I bought the book because I saw the movie with my granddaughter. It was such an inspirational book about the burning desire for a teacher to reach her students who had the survival odds stacked against them. In the past years, with the changing of times, and laws as well, we have lost many wonderful teachers because the "system" has literally tied the hands of our teachers. I love this story of this teacher who is undaunted in her pursuit of teaching these young people acceptance of one another and helping them to realize that while we are different on the outside, our lives are really not all that different. We all go through trials, we all lose loved ones, we just literally all put our pants on one leg at a time, but if we stop looking at each other on the outside and look deeper, we will find what God sees when He looks at us. The love of her job and her love for these kids drove her to make a difference in their lives. She pushed them to want more for their lives. She showed them that they could break the cycle of what their lives were becoming, that they didn't have to follow in the footsteps of those who had gone before them. She made a difference, and even when someone tried to close a door on something she wanted to do for and with "her kids," she pursued it until she found another door, even if it was only opened a crack and kept pushing until it was opened. I recommend this book and movie for anyone who loves stories of how underdogs overcome what seems to be insurmountable odds. I do add that these odds seemed insurmountable because no one had ever told them that they had any other choices. She showed them that they do have choices, but it has to start with them first...they have to WANT to change. They have to have the desire to want to make changes in their lives. I guess the real message is this, change begins with us.Read full review
We are all living in the midst of a war zone of some sort, some from outside influences, some of our own making. In THE FREEDOM WRITERS DIARY, "MS.G." is that candle of hope that starts a flame, and that flame starts a blaze in youth from gang-ravaged east Long Beach CA who see NO HOPE in their future. THE FREEDOM WRITERS unleashed the blaze in their hearts that started a wildfire of inspiration, tolerance and change for good that is unquenchable! They learned that a Jewish teen in hiding from the hatred and persecution of Hitler's minions fifty years before, a teen from Sarajevo whose childhood was ripped away by the Bosnian war of intolerance and hatred in the early 1990s, and aged Holocaust survivors living for decades with the memories of unimaginable atrocities were the same as teens in east Long Beach CA living amidst poverty and gang wars. READ THIS BOOK, AND THE OTHER DIARIES that literally saved the lives of young teens whose only "hope" for their future was falling prey to drugs, becoming parents as children enmeshed in generations of poverty, trading school for the streets and books for guns and knives, the revolving door of prison, and for most, death before they turned 18! WARNING! This book may turn your head around and change your life!!!Read full review
I loved this book. I've been teaching English for six years now, and I moved last year from my best job to my worst. When I saw the movie, I knew I had to have the book. Teachers need all the inspiration they can get. The book goes much further into how the class, as a whole, accomplished the things they did. The movie really made it seem as though Ms.Gruwell did everything, and that bothered me. Within the book, it's obvious that she inspired the students, and they took it from there. The format is easy to read, and the prose flows well. Reading this book is a great way to spend a rainy weekend afternoon.
In most cases, I find books are more worth reading, than a movie about the book. However, in this instance, my daughter brought home the DVD for us to watch first. I was so inspired by Mrs G and what her students had done! It gave me hope that the world could change...with the work of people who really care about the children. I bought the book and read more indepth and interesting things that took place in the classrom. The movie was good...but the book was wonderful.
For anyone who wants to teach and inspire others this is a must read. Erin as a young teacher went beyond the call of duty to help disadvantaged students. Most of these students would probably not have graduated from HS had they never known this devoted teacher. Erin worked extra jobs to earn money to pay for books and class trips for these students since the system cared nothing for them. These students learned about life and trust thanks to one very special woman. She changed their world. Wow!
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