I was stressed about homeschooling a high schooler.
I watched one too many youtube videos and read one too many books.
I had new stressors and a new vocabulary — core classes, credits, electives, and transcripts.
I was pushed over the edge when the typical 9th-grade reading list lacked diversity.
I was overwhelmed.
I stopped reading.
I placed my books on the nightstand, closed my computer, and went to sleep with a heavy heart.
I woke up and made my own reading list. It included Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and the late, great Chinua Achebe.
Zuri read one book right after the other — Americanah, Half of the Yellow Sun, Purple Hibiscus, and The Thing Around Your Neck. Chimamanda flew my ninth grader into the heat and onto the streets of Lagos. She invited my daughter into Nigerian homes, introduced her to black friendships and love, and exposed her to an unfamiliar dialect.
When Zuri was done, she was excited to read Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Chinua held Zuri’s hand as she explored pre-colonial life in the southeastern part of Nigeria and the arrival of Europeans.
Zuri ate breakfast with a book on the table and went to sleep with a book on her pillow.
Where do your books take you?
♥
Kadine Christie
