Fifteen extraordinary authors—diverse in ethnic background, sexual orientation, geographic location, and socioeconomic status—explore the challenges, beauty, and nuances of growing up in rural America. From a mountain town in New Mexico to the gorges of New York to the arctic tundra of Alaska, you'll find yourself visiting parts of this country you might not know existed—and meet characters whose lives might be surprisingly similar to your own.
-An NPR Best Book of the Year
-A Bank Street Best Book of the Year
-A Texas TAYSHAS 2022 reading list selection
-YALSA #BFYA2022 Nominee
-Winner of 2 Nautilus Awards (Best Mid-Grade Fiction and Best Overall Mid-Grade & YA)
-A Junior Library Guild selection
-A Country Living magazine Front Porch Book Club Book of the Month
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
December 21, 2021 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781666144277
- File size: 243468 KB
- Duration: 08:27:13
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- Lexile® Measure: 860
- Text Difficulty: 4-5
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Reviews
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October 19, 2020
With carefully curated precision spanning poetry, comic, and prose, this anthology turns the spotlight on young adults living in rural areas of the United States. Providing an impactful opening is Monica M. Roe’s “The (Unhealthy) Breakfast Club,” highlighting the unlikely friendship among four scholarship students from below the poverty line at an elite school in South Carolina. In his poetry series “A Border Kid Comes of Age,” David Bowles poignantly examines what it means to be Latinx and bisexual. Veeda Bybee’s “Fish and Fences” delves into a small town in Idaho where the protagonist, a child of Laotian refugees, is often mistaken for a member of the only other Asian family in town. And Tirzah Price’s “Best in Show” is a standout, offering a resonant look at a Michigan teenager who feels she must defend her passion for pig showing while struggling to act upon her queerness. Themes including self-discovery, expression, and self-acceptance thread throughout. While some entries may hold less appeal than others, the wide range of representation ensures that readers will find an authentic voice to their liking. Ages 14–up.
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