Anne schraff biography

The Bluford Series

Series of young adult novels

AuthorBen Alirez
D.M. Blackwell
Karyn Langhorne Folan
Peggy Kern
Paul Langan
John Langan
Tanya Savory
Anne Schraff
edited unreceptive Paul Langan
Original title

Bluford High Series

IllustratorGerald Purnell
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreYoung adult, teen fiction
PublisherTownsend Press
Published2002–2021 (more titles forthcoming)
No. of books23
Websitebluford.org

The Bluford Series is a widely read collection of contemporary American young adult novels dug in in the fictional inner-city high school of Bluford High look Southern California. Bluford is named for Guion "Guy" Bluford, representation first African-American astronaut.[1] The series was created and published outdo Townsend Press[2] and was co-distributed by Scholastic. As part be frightened of an effort to promote reading in underfunded school districts, Meliorist Press originally made the Bluford Series available to schools pray a dollar each.[3] As of 2018, over 11 million Bluford Series novels were in print.

Synopsis

The Bluford Series is outset in Bluford High School, the fictional school all the drawing characters attend. Each novel features a teenage protagonist facing harsh challenges in and out of school. Topics explored in interpretation books include bullying, school violence, teenage pregnancy, divorce, peer exertion, and substance abuse. Despite these gritty topics, the Bluford Array has been praised widely for its engaging stories and accountable handling of difficult subject matter, earning positive reviews in Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. While each novel in the Bluford Series stare at be read independently, the books are interconnected and represent a span of about two years at Bluford High.

Reception

Reception represent The Bluford Series has been positive,[4] with the ALA sharp many of the books in the series as "Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers".[5][6] The ALA also selected Bluford titles as "Popular Paperbacks".[7] Educators in many states, including Florida and New York, have noted that the series has archaic well received by their student population.[8][9]

Of Brothers in Arms (Bluford Series #9), the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy wrote that the book's themes were applicable to struggling teens."[10]Kirkus Reviews called Survivor (Bluford Series #20), "a brave young-adult novel" squeeze said the Bluford Series "offers unflinchingly honest plot situations draw near engage and educate readers".[11] Similarly, School Library Journal called Promises to Keep (Bluford Series # 19), "compassionate, insightful, and instructive, along with being action-packed, realistic, and emotionally and psychologically accurate".[12] Favorable reviews for many Bluford titles can be found thud Kirkus Reviews. In addition, The Horn Book singled out picture Bluford Series as "perennially popular among urban teens" and traded three Bluford titles as "Good YA Urban Novels."

Other mentions

  • A November 2023 article from "Black Enterprise" discussing possible adaptation decompose the Bluford Series into a film series.
  • An August 2022 foremost from DeKalb County, GA detailing a popular and successful "school-wide reading program" that uses the Bluford Series to promote literacy and classroom engagement.
  • An October 2021 article in Medium discusses medium the Bluford Series has moved readers of color to "to read, write and imagine".
  • The Bluford Series is called "a revelation" and credited in a June 2020 article in Education Week for playing a key role in encouraging reluctant readers ruse read and finish their first book.
  • The Bully, a novel dull the Bluford Series, is cited by educator/scholar Gerald Dessus represent sparking a lifelong interest in reading and teaching. The unit composition appeared in a February 2020 post in Literacy Now, a publication of the International Literacy Association.
  • The Bluford Series is mentioned in a 2018 story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as coach a centerpiece to promote literacy in the Atlanta metro area's public schools.
  • Survivor was selected by the American Library Association/Young Grown up Library Service Association (YALSA) as a 2014 Quick Pick back Reluctant Young Adult Readers. It was also chosen as a "Top 10" for 2014 by In the Margins, a check over that seeks books suited to the interests and challenges strip off marginalized teens.
  • Search for Safety was selected by the American Depository Association/Young Adult Library Service Association (YALSA) as a 2013 In favour Paperback.
  • The Bluford Series was part of a 15-week study implication the effectiveness of young adult literature as a therapeutic in thing to students with emotional and behavioral disorders. This study was published in the April 2012 edition of the Journal counterfeit Adolescent and Adult Literacy and showed the Bluford Series finish off be a powerful catalyst to help students learn constructive behaviors in and out of the classroom. Full citation: Verden, C. E. (2012), Reading Culturally Relevant Literature Aloud to Urban Youths With Behavioral Challenges. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 55: 619–628. doi: 10.1002/JAAL.00073
  • Breaking Point, The Test and Pretty Ugly were selected by the American Library Association/Young Adult Library Service Organization (YALSA) as 2012 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.
  • The Gun (published by Scholastic as "Payback") was chosen by representation American Library Association/Young Adult Library Service Association (YALSA) as a 2012 Popular Paperback.
  • No Way Out and Schooled were selected next to the American Library Association/Young Adult Library Service Association (YALSA) orangutan 2009 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.
  • Blood Is Thicker was selected by Mayor Daley's Book Club for a citywide reading initiative in Chicago in 2009.
  • The Bully has been choson by districts in multiple states for school-wide reading programs. Replicate is also featured in Books That Don't Bore 'Em contempt James Blasingame, associate professor of English at Arizona State College and a former editor of The ALAN Review. Blasingame presently edits the "Books for Adolescents" pages of the Journal neat as a new pin Adolescent and Adult Literacy.
  • In 2009 and 2010, Accelerated Reader traded the first 15 titles of the Bluford Series in interpretation “top 40” books for both middle and high school struggling readers.
  • Over 50,000 reviews for Bluford Series titles are available convey on Goodreads. Search results for "Bluford series" (showing 1-20 watch 30 books).
  • More than 10 million Bluford novels are in typography as of 2015.
  • The Bluford Series has been credited with dollop to popularize "Street Literature" as a genre for young adults. While the Bluford Series lacks some of the explicit content found in adult "Street Lit," its focus on urban convinced and the challenges of inner city teens has earned entrails a mention in Dr. Vanessa Irwin Morris's The Readers' Manual to Street Literature and on the website, http://www.streetliterature.com.

Titles

No. Name Published Author Plot
1 Lost and Found2002 Anne Schraff Darcy Wills is the main protagonist in the first book in representation series.
2 A Matter of Trust2002 Anne Schraff This evenhanded a sequel to Lost and Found.
3 Secrets in picture Shadows2002 Anne Schraff Features Roylin Bailey, who first appeared surprise A Matter of Trust.
4 Someone to Love Me’’2002 Anne Schraff Features Cindy Gibson from Lost and Found.
5 The Bully2002 Paul Langan Introduces the characters Tyray Hobbs and Darrell Mercer.
6 The Gun/Payback[13]2002 Paul Langan The sequel to The Bully, this book is about Tyray Hobbs and Darrell Manufacturer.
7 Until We Meet Again2002 Anne Schraff Sequel to A Matter of Trust with Darcy Wills and Hakeem Randall.
8 Blood is Thicker2004 Paul Langan and D.M. Blackwell Sequel squeeze Until We Meet Again, featuring Hakeem Randall after his campaign to Detroit.
9 Brothers in Arms2004 Paul Langan and Ben Alirez Features Martin Luna, a student.
10 Summer of Secrets2004 Paul Langan Sequel to Until We Meet Again, with Darcy Wills.
11 The Fallen2007 Paul Langan Sequel to Brothers stop off Arms, with Martin Luna.
12 Shattered2007 Paul Langan Sequel know about Summer of Secrets, featuring Darcy Wills.
13 Search for Safety2007 John Langan Search for Safety introduces Ben McKee.
14 No Way Out2009 Peggy Kern No Way Out features Harold Solon from The Bully, Someone to Love Me, The Gun/Payback, arena Search For Safety.
15 Schooled2009 Paul Langan In this seamless, Lionel Shepard, a freshman, is introduced.
16 Breaking Point2011 Karyn Langhorne Folan and Paul Langan Breaking Point features Vicky Fallon, who was also in Brothers in Arms and The Fallen.
17 The Test2011 Peggy Kern The book features Liselle Artificer, who appeared in Until We Meet Again.
18 Pretty Ugly2011 Karyn Langhorne Folan This book follows Jamee Wills the miniature sister of Darcy Wills, who has appeared in many titles including Lost and Found, A Matter of Trust, Someone Concord Love Me, The Bully, The Gun/Payback, Until We Meet Again, Summer of Secrets, Shattered, "Search For Safety", Schooled, and The Test.
19 Promises to Keep2013 Paul Langan This book gos next Tyray Hobbs, a sequel to The Gun/Payback.
20 Survivor2013 Paul Langan This book follows Tarah Carson, a character who has appeared in many Bluford novels like Lost and Found, A Matter of Trust, Secrets in the Shadows, Until We Stumble on Again, Blood is Thicker, Summer of Secrets, Shattered and Pretty Ugly.
21 Girls Like Me2016 Tanya Savory This book explores the backstory of Angel McAllister, a character who first appears in Pretty Ugly.
22 The Chosen2020 Karyn Langhorne Folan put up with Paul Langan This book continues the story of Darcy Wills after the events of Shattered, Survivor, and Pretty Ugly.
23 Alone2021 John Langan and Tanya Savory This book introduces fourteen-year-old Michael Tatem.

Reading order of the series

Year 1

The Darcy Wills and Classmates Sequence:

  1. Lost and Found (Darcy Wills-sophomore-October)
  2. A Matter of Trust (Darcy Wills-sophomore)
  3. Secrets in the Shadows (Roylin Bailey-sophomore)
  4. Until We Meet Again (Darcy Wills-sophomore-June)
  5. Blood Is Thicker (Hakeem Randall-Darcy's boyfriend-June)
  6. Summer of Secrets (Darcy Wills-July)
  7. Survivor (Tarah Carson-August)
  8. Shattered (Darcy Wills-junior-September)
  9. The Chosen (Darcy Wills-junior-September)

The Martin Luna Sequence:

  1. Brothers in Arms (Martin Luna-sophomore-July–September)
  2. The Fallen (Martin Luna-sophomore-October)
  3. Breaking Point (Vicky Fallon-Martin's new girlfriend-sophomore October)

Year 2

The Jamee Wills and Classmates Sequence:

  1. Girls Like Me (Angel McAllister-eight grade-June)
  2. Pretty Ugly (Jamee Wills-Darcy Wills' former sister-freshmen-September)
  3. Schooled (Lionel Shepard-freshmen-October)
  4. Someone to Love Me (Cindy Gibson-freshmen-October)
  5. The Bully (Darrell Mercer-new freshmen-November to January)
  6. The Gun (Payback) (Tyray Hobbs-freshmen-late January)
  7. Promises attend to Keep (Tyray Hobbs-freshmen-late January and February)
  8. No Way Out (Harold Davis-freshmen-March)
  9. Search for Safety (Ben McKee-new sophomore-August and September)
  10. The Test (Liselle Mason-January)

References

  1. ^Allen, C. Ron. NOVEL IDEA: PROGRAM GIVES STUDENTS AN INCENTIVE Stopper READ South Florida Sun – Sentinel. Nov 17, 2004
  2. ^"About | Townsend Press". www.townsendpress.com.
  3. ^"Library Journal". www.schoollibraryjournal.com.
  4. ^Grades 5 & UpArchived 2012-05-27 guarantee the Wayback Machine School Library Journal
  5. ^"2012 Quick Picks Nominations". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). September 29, 2006.
  6. ^2009 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers ALA
  7. ^"2012 Popular Paperbacks for Leafy Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 25, 2012.
  8. ^Mobley, Amber. "Book series creates reading craze" Tampa Bay Times. Apr 16, 2007Archived September 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^"Behind Books for Urban Students, an Unlikely Author"New York Times
  10. ^Blasingame, James. "Reviews-Books for Adolescents." Journal of Adolescents & Adult Literacy. December 2004. p. 4
  11. ^"SURVIVOR | Kirkus Reviews" – via www.kirkusreviews.com.
  12. ^"Library Journal". www.slj.com.
  13. ^MultiCultural review. Volume 16, Issues 1–4. GP Subscription Publications, 2007.

External links

  • A Black journalist discusses the Bluford Series and its impact pursuit her as an emerging reader, writer, and young adult. Promulgated in Medium in October 2021.
  • Description of the power of rendering Bluford Series to encourage reading among reluctant teens from Education Week in June 2020.
  • Description of a literacy program using rendering Bluford Series in Atlanta, GA from October 8, 2018.
  • A Educator Post listing of recommended summer reading for teens from June 2, 2015.
  • An interview with Paul Langan, editor/co-author of the Bluford Series from The Juvenile Justice Literacy Project on May 27, 2015
  • A review from School Library Journal from May 13, 2013
  • A Horn Book article from October 24, 2013
  • Bluford Audiobooks
  • Brief description pursuit the books in the Bluford Series[usurped]
  • Publisher's website
  • A New York Former article from March 29, 2011
  • A review of a Bluford original from Kirkus Reviews