We are the Scribes

Sixteen-year-old Ruth, an African American girl who loves to write, struggles with the death of her older sister at a protest and how her family deals with their grief, and she stops writing. Her life is further complicated when her mother decides to run for Vice President. When Ruth starts receiving letters from Harriet Jacobs, a slave who wrote about her life in 19th century America, the letters help Harriet deal with her grief and encourage her to find her voice again. This engaging text, suitable for independent reading, small group literature circles, and cross-over historical/humanities activities, addresses themes of racism, grief, loss, pain, and the importance of speaking out.