You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Menu
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Your school email address was successfully verified.

See this teacher's page

Ms. Trale from Oakland CA is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Relevant Literature: Stories that Matter

My students need one to three copies each of these 42 high-quality, high-interest young adult literature that reflects the realities of their lives.

  • $1,076 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

My Students

Think of a novel you love. Remember how it encompasses you. When you read it, you find yourself immersed in the lives of fictional others--sometimes similar to you, sometimes very different. Chances are, though, that when you started out, you read about characters with whom you could identify.

I want to provide my students with great literature about young people whose lives are more like their own.

My students are inner-city teenagers whose families come from all over the world. Though many of my students are voracious readers, I find that they're all much more likely to engage with reading when they feel like their own knowledge and experiences are reflected in the texts. The majority of the texts available in our large, underfunded public school reflect an older and more Eurocentric world view. Because we have so few stories about characters of color, we falsely imply that people of color have limited stories to tell.

My Project

I have requested dozens of contemporary novels that feature teenage protagonists from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds. As they read these books for independent reading projects, students will see people with backgrounds similar to those of themselves and their classmates. At the same time, they'll build their reading comprehension and stamina.

Some students will always read, no matter what books are available.

However, a huge percentage of my students will not until they find a book that hooks them in and triggers the awareness that reading can be powerful, personal, and lifelong. Please help me awaken and sustain my students' love of reading. This is a gift that will last throughout their lifetimes.

Ms. Trale
Grades 9-12

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Trale is requesting.

See our finances

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

You can start a project with the same resources being requested here!

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Wait for Me An Na • AKJ BOOKS $7.19 2 $14.38
The Hunger Games (Hunger Games Series #1) Suzanne Collins • AKJ BOOKS $12.95 3 $38.85
Catching Fire (Hunger Games Series #2) Suzanne Collins • AKJ BOOKS $10.52 2 $21.04
Mockingjay (Hunger Games Series #3) Suzanne Collins • AKJ BOOKS $10.52 2 $21.04
American Born Chinese Gene Luen Yang • AKJ BOOKS $8.81 2 $17.62
The Realm of Possibility David Levithan • AKJ BOOKS $8.05 2 $16.10
Keesha's House Helen Frost • AKJ BOOKS $8.09 2 $16.18
Heaven Angela Johnson, John Jude Palencar (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $5.39 2 $10.78
The Fold An Na • AKJ BOOKS $14.52 2 $29.04
Nation Terry Pratchett • AKJ BOOKS $8.09 2 $16.18
How They Met and Other Stories David Levithan • AKJ BOOKS $8.99 2 $17.98
Out of the Pocket Bill Konigsberg • AKJ BOOKS $14.52 2 $29.04
Bait Alex Sanchez • AKJ BOOKS $7.19 2 $14.38
Miracle's Boys Jacqueline Woodson • AKJ BOOKS $7.19 2 $14.38
Hole in My Life Jack Gantos • AKJ BOOKS $7.20 2 $14.40
Blackbird Larry Duplechan • AKJ BOOKS $13.63 1 $13.63
Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers Judy Blume • AKJ BOOKS $8.55 2 $17.10
Liar Justine Larbalestier • AKJ BOOKS $12.23 2 $24.46
Magic Under Glass Jaclyn Dolamore • AKJ BOOKS $14.52 2 $29.04
Hallway Diaries: How To Be Down\Double Act\The Summer She Learned To Dance (Kimani Tru Series) Felicia Pride, Karen Valentin, Debbie Rigaud • AKJ BOOKS $8.99 2 $17.98
Good Hair Benilde Little • AKJ BOOKS $15.92 2 $31.84
The Fight (Drama High Series #1) L. Divine • AKJ BOOKS $8.95 2 $17.90
Second Chance (Drama High Series #2) L. Divine • AKJ BOOKS $8.95 2 $17.90
My Life as a Rhombus Varian Johnson • AKJ BOOKS $8.95 2 $17.90
Unleashed Kristopher Reisz • AKJ BOOKS $8.99 2 $17.98
Chameleon Charles R. Smith Jr. • AKJ BOOKS $7.19 2 $14.38
Just Another Hero Sharon M. Draper • AKJ BOOKS $6.29 2 $12.58
Beacon Hill Boys Ken Mochizuki • AKJ BOOKS $5.39 1 $5.39
I Am the Messenger Markus Zusak • AKJ BOOKS $7.91 2 $15.82
Trash Andy Mulligan • AKJ BOOKS $12.23 2 $24.46
For the Win Cory Doctorow • AKJ BOOKS $12.95 2 $25.90
Shifty Lynn E. Hazen • AKJ BOOKS $7.19 2 $14.38
Code Talker: A Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two Joseph Bruchac • AKJ BOOKS $7.19 2 $14.38
The Maze Runner James Dashner • AKJ BOOKS $8.99 2 $17.98
Neuromancer William Gibson • AKJ BOOKS $7.91 1 $7.91
CrashBoomLove: A Novel in Verse Juan Felipe Herrera • AKJ BOOKS $15.95 2 $31.90
Call Me Maria Judith Ortiz Cofer • AKJ BOOKS $6.29 2 $12.58
Accidental Love Gary Soto • AKJ BOOKS $6.25 2 $12.50
Estrella's Quinceanera Malin Alegria • AKJ BOOKS $8.99 2 $17.98
Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia Cindy Pon • AKJ BOOKS $8.09 2 $16.18
Seeing Emily Joyce Lee Wong • AKJ BOOKS $14.49 2 $28.98
Rainbow Boys Alex Sanchez • AKJ BOOKS $8.09 3 $24.27

Materials cost

$794.69

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $72.71

3rd party payment processing fee

$11.92

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$914.32

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$161.35

Total project goal

$1,075.67

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,075.67

1 Donor

-$914.32

Donations toward project cost

-$914.32

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$0.00

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$161.35

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

View complete list Show less

Support your local school!

Donate directly to any school in the US. Your donation will go towards directly purchasing urgent supplies.

Find a local school

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Trale and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","schoolCity":"Oakland","showProjectRecommendations":true,"teachersOnPage":[201770],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"CA","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":4,"name":"High School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"proposalId":493902,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/relevant-literature-stories-that-matter/493902/","verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"mayHaveReplacements":true,"numStudents":120,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. Trale","isEquityFocus":true,"authorIds":{"201770":{"owner":"Ms. Trale","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[493902],"proposalHash":"-1163986902","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp201770_272x272.jpg?width=136&height=136&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1503096199833","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":66942,"photosPublished":true,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":["NzQ3NzIw"],"teacherId":201770,"schoolCounty":"Alameda","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"CA","name":"California"}}
Supporting teachers and students since 2000

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need. Public school teachers from every corner of America create classroom project requests, and you can give any amount to the project that inspires you.

We've earned the highest possible ratings from Better Business Bureau, Charity Watch, Charity Navigator, and Guidestar.