Students from a supposedly “unteachable” “at risk” class at a school in LA write about what it’s like for them growing up as teenagers in the world today, and the impact that a new and idealistic teacher and exposure to her ideas has on their lives. They read Anne Frank’s diary, and a wartime diary of a teenager from Sarajevo, Zlata, and organise excursions and meetings with Zlata and others. Their own diary entries reflect the impact that this has had on their understanding of the world and their place in it, and the way in which they live their lives. An interesting and uplifting book, and it’s great seeing how the teenagers experience these events in the context of their own lives. ( )

In an era when sportsmen and celebrities are idolised and earning millions, it isn't such a bad idea to hail community workers as the real unsung heroes.

I suspect the diaries have been edited by one person because the tone and style are similar. I skimmed a whole chunk in the middle of the book as the content was repetitive, i.e. every 3 entries refer to the same event, we're just given 3 diarists' perspectives on it; and basically most come to the same conclusion that Ms G is an inspirational figure who believed in her students (the class dubbed the most likely to fail); she would find parallels in literature and their livelihoods to motivate reading; the pen is mightier than the sword and tolerance is the byword, (you get the gist pretty soon.) It would be interesting to learn more about Ms G's teaching pedagogy and methodology. Stories about the holocaust survivors and other philanthropists were touching. The students give graphic and disturbing accounts of the violence, abuse and poverty in which they grew up in. (Whats the deal in America? If these events occurred in real time, can teachers refer cases to the social welfare or some such?) ( )

Reviewed by Taylor Rector for TeensReadToo.com

This is the book that the movie Freedom Writers is based on. These are the diaries of the students put into one book.

There are no names used in the book--each diary entry has a number, so that the students could feel free to write what they wanted without knowing exactly who wrote what. Personally, I think this is a great idea because the diary entries were very open and you could tell the students wrote exactly what they felt.

THE FREEDOM WRITERS DIARY is a truly excellent book, because everything is so real and most of The Freedom Writers had to grow up at an extremely early age. Many had their innocence taken away around the age of ten. The Rodney King riots were going on and the Columbine High School event occurred during the time of the book. These high school students had seen more murder and dead bodies then most people will ever see in their entire lives.

99% of The Freedom Writers have even been shot at. This is an extremely true and eye-opening statistic. Segregation is still an issue in the United States, even though many people don't have to deal with it. This book taught me a lot about tolerance and what happens on the streets of Long Beach, California. ( )

Freedom writers by Erin Gruwell, was a fantastic yet very emotional book. This book is about one teacher that changed 150 teens life's, through the powerful art of writing. Freedom Writers is composed of diary entries of Erin Gruwell and some of her students at Wilson high. This book takes you into the very lives of a teacher and her students. Freedom writers also conveyed a very powerful message that is universal to everyone, no matter how big or small. It doesn't matter where you come from or what kind of life you live you can do anything if you believe in yourself, and do the best that you can, no matter what. ( )

The Freedom Writers Diary
The book I read for my summer reading paper is called the Freedom Writers Diary. My favorite part of the book was the ending because the freedom writer students made a big accomplishment and grew up from when they were a freshman. Though I disliked the middle of the book of the balance and how the author had to many of the teacher’s dairies and not enough of the students.
My favorite part in this book was the ending because all of Mrs. Grunwell Freedom Writers students graduated and accomplished so much through High School. Different students from different races lived in different neighborhoods were they lived in fear and worry their whole life. Some students lived in poverty and even didn’t have a home, but they were still strong even to take advantage of the opportunities the teacher gave them and stuck through high school growing up and becoming mature men and women that they hope to be one day. Also being the first person in their family to finish high school and go off to college which to them is one of the biggest accomplishments they have made in their life.
I like this whole book because it told different stories of the student’s lives. Knowing how different people from all races live in different environments really struck me because I am use to living in a great environment. I don’t have to worry about being in arguments at school because I am different race or worrying that I might get shot on my way back home also be worried about getting kicked out because of financial problems. This book really shows not that there only a good side of society, but a bad one also and how it can affect many people’s lives.
Also what I like about this book is that in the middle of the book it had pictures showing how the students and the Mrs. Grunwell looked liked which was very nice because you get a sense on how she look liked then.
Though this book is great I dislike it a little because the is separated in dairies, but I don’t really know who dairy entry it belongs to so it get a little confusing and I don’t like to be confused when I am reading a book. Also what I dislike about this book is that in the middle of the book t started to get boring because the author of this book put to many o the teachers diary entries and not enough of the students entries so it started to get a little boring in the middle of the book.

I would recommend this book to everyone because it’s such a fascinating book. Although it’s sad because it talks about how different students from different races had to live their lives in poverty, always worried about getting shot in their neighborhood because of the culture and race. It’s just a nice book to read when you might have nothing to do.