Some Black Girls
About the Series
Gender, skin color, ethnicity, and socioeconomic position are all explored in the Some Black Girls series. The plot revolves around Oluwaseyi, a young Nigerian immigrant growing up in the United States, and her encounters with xenophobia, colorism, skin bleaching, language loss, and peer bullying. These sociocultural influences influence immigrant children's sense of identity, academic achievement, and sense of belonging, particularly those from the African Diaspora. Each chapter concludes with guiding questions to foster courageous conversations amongst schools and learning communities.
ABOUT tHE BOOK:
Seyi, pronounced Shay-ee, moved to the United States from Nigeria with her family and has experienced many difficult situations. Throughout the story, Seyi explains the struggles and triumphs of being accepted by her African American peers and fitting in at the black table in the cafeteria. When the Queen Bee, Keisha, and her crew insult Seyi’s African food, dark skin, and Nigerian culture, Seyi has to decide: will she ignore them like she usually does and remain a timid little mouse or finally fight back?
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REVIEWS
Like the book QueenBees and Wannabes, and the film Mean Girls, this book adds to the literature on the aggressive behavior of girls. The contribution of this work focuses on black girls and their experiences with what it means to be black or not black enough. As the title suggests, the book challenges the notion of a culturally homogeneous black culture that is inclusive of all groups who have origins in the African Diaspora. Some Black Girls Don’t Sit Together in the Cafeteria is an entertaining quick easy to read novel on how black girls in high school form cliques of in-groups and out-groups. While the main character Seyi’s experiences center around her daily challenges of where to sit in the cafeteria, the novel challenges the reader to go beyond the story to understand the lived experiences of black international students who must learn to navigate the issues of nationality, ethnicity and race in the U.S. Dr. Awokoya provides self-help questions to help guide the reader on inter-ethnic and intra-racial conversations on the topic. This book is a must read for educators who struggle to understand the students in their classroom and the changing demographics that accompany the new challenges that both students and educators face.
Dr. Wendy Carter- Veale
The chapter book, “Some Black Girls Don't Sit Together in the Cafeteria,” is for readers seeking more in-depth knowledge about racism, colorism, and intra-racial and intra-ethnic relations within the African Diaspora generally and specifically, the U.S. Black population.
“Some Black Girls Don't Sit Together in the Cafeteria” is a must-read for teachers and administrators seeking to learn about and further support African families and children. The book would be a great addition to middle school, high school, or college English courses.
Dr. Rosemary Traore
Let me first start off by saying that I am really not a leisure reader, so for me to take the time to read this book is big for me! It kept my interest from beginning to end. I am an American Black woman and this book even opened my eyes to some things. I highly recommend this book, and this non-leisure reader will be reading the next one!
D. Clarke
I didn't know what to expect when I read this book, but I am glad I did. I found myself reflecting back on my high school years and the social pressures to fit in. The writing is so colorful and descriptive I felt like I was living in the book. At the end of each chapter, there are discussion questions - this book should be in every school library! I thoroughly enjoyed it but now eager to find out what happens next and also more about the character's backgrounds. Bring on the next!
Judy
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS OF SOME BLACK GIRLS™
TYNEKA JACKSON
Tyneka was Keisha'’s homegirl, her number one hype-girl. She was a light-skinned, thin African American girl who usually wore a long, black, sew-in weave that was always laid. She was known to be very popular in school.
MARCUS GOOD
Marcus, a cool, quiet, and insightful brother. He often asked me interesting questions about my family and life in Nigeria. I liked talking with him. The subjects we discussed helped me understand how African Americans viewed my African behaviors.
KWAME MENSAH
Kwame, a handsome, smart, chocolate-skinned brother. He had clean, perfectly even white teeth; when he smiled, the room literally lit up. He was fine! Kwame always looked so delicious to me. His black skin was dark, rich, and smooth like a Hershey chocolate kiss. It glistened in the sun. Kwame's family was from Ghana.
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Some Black Girls Don't Sit in the Cafeteria Together.
