The Skin I'm in

Rating:
Summary: Beauty is NOT Just Skin Deep
Review: Beauty is NOT Just Skin Deep

Maleeka Madison is an intelligent young girl who suffers from having a low self-esteem because of her extraordinarily dark skin tone and the homemade clothing that her mother forces her to wear. She is often ridiculed. To help cushion the brunt of the teasing of her peers, Maleeka befriends Charlese. Charlese is a popular girl and somewhat of a bully. She provides clothing and protection for Maleeka. In return Maleeka does the homework for Charlese and her friends.

Maleeka's life changes when Miss Saunders comes to teach at her school. Maleeka can relate to Miss Saunders because she is also teased due to her deformed face. Throughout the course of the novel Miss Saunders helps Maleeka make several realizations about who she is and who her true friends are.

THE SKIN I'M IN is an excellent book that explores issues of self-esteem and peer pressure. Sharon Flake has created a memorable cast of characters that many pre-adolescent girls can relate to. The book teaches the important lesson that looks are only skin deep and character is more important. This is a must read for young girls who suffer from low self-esteem and any one looking for an insightful and quick read.

Reviewed by Latoya Carter-Qawiyy of...

Rating:
Summary: Jasmine's Review
Review: I enjoyed this book because it had a lot of infomation and she was speaking things that were really happening. My favorite part in this book is when Maleeka and Ms.Saunders weren't getting along and at the middle or the end they were finally friends.

Rating:
Summary: Daneisha's Review
Review: I enjoyed this book because it was about a girl who spoke her mind, but not to someone else. It was about how there were fake people in her life, and you can't trust everybody you see.It was also about true love.

My favorite part of the story was at the end of the book when Caleb wrote a love letter to Maleeka.
It said "Do you want to be my dark chocolate?" Maleeka said "Yes. I want to be your dark chocolate."They walked together and everything.

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: I spent half of this book rolling my eyes, hoping Maleeka would become stronger. Then I finally just lost hope in the girl gaining a backbone. This book was a quick, easy read about growing up & dealing with your peers. It's a novella that I admire and would like to write (about young people). The plot was creative, not following the same path that most African-American literature is following: simple, deprived woman, married deprived woman, sensitive, gullible man or player. Great job, especially with Caleb!

Rating:
Summary: The Skin I'm In
Review: Imagine you are an African American girl going to school everyday, getting picked on by another African American girl because you don't have a lot of money so your family makes your clothes. But, that doesn't bother you a lot. So you live everyday life. Well, that happens in the book The Skin I'm In a novel by Sharon G. Flake.
Maleeka Madison is a very honest and powerful girl. Her teacher is Miss Saunders. Miss Saunders has marks on her face so kids don't really "like" her, but she is really kind. Maleeka grows strongly to love herself and how she looks and dresses. A girl named Char is always picking on Maleeka, for the way she dresses.
The main event in The Skin I'm In is when Maleeka comes to school with new clothes and her hair done all nice and she looks beautiful! But, Char thinks that she is only trying to act "cool", so she can fit in. Char thinks that she doesn't look "cool" enough. I think that she is saying that because, she is jealous. Char is kind of a bully to Maleeka because she shouldn't just make fun of her for a reason Maleeka just can't help.
My opinion about this book is I enjoyed it and I hope to read it again because, it shows how other people go on with their every day life, and how they think that the are not pretty and how they grow to love themselves more than ever.
The author of this book is trying to show you that you don't need to look "cool" to be "cool". Just to act yourself and you will be happy.Don't worry about what people think, just worry about what you think! And he is also trying to show you; you are BEAUTIFUL no matter what so love your self.
I think that any one that is having a hard time because they are getting picked on all the time should read this book because it will show you how to love yourself and how you are not theonly one that is different;every one is different! Hope that you read this book! I know I will again!

Rating:
Summary: The Skin I'm In
Review: The book I read is "The Skin I'm In," by Sharon G. Flake. This book was about a girl named Malkee who grew up in the city. Malkee's father died when she was young, and since then, she has been very poor. She is not popular at school. Her mother makes her clothes and she doesn't like them. When she gets to school, she changes clothes with a girl named Charle, who she called Char.

Char is not a real friend to Malkee but she protects her when someone is bothering her. Malkee is also bossed around and made fun of by Char. Malkee wants to be accepted by her peers and she tries hard to fit in. Malkee also has problems with her teacher, Ms. Sanders, who is so mean to her and tries to get her into trouble everytime she gets a chance. Ms. Sanders is not the best teacher and most of the students don't like her. She also calls Malkee names and talks about her when it comes to learning.

I like this book because in some ways I can relate to Malkee's problems. This is a good book to read. I believe a girl who is about thirteen, like myself, would understand what Malkee is going through. While reading the book, I found similarities in my own life and I found it very interesting because it seems that we have shared some of the same experiences.

What I found to be sad in my reading was Ms. Sanders making fun of Malkee. I don't feel that Malkee or any person should be picked on by the teacher. Rather, the teacher should be more nice to her and respect her more often. Malkee really didn't do anything to be disrespected by Ms. Sanders.

One of my favorite parts of the book was when Malkee was happy and defended herself when a girl began talking badly about her. The girl also attacked Malkee, and was suspended. Malkee had to work in the school office with no pay as a result of the fight. I felt that this was fair punishment for both.

I recommended this book to a friend, and she liked it as well. This book is very entertaining and I look forward to reading more books by Flake.

Rating:
Summary: The Skin I'm In
Review: This book is about is about a girl. Her name is Maleeka Madison. Maleeka is thirteen years old and is in middle school. Maleeka is real dark, so that's why a boy named John-John always teases her. John-John like to tease Maleeka about her clothes, skin, and her family. Maleeka father have dead when she was eleven years old.

Maleeka have this cool friend name Charlese that is a kind of bully to Maleeka and kind of using her, but Maleeka don't care because Maleeka is kind of using Charlese too.

Then here come Miss Saunders, a black teacher also. Ms Saunders know Maleeka too well that if Maleeka does something wrong, she knows that someone told her to do it.Alright, if you want to know what happen , then buy this book.

I think that bully people should read this book because they like to tease people that are like smart. Bully people should also read this book because they could see that if the person that you tease can be helpful to you.

Rating:
Summary: The Skin I'm In
Review: [...]
This book is about Maleeka's unconscious journey to development of a healthy self-esteem. She remember's her father's words, "Maleeka, you got to see yoursefl with your own eye!" as she struggles with peer pressure at this critical stage (7th grade) when appearances and social status seem so important. In the end, through the conflicts she overcomes during the course of the novel, both internal and external, and with the help fo Miss Saunders, she is finally able to say to the bully who has ruled her school experience, belittled her and exploited her for her homework,"This is the SKIN I'M IN!" and like it or not, Maleeka decides to be who she is, see herself in her own eyes and be her own person, unfettered by peer pressure.
I've taught this book to both 7th and 8th graders in rural, largely white populations. My children found it easy to read and easy to identify with. We addressed self-esteem issues, racial issues and bullying issues as presented in the book. I highly recommend this book to any teacher or child.