The Skin I'm in

by Sharon G. Flake

Book Overview

Sharon Flake's award-winning debut novel! Maleeka suffers every day from the taunts of the other kids in her class. If they're not getting at her about her homemade clothes or her good grades, it's about her dark, black skin. When a new teacher, whose face is blotched with a startling white patch, starts at their school, Maleeka can see there is bound to be trouble for her too. But the new teacher's attitude surprises Maleeka. Miss Saunders loves...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786804440
• ISBN13: 9780786804443
• Release Date: February 1999
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 10 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 9

Customer Reviews

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I’m not gonna spoil anything for you but this is the single best book I’ve ever had. You’ll love how you’re just thrown in to the main characters shoes as you read.

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May-18-2005 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 I'm In, by Sharon G. Flake (1998). Maleeka Madison is a 13 year old girl that gets teased about how extremely dark her skin color is and how she dresses. Maleeka meets a teacher name Ms. Saunders who teaches her how to love who she is and how to deal with bullies. MCclenton Middle school is where Maleeka attends that's where she gets all her problems from with a few kids. John-John, Char, and the twins Raise and Riana. Hose are the few kids that give her the biggest problems John-John makes up songs about her skin color. Char runs over, she scares her to deaf, and the twins just do whatever Char tells them what to do. The Skin I'm In is a book based on life lessons. Like Maleeka always had a problem about how she was born with dark skin color. Until, one day she mat a teacher name Ms. Saunders. Ms. Saunders also has the same problem as Maleeka she gates teased because she has a birthmark on her face. The students call her a two-faced monster; they tell her she is half alien. Maleeka and Ms. Saunders get along very well. This book can really teach teenage girls some lessons like don't down touch yourself and don't let other people down talk you. Don't ever feel bad about your skin complexion or how you dress because if you do you are letting other people run your life. Maleeka had got so tired of people talking about her so she did something that will prove to her school she can be very hard. She did that just to take the attention off her skin color, and the attention focus on how tough she is. I will give this book five big stars. I will also recommend this book to teenage girls and boys that are having problems with their life while attending middle school. This will teach them how to deal with bullies, how to deal with stupid boys, and how to get along with your teacher that has the same problem that you is having. By:Wynshella Harris

The Skin I'm In

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!

How a Girl's Skin Color Changed Her Life

In my opinion, The Skin I'm in is a very enjoyable book. I'ts about an African-American seventh-grade girl who always gets teased about her skin color. Her name is Maleeka Madison. She tries to be cool, but it just gets her into trouble. Like borrowing clothes from bullies who force her to burn down her teacher's schoolroom. But, in spite of all her troublemaking and her skin color, one person likes (no, loves) her. Then Ms. Saunders comes in, and Maleeka's life changed forever. I won't tell you the end of the book, though. I would suggest this book for people ages 10-100 to read this book. It's a really good book.

Doesn't Reality Bite?

Maleeka Madison is often told that she is too black. Is this possible? This modernized novel, The Skin I'm In written by Sharon G. Flake, tells the story of a young girl in junior high school who deals with the problem of trying to get people to respect her and like her but she doesn't even like or respect herself. But that's not the only problem she has. Maleeka has to realize that what people think is not always right and true. Will a new English teacher who has dealt with the same problems get through to Maleeka? Will she sacrifice her personal and academic record for people who aren't even her friends? The Skin I'm In is a good book because teenage girls can relate to the characters. The author made characters behaviorally similar to the average, middle-lower class, African-American, public school attendants, that are students. You should read this book because it's interesting to young readers and they contain situations that happen in a teen's everyday life. Maleeka Madison, who is the main character, attends a school where there are regularly fights and students skipping class to smoke cigarettes. This is one of the many things teenage girls do in everyday life. Sharon G. Flake knows about kids these days and how they act and talk because in the book the kids talk like my friends and I would. She made the dialogue understandable by teens by using slang and terminology that teens today use. If you are a reader who loves realistic books I recommend this book to you.

Jr. High School Finally captured in words

Until now, no one has ever written with such style, passion and gracefulness of the Jr. High / High School experience.But the book is more than that. The book, through the eyes of Maleeka Madison, demonstrates how people try to "fit in" instead of accepting their differences and utilizing it to their advantage. It shows the vulnerability of adults and youth.The book is definitely a tool in the self esteem building category and a movitational book. I have purchased 4 copies so far to give to young people that I know are having very similar experiences. With one young lady we are using it as a "learn how to read" book.Ms. Flake - A WONDERFUL JOB, WELL DONE