Shes even taunted by the black kids for being black. May182005 i never been teased about my skin color, but i feel like i know a girl who has maleeka madison, is the main character in the book call the skin im. Maleeka madison is a strong student who has had enough of being teased about her too black skin and handmade clothes. Grade 68seventhgrader maleeka madison is miserable when a new teacher comes to her depressed innercity school. Thirteenyear old maleeka madison is tall, skinny, and darkskinned. Jul 19, 2002 this is a transcript of live im chat with author sharon g. She says its the only thing her mom does to past time by after her fathers death. When maleeka lays eyes on her new teacher, miss saunders, she encounters someone who, she feels, is worse off than she is. She feels uncomfortable and wishes she had lighter skin. It is a novel about an african american seventh grade girl, maleeka madison who struggles with her identity throughout the story.
May182005 i never been teased about my skin color, but i feel like i know a girl who has maleeka madison, is the main character in the book call the skin im in, by sharon g. Maleeka is a dynamic character in the story, because she changes throughout the story. So begins the story of maleeka madison, a child burdened with the low selfesteem that many black girls face when theyre darker skinned. Oct 16, 1998 the skin im in is a book about a middle school girl named maleeka madison who is teased because of her dark skin complexion. Flake is the author of the skin im in the 1999 coretta scott kingjohn steptoe award for new authors winner and money hungry a 2002 coretta scott king honor book. Miss saunders evidently is rich, selfassured in spite of the white birthmark across her black skin, and prone to getting into kids faces about both their behavior and their academic potential. What did caleb do for maleeka in the book the skin im in. Published january 1st 2000 by little, brown books for young readers first. The novels themes include selflove, selfesteem, the power of friendship and body image. She is important not just because she is the main character but she represents kids across the globe who suffer from bullying and discrimination. It depicts the story of seventhgrader maleeka madison who has low selfesteem because of her dark skin color.
But miss saunders skin, which is blotched with a rare skin condition, comes to serve as a mirror to maleeka s struggle. In her new teacher, miss saunders, she encounters someone who, she feels, is worse off than she is, as miss saunders skin is blotched with a rare skin condition. Beloved by children and adults, critics and booksellers, librarians and teachers, she is the author of a middlegrade novel and five books for young adults that have sold. She used to be proud of it, but when her father died, kids started picking on her. Maleeka madison is a seventh grader and she attends mcclenton middle school. Maleeka madison is a child with very low selfesteem due to the fact that she is darker skinned than most other black girls. This book is the story of maleeka madison, who is a student at mcclenton middle school. Maleeka madison is a strong student who has had enough of being teased about her too black skin and handmade. Miss saunders is tough she doesnt stand for the snickers and shouts that her students hurl at her. As she watches miss saunders refuse to accept the taunts. Shes a seventh grader at mcclenton middle school, and her classmates, including johnjohn mcintrye, tease her because of her skin being too dark. The skin im in is a young adult book written by sharon g. It was published by hyperion books on january 3, 2000. Her mom makes her clothes, so she is afraid to tell her that she does not like them.
When her teacher, miss saunders, who suffers from a rare skin condition, shows that there is more to people than the color of their skin, maleeka learns to appreciate and accept who she truly is. Fictional maleeka madison gets teased for the dark color of her skin and. The skin im in is a book about a middle school girl named maleeka madison who. In each theme, the quotes or passages from the skin im in are. So when she starts seventh grade, she decides to adopt a sassier attitude and a tougher circle of friends. Maleeka madison is a year old girl that gets teased about how extremely dark her skin color is and how she dresses. Sharon flake, author of the skin im in shares how her book has. Maleeka can do something about the handsewn clothes she finds embarrassing. Miss saunders, whos skin is blotched with a rare skin condition, teaches maleeka about loving who she is and being comfortable in her own skin. Heres a story about finding the strength to rise above it, and learning how to make the right friends.
Thirteen year old maleeka madison is extremely self concious of her dark skin. Oct 25, 2016 the skin im in is a young adult book written by sharon g. After a new teacher, whose face is disfigured from a skin disease. Seventhgrader maleeka madison is tormented by other students because of her dark skin. Her mother copes with the death by sews her outfits that are no where near appealing to the. The skin im in is the first novel, written by sharon g. The genre of the book is realistic fiction because this can happen in real life. It is the story of seventh grader maleeka madison who has low self esteem because of her dark skin color. It depicts the story of seventh grader maleeka madison who has low selfesteem because of her dark skin color. Maleeka has a poor selfimage because her skin is dark and her classmates make fun of her. Miss saundars, a new teacher, is harsh on maleeka because she knows the greatness her student is capable of, having a long term impact on maleeka.
I would never force somebody to burn down a classroom, or pick up on kids weaker than me, or say words so mean they make people bleed inside. What did caleb do for maleeka in the book the skin im in chapter. Flake won the coretta scott kingjohn steptoe new talent award for her first novel the skin im in and is a twotime coretta scott king author honor book winner. What do we learn about her character from her words and actions. The skin im in is a book about a middle school girl named maleeka madison who is teased because of her dark skin complexion. Maleeka truly struggles to do the right thing, and she sometimes fails, and thats okay. Maleeka madison is always getting teased about the way she looks. Things start to change in the school when a new teacher, miss saunders, arives who is known for the large birth mark that covers her face.
Miss saunders impact on maleeka the skin im in companion. Is maleeka a static or dynamic character in the skin im in. Review of the book the skin i m in by sharon g flake. The last thing she expects is to get messed up with another freak, but thats exactly what happens.
It is a novel about an african american seventh grade girl, maleeka madison. The skin im in book hennepin county library bibliocommons. The story of this happening to maleeka madison was told in the book the skin im in. The girl, maleeka madison, gets teased for her dark skin and her clothes. Beloved by children and adults, critics and booksellers, librarians and teachers, she is the author of a middlegrade novel and five books for young adults that have sold more than half a million copi. When maleeka sees her new teacher, whose skin is blotched from a rare skin condition, she thinks she has finally met someone who is worse off than her. This is the school where a student named maleeka madison is bullied about her. Miss saunders, whose skin is blotched with a rare skin condition, serves as a mirror to maleeka madison s struggle against the burden of low selfesteem that many black girls face when theyre darker. Maleeka madison is the main protagonist of this book. She is the main character from my first novel the skin im in. The skin im in is a realistic fiction novel written by sharon g. Maleeka doesnt tell daphne that charlese was the one kissing worm in the hallway.
For an hour sharon was online answering questions from over 100 of her loyal fans. The skin im in summary seventhgrader maleeka madison is tormented by other students because of her dark skin. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. When her teacher, miss saunders, who suffers from a rare skin condition, shows. Flake crafts a remarkable story of one girls struggle to accept herself. Maleeka is a seventh grader at an urban middle school. Flake won the coretta scott kingjohn steptoe new talent award for her first novelthe skin im in and is a twotime coretta scott king author honor book winner. She is a very intelligent student who works very hard but most of the time she is distracted because shes busy trying to fit in. Thats a problem for her, because its such a problem for everyone else at school, it seems.
Mar 11, 2008 maleeka madison is a darkskinned africanamerican girl. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means. It depicts the story of a thirteen year old africanamerican girl named maleeka madison. Maleeka madison is a darkskinned africanamerican girl. Her surrouding peers constantly pick on maleeka and tear her selfesteem apart. The skin im in book chicago public library bibliocommons. No matter what you think, charlese jones, you are ten times worse. Maleeka madison is lacking in selfconfidence because she feels that her skin is too dark. The skin i m in is an insightful portrayal of adolescent selfdoubt, and maleeka s willlingness to sacrifice her own beliefs to please her friends rings true.