Don't Say Ain't

In this story, Dana gets into an advanced school and has to deal with rejection from her neighborhood friends and feeling out of place in her new school. In particular, the language differences of her home community and the school make her feel out of place and pulled apart. When her strict new teacher visits her at home and uses the word "ain't" to speak to her grandmother, she learns that language can be used differently in different places and that she has a place in her community and her school.

I was so excited to find a book that dealt with this subject! Many children and many communities struggle with the disconnect between school and home language, and it is hard to figure out how to approach this sensitive topic. I like how the show more book tells the story from the little girl's perspective, shows her frustration and embarrassment at school, and her relief when she learns that her teacher says "ain't," too, when she is at home. I think the book does a great job of showing how changing speech and going to an academically challenging magnet school can feel like you are abandoning your family and community, but that it doesn't have to be that way. I think many families and schools would find this book very useful, and the high quality writing and illustration give it a place in every classroom. show less

Don't Say Ain't by Irene Smalls is a book that shows life in New York during the time of the Civil Rights movement. A young African American girl, Dana, is given the chance to attend an integrated advanced school. When she attends, she feels out of place. At the school, no one speaks the way those in her hometown speak. She struggles with balancing the language she uses at home with the language she should use at school. In the end, Dana learns that she can stay true to her roots when at home, "and when you roam, speaking proper sets de tone". Irene Smalls story shows the struggle many people deal with. At home language is more casual, but when at school it is formal. I feel the two major themes this book shares are friendship and show more staying true to yourself. The writing and the illustrations in the book brought this story to life. The dialogue goes with the time period and the readers are able to see how the people of Dana's hometown speak. The illustrations contained cars and clothing that also fit the time period perfectly. I loved this book, and it is great to show students the differences in language. show less

Dana lives in the tenements of Harlem and says "ain't", but her grades have earned her a spot at an advanced school. She struggles with her identity and feels she doesn't belong at the new school. She no longer feels she fits in with her neighborhood friends either. Dana shows other kids her age that there is a time and place for everything, and you can be yourself regardless of the setting you are in.

Dana is a young girl in the 1950s who is really smart ans excels in school. Her godmother wants to place her in an advanced school so she can get a better education, but Dana does not want to leave her friends and her old school. Her godmother convinces her to transfer to the new school, but now Dana's two closest friends will not talk to her anymore because they believe Dana thinks she is too good for them now, which is not the case. Dana does not like her new school and is always told not to say "ain't". When her teacher comes to her house for a visit, Dana hears her say "ain't" in a sentence and is really confused because the teacher always told her not to say "ain't". This is when Dana realizes that it is okay to speak differently show more in different places, so she can use "ain't" at home, but she should be speaking properly in school. I think the setting plays a big part in the story because it sets the tone for what is going on around her. In the book, it talks about her godmother not being given the chance to be educated when she was growing up, so she wanted the best for Dana. This background information is important for a students to understand in order to really understand the book. It is also important for the students to know why it mattered how Dana spoke in public versus at home since she was African American. show less

Don't Say Ain't by Irene Smalls is about a little black girl named Dana. Dana would always play with her friends, jumping rope and things like that. It was a time where your parents and grandparents didn't want you saying certain words like ain't out in public so people wouldn't scold you or look at you crazy. Dana's godmother had announced that she was going to a new school because she was highly intelligent. Her friends made jokes of her which she did not like. Dana's new school was different. She couldn't speak how she normally spoke and she got scolded for doing so. I too was scolded for saying got instead of have when I was younger, so I know exactly how Dana feels. As the story progresses, Dana comes to a conclusion of when she show more can say ain't and when she can't say ain't. show less

"Don't say Ain't," is the story of a young girl gets the opportunity to switch schools because she is an accelerated learner. The girl is switched to q gifted school and as a result her friends begin to tease her and treat her differently. One day they girls new teacher comes over for a visit and she realizes she is just like a normal person, and that it is ok to speak certain ways depending on your environment. I h=think this book would be a good tool when teaching about differences in dialect.

This is the amazingly relatable tale of three friends who find themselves drifting because one of the trio gets into a new school and the other two feel left out. I think this is a great book for children to learn lessons of friendship and camaraderie.