What I wanted to do was use literature and different kinds of stories and poems as a springboard, tapping into the creativity of our teens - I wanted teenagers to come up with their own creative responses to literature - using books themselves as a starting point.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes using literature as a tool to inspire creativity in teenagers, encouraging them to respond to stories in their own unique ways.
Malorie Blackman expresses her desire to leverage literature, including stories and poems, as a catalyst for creativity among teenagers. She envisions a process where teens engage with literature, not just as passive readers, but as active creators who are inspired to develop their own artistic expressions. This approach encourages critical thinking and personal interpretation, fostering a deeper connection between young individuals and the literature they encounter.
In practice
In a classroom discussion on fostering creativity, this quote can inspire teachers to rethink their methods.
I remember going into a bookshop, and the only book I saw with a black child on the cover was 'A Thief in the Village' by James Berry, and I thought, 'Is this still the state of publishing?' Then I thought, 'Either I can whine about it or try to do something about it.'
I hope to instill, in every child I meet, my love and enthusiasm for reading and stories.
Children will go with any story as long as it's good, but white adults sometimes think that if a black child's on the cover, it is perhaps not for them.
History should belong to all of us, and it needs to include people from different cultural backgrounds. Otherwise, it risks becoming irrelevant to children, who could then become disenchanted with education.
I read a lot of highly unsuitable books for an 11-year-old. I was desperate to read as widely as possible. I thought, 'There are so many places I am never going to get the chance to visit, but I can if I read them.' And I did. I could go anywhere in the world - and off it - by reading.
Don't you know that boys don't cry?' Adam grinned. 'Shall I tell you something I've only recently discovered,' I replied, not attempting to hide the tears rolling down my face and not the least bit ashamed of them. 'Boys don't cry, but real men do.
Literacy is, finally, the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential.
I believe that every child in this world needs to have a relationship with the land...to know how to nourish themselves...and to know how to connect with the community around them.
There should be a class on apartheid. There should be a class on why people are hungry, but there are not. There are classes on...gym. Physical Education.
The main force pushing toward reduction in inequality has always been the diffusion of knowledge and the diffusion of education.
Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.
Nothing is so well learned as that which is discovered.
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