Very Well-Written, Thought-Provoking Book of Short Stories

Some stories are easier to tell/write than others. Andrew Chatora definitely had his job cut out for him when writing "Inside Harare Alcatraz and other Short Stories"! This gem of a book is extremely well written. It delves into the topics of racism and sexism that are not always easy to read about. The various characters are as diverse as the stories that are told. Of the eleven short stories, "Why Don't You Use Shona Names?" was my favorite. Sadie, a teenage daughter, asks her father why he does not use Shona names, since he is from Zimbabwe and believes in preserving one's culture heritage and identity. Her father, with sadness, decided that it was time to give Sadie a reality check. The father eloquently describes how names have a greater currency. That ethnic names in other countries may be considered the "wrong names", causing discrimination. The father then provides his daughter with stories based on the lives of Jamal, Hassan, Aisha, and a nameless BAME (black, asian, minority, ethnic) student from England. So amazing, as a teacher, I would use this short story as a great introduction to one of my social studies units for middle school and high school students alike.