The Skin I'm In
Publisher
Hyperion Books
Publication Year
2007
ISBN
9780786804443
Pages
171 pages
Genre
realism
Format
chapter book
Item Type
Fiction
Annotation
Thirteen-year-old Maleeka, uncomfortable because her skin is extremely dark, meets a new teacher with a birthmark on her face and makes some discoveries about how to love who she is and what she looks like.
Grade Level
6-8
Lexile Measure
HL670L
Diversity Topics
Family Relationships; Racial Diversity; Disability and Health; Family member death; Single parent; Race discrimination; Physical appearance; death of a father; single mother; skin color; prejudice; rare skin condition
Main Character
female teenager
Race/Ethnicities
Black (African American)
Family Formation
single mother
Awards
Best Children's Books of the Year, 1999
Los Angeles' 100 Best Books, 1998
Middle And Junior High School Library Catalog, Eighth Edition, 2000
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Ninth Edition, 2005
Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association, 1999
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 1999
YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 1999
Young Adults' Choices, 2000
YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2010
Dealing with Alienation, 2000
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Ninth Edition, 2005
Isinglass Teen Read Award, 2006-2007, Nominee
Lone Star Reading List, 2000-2001, None
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent, 1999, Winner, Author
Keywords
teasing; bullying; self-acceptance; new teacher; nicknames; coming-of-age; attempted kidnapping
Diversity Impact
direct
STARS Citation
Flake, Sharon, "The Skin I'm In" (2007). Diverse Families. 800.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/diversefamilies/800