Publication
Broadway Books (1999), 292 pages
Description
Overview: Straight from the front line of urban America, the inspiring story of one fiercely determined teacher and her remarkable students. As an idealistic twenty-three-year-old English teacher at Wilson High School in Long beach, California, Erin Gruwell confronted a room of "unteachable, at-risk" students. One day she intercepted a note with an ugly racial caricature, and angrily declared that this was precisely the sort of thing that led to the Holocaust - only to be met by uncomprehending looks. So she and her students, using the treasured books Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl and Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo as their guides, undertook a life-changing, eye-opening, spirit-raising odyssey against intolerance and misunderstanding. They learned to see the parallels in these books to their own lives, recording their thoughts and feelings in diaries and dubbing themselves the "Freedom Writers" in homage to the civil rights activists "The Freedom Riders." With funds raised by a "Read-a-thon for Tolerance," they arranged for Miep Gies, the courageous Dutch woman who sheltered the Frank family, to visit them in California, where she declared that Erin Gruwell's students were "the real heroes." Their efforts have paid off spectacularly, both in terms of recognition - appearances on "Prime Time Live" and "All Things Considered," coverage in People magazine, a meeting with US Secretary of Education Richard Riley - and educationally. All 150 Freedom Writers have graduated from high school and are now attending college. With powerful entries from the students' own diaries and a narrative text by Erin Gruwell, The Freedom Writers Diary is an uplifting, unforgettable example of how hard work, courage, and the spirit of determination changed the lives of a teacher and her students. The authors' proceeds from this book will be donated to The Tolerance Education Foundation, an organization set up to pay for the Freedom Writers' college tuition. Erin Gruwell is now a visiting professor at California State University, Long Beach, where some of her students are Freedom Writers.… (more)
Collection
User reviews
LibraryThing member TheNovelWorld
The Freedom Writer’s Diary chronicles the four years of Erin Gruwell’s teaching experiences at Wilson High School in Long Beach, CA in the mid 1990s. As a first year teacher, Erin was given the hard to teach, the “at-risk” and “most likely to drop out kids”. Through a series of
The diary entries are anonymous, but vividly detail the lives of teens from abusive households, living in fear and shame from their parents, their neighbors, and friends. We see these teens deal with sexual, physical and mental abuse. Each day is a struggle to keep going, and put up a strong effort to stay motivated. It is through these journals and through room 203, that many students find unexpected friendship and family, which never fails to provide support and care. We see these teens grow and change in the course of these four years due to works of writing such as Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Wartime Sarajevo, and Durango Street. Erin Gruwell went out of her way to learn about her students, and works of writing that these kids could relate to. Most of all, as cliche as it sounds, Erin Gruwell showed these kids that hope exists and so does their future as long as they strive for the best. We see these kids go from cutting class, to graduation day and going on to major universities. We see the change that Ms. G and the Freedom Writer’s had on the world around them, bringing Zlata and Miep Gies to their school through fundraisers events and emotionally driven, but still well written letters.
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unorthodox methods, such as field trips to Holocaust museums and dinners at fancy restaurants, to inspire and reach out to these teens, Erin had them keep journals. They could communicate in any way they wanted with these journals. Some wrote poetry, some drew pictures, other’s wrote incredibly details entries about their lives. Gruwell took on two extra jobs in order to pay for school supplies and field trips that her school administrators would not fund. She faced opposition by her colleagues who did not value her enthusiasm and teaching efforts.The diary entries are anonymous, but vividly detail the lives of teens from abusive households, living in fear and shame from their parents, their neighbors, and friends. We see these teens deal with sexual, physical and mental abuse. Each day is a struggle to keep going, and put up a strong effort to stay motivated. It is through these journals and through room 203, that many students find unexpected friendship and family, which never fails to provide support and care. We see these teens grow and change in the course of these four years due to works of writing such as Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Wartime Sarajevo, and Durango Street. Erin Gruwell went out of her way to learn about her students, and works of writing that these kids could relate to. Most of all, as cliche as it sounds, Erin Gruwell showed these kids that hope exists and so does their future as long as they strive for the best. We see these kids go from cutting class, to graduation day and going on to major universities. We see the change that Ms. G and the Freedom Writer’s had on the world around them, bringing Zlata and Miep Gies to their school through fundraisers events and emotionally driven, but still well written letters.
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LibraryThing member goodnightmoon
The best thing about this book is the stories of growing up poor in LA. They're real stories, and they are heartbreaking.
The worst thing about this book is, well, the book. You just start reading these diary entries from page 1, and you never get to know WHY they started writing diaries. There is
Also, the writing is atrociously edited. And by that I mean that it was edited at all. I would not for a second believe that teenagers would write things like "Why can't [Ms. Gruwell] talk monotonously through the whole class period? Why couldn't she be boring like my other teachers?" or "We were supposed to read this play, Romeo and Juliet, by some guy who talks funny - 'thou' this and 'thee' that..." I would much prefer to read their first thoughts, their real turns of phrase. In that sense, you will be reading their words, but you will not be hearing their voices.
The worst thing about this book is, well, the book. You just start reading these diary entries from page 1, and you never get to know WHY they started writing diaries. There is
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plenty about how being a Freedom Writer opened doors to them, how they met famous people and got computers donated and were interviewed by Connie Chung, etc, etc. But WHY? What did they DO? The subtitle, "How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them," is thus misleading. They will not tell you HOW they used writing to change anything. Also, the writing is atrociously edited. And by that I mean that it was edited at all. I would not for a second believe that teenagers would write things like "Why can't [Ms. Gruwell] talk monotonously through the whole class period? Why couldn't she be boring like my other teachers?" or "We were supposed to read this play, Romeo and Juliet, by some guy who talks funny - 'thou' this and 'thee' that..." I would much prefer to read their first thoughts, their real turns of phrase. In that sense, you will be reading their words, but you will not be hearing their voices.
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LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
The Freedom Writers' Diary is a collection of diary entries by 150 kids in an urban California school. Thanks to their bright, young English teacher they channel their feelings about tough living situations, pressures at school, gang activities, family problems, etc. into their diaries. The book
It was frank and moving. Although the diary entries are anonymous, you could see certain kids developing solutions to their problems. You definitely get the feel that the Freedom Writers are a family to each other. I think this book should be required reading for high schoolers and teachers, especially in urban areas.
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was a collaborative effort based on Anne Frank's diary and Zlata Filipovic's diary and it chronicles what they consider to be their own "war". It was frank and moving. Although the diary entries are anonymous, you could see certain kids developing solutions to their problems. You definitely get the feel that the Freedom Writers are a family to each other. I think this book should be required reading for high schoolers and teachers, especially in urban areas.
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LibraryThing member sooziebeaker
An inspirational story about how writing helped "at risk" students turn their lives around. This isn't for the faint of heart however, since the daily horror the students faced are frankly discussed in their diary enteries that make up the majority of the book.
LibraryThing member ShannaThomp08
This book is about how one teacher made a difference to her students that she taught by providing them with things such as encouragement, freedom, and a willingness to learn by changing the way she taught them. I would recommend this book because as a soon to be teacher I would like to make a
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difference in my students life because rather people realize it or not teachers are more than someone that teaches academics, but also a person that can have a huge impact on ones life. I recommend it for students to read because this book shows that if even though classmates might look different physically or whatever may be the case we as people are alike in a lot of ways. My opinion about this book it was a very interesting nofiction book. It just showed me that nonfiction can be enjoyable to read. I feel like the book also gives both inspiration to teachers and students. For teachers to never give up on their students and for students to never think they are unable to learn. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jacob_Kent
"The Freedom Writers Diary" is a wonderfully inspiring compilation of journal entries from the hands of a group of underprivileged students. Erin Gruwell, the students' English teacher asks them to write down their thoughts and experiences into a journal as a way to inspire them to write. The
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stories show heartache and the terrible backgrounds that these kids have grown up in, while also showing the disrespect that the students at first have for Ms. Gruwell. As the journal entries progress, we begin to see that Ms. Gruwell has truly instilled hope into their lives. These kids now desire to learn and succeed in the harsh situations they live in. I believe that this is a wonderful book to include in an English class, both in high and lower class settings. I think it is inspirational for students and also for teachers. This book shows that a teacher can truly make a drastic difference in the lives and minds of his/her students. Pairing this book with the movie would be a good lesson. Show Less
LibraryThing member gcastoria36
"The Freedom Writers Diary" is a collection of journal entries but together by a teacher that shows the world the struggles her students were going through, and how she used reading and writing to change their lives. This books takes readers through a school year in these teens lives. I think a lot
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of young adults can find a student to relate to in this book and it helps give hope that life can get better. I would recommend this book to my students or other young adult readers. Show Less
LibraryThing member RachelPenso
This book is a compilation of journal entries written by Erin Gruwell's 150 high school students. The book starts when they are freshmen and continues through their senior year and graduation. The students are "high risk" students. Students no one had faith in, except their teacher, "Mrs. G." They
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all take great strides, and while no one, not even their own families, expected them to make it to their senior year, the students strive to change not only their own lives, but also the world around them. Show Less
LibraryThing member 4oops
This book was recommended to me by Donna in Lubbock, Texas. Erin's tenacity and energy were great to read. The stories of the students were difficult to read. Having grown up just a few miles from Long Beach, this story really hit home.
LibraryThing member mrsarey
This is a stunning book, written over the course of four years by high school students dealing with all kinds of horrors, but ready to change themselves and the world through reading books by Anne Frank and Zlata Filipovic.
LibraryThing member garrity
This story is told through the anonymous diaries of 150 at risk teens whose lives were changed by their English teacher, the author Ms. Gruwell. Her choices of class novels, The Wave, Night, Anne Frank and Zlata's Diary, her students found tolerance, respect and understanding of others. Students
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related the events of these books to their own neighborhoods in a life changing experience. Show Less
LibraryThing member dianemb
Excellent story how the actions of one person can make a huge difference. It is a story of how a teacher looked at her "hopeless" students and saw their potential. She taught them tolerance and English at the same time. Very insightful and revealing of how ethnice minorities still fight racial
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discrimination today. Show Less
LibraryThing member elboggs1
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
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.
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
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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.
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LibraryThing member saracuse9
I had seen the movie based on this book and really thought is was corny. BUT when I picked up the book, I clearly heard these students voices and caught a glimpse into their lives. As a NYC school teacher, my students are or have been in similar situations as the Freedom Writers and it is difficult
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to empower let alone inspire students or have them inspire each other as Erin Gruwell helped her Freedom Writers do. These students found something special both in themselves and in the group they cre...more I had seen the movie based on this book and really thought is was corny. BUT when I picked up the book, I clearly heard these students voices and caught a glimpse into their lives. As a NYC school teacher, my students are or have been in similar situations as the Freedom Writers and it is difficult to empower let alone inspire students or have them inspire each other as Erin Gruwell helped her Freedom Writers do. These students found something special both in themselves and in the group they created. Show Less
LibraryThing member LocaMona12
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
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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. Show Less
LibraryThing member seekingflight
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
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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. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cecrow
I've been meaning to read this ever since the movie came out, and finally began reading it 'on the side'. Then I found it so compelling I couldn't stop. The storyline is almost cliché: a group of student toughs is enlightened by a determined teacher against the odds. This story, however, is
There was a lot to appreciate in learning along with the students about the Holocaust and the Bosnian war. Much of it was already familiar to me, but I could still relate their exposure to my own initial encounters with these stories. Another perfect example of tragedy arising from intolerance would have been the Rwandan story. I'm sure it would have been talked about in their class but it doesn't receive mention here.
In addition to the reality check and sharing the experience of hearing these heart-wrenching stories, a third benefit I gained was the great pointers to more great reading. Many works described I was already familiar with (e.g. Schindler's List, Catcher in the Rye, Romeo and Juliet, the Diary of Anne Frank) but others are new to me (Zlata's Diary, Night, The Wave) and I'll be looking into them.
I can appreciate numbering the entries, but why weren't pseudonyms used to identify entries by the same people - or dates attached, so we know how quickly time is passing? Eventually I didn't miss having these, but it made the initial portion harder to get into.
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entirely real. I had to keep reminding myself of this, that real people lived and died exactly as described (and still do). It's also not a simple before-and-after story. True, this is a story of several individuals being affected by someone who cared, and discovering an understanding of and caring for others. However, not all the rough spots are contained up front and then dispensed with. Throughout, the students are relating flashbacks from their lives or encountering new challenges, and telling it like it is. This is definitely not a Hollywood-esque story about Long Beach becoming paradise.There was a lot to appreciate in learning along with the students about the Holocaust and the Bosnian war. Much of it was already familiar to me, but I could still relate their exposure to my own initial encounters with these stories. Another perfect example of tragedy arising from intolerance would have been the Rwandan story. I'm sure it would have been talked about in their class but it doesn't receive mention here.
In addition to the reality check and sharing the experience of hearing these heart-wrenching stories, a third benefit I gained was the great pointers to more great reading. Many works described I was already familiar with (e.g. Schindler's List, Catcher in the Rye, Romeo and Juliet, the Diary of Anne Frank) but others are new to me (Zlata's Diary, Night, The Wave) and I'll be looking into them.
I can appreciate numbering the entries, but why weren't pseudonyms used to identify entries by the same people - or dates attached, so we know how quickly time is passing? Eventually I didn't miss having these, but it made the initial portion harder to get into.
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LibraryThing member Jonathan_Miles
As jarring at times as a slap in the face, The Freedom Writers Diary chronicles the stories of inner-city kids in Los Angeles, as influenced by one special teacher, Ms. Erin Gruwell. After realizing that the majority of her students didn't even know what the Holocaust was, she started choosing
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books that she could use to enrich their lives as much socially as intellectually. Her students are faced with all kinds of hardships, which are detailed in the book's many journal entries. I would recommend this as a good outside read, but in class I'd be careful about it because of all the adult content. Show Less
LibraryThing member epalmergpw
Freedom Writers is a novel about an upper class white teacher who comes into a diverse school where she is automatically frowned upon by the students for not being able to understand the lives they live. As the stories evolve and the reader dives into the diary entries, the changes in the student's
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lives become evident. Erin Grunwell ends up changing the lives of her students at that point as well as several years later. I would never personally use this book in a elementary or middle school classroom because it isn't age appropriate because of the struggles these students face, like death of family members because of gang fights. Other than those ages, everyone should read this book at sometime in their lives. Not only does it encourage readers to record their own thoughts in a diary, but it shows how anyone in the world can make a difference just like Erin Grunwell. I was truly inspired by her in order to make a difference in my role as a teacher. Show Less
LibraryThing member kanata
A tad disappointing. The entries seemed to be more about putting together the book then the remarkable ones that made such an impact on people who had read them. Would like to have seen the ones that were so insightful and touching about the lives they led and less the "rah rah we're impowered and
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making this book". I think hoopla from the movie may have ruined that for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member Annaynana
Very good book on violence and despair in the ghettos of United States.
The slices of life of teenagers living in fear for their life if they do not take up arms.
Violence was the only thing they knew and they thought school would not teach them anything of use to survive...
They learned that there
Bloodshed only brings bloodshed and as such if an opportunity arises, do not immediately reject it but reach out to the person whose hand will help you stand up on your own feet and achieve something of your life...
Truly a beautiful book and a heart-wrenching stories...
The slices of life of teenagers living in fear for their life if they do not take up arms.
Violence was the only thing they knew and they thought school would not teach them anything of use to survive...
They learned that there
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are people like them, there are people who were worse off than them but those people managed to get out of the vicious circle of hatred.Bloodshed only brings bloodshed and as such if an opportunity arises, do not immediately reject it but reach out to the person whose hand will help you stand up on your own feet and achieve something of your life...
Truly a beautiful book and a heart-wrenching stories...
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LibraryThing member eghirsch
The story demonstrated many issues that this school was facing during this time. One will connect with the children in this story and believe they can make a difference and succeed in school. We see how minorites were treated during the time.
LibraryThing member speedy74
This is a compilation of diary entries of teens from Erin Gruwell's English classes. While many of the stories the novel contains are heart wrenching and hold a wide appeal to students who are themselves at-risk, I found the book to be difficult to really become involved in since it was from so
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many perspectives. I think I would have liked the book better if they had used ficticious names and strong the diary entries together that represented one student's work. Then it would be easier to see some character development. Show Less
LibraryThing member Markell08
The Freedom Writers Diary is a non-fiction book written in 1999 by The Freedom Writers, who is a group of students from Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, and their teacher Erin Gruwell. The book is about the Freedom writers writing journals about the troubles of the past, present, and
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future. They recorded their thoughts and feelings by during journal entries. I really like this because its a good book that can show young teens or adolescent that you can express the way you feel or things that you cannot talk to other people about by simply doing a journal entry. I would recommend this book to teens and adolescent because I feel like some of the stuff that the Freedom Writers wrote in there journal entry the teens of this day can really relate to. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kek146
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Freedom Writers. I found the book super inspiring, and very much like the kind of teach that Ms. G did. She was extremely creative, and chose to do things her own way. I was truly inspired to teach in a unquie way. I would recommend this book to be read.
Awards
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2009)
Pages
292
ISBN
038549422X / 9780385494229