Learning More

When work disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor. William Julius Wilson; New York: Knopf, 1996.

Sociologist William Julius Wilson debunks the myth that people who live in poverty lack drive and aspiration through interviews he conducted with inner-city women and men.  While he describes the context of constraints that deter their employment opportunities, he provides concrete suggestions towards a solution.

Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun: A personal history of violence in America. Geoffrey Canada; Boston: Beacon Press, 1995.

Geoffrey Canada writes of growing up in the South Bronx and how violence and crime are bred and developed over time in children. He shares his vision to change the future of all children in our nation, especially through inner-city programs for children and their families.

Also see www.povertyusa.org and Grades 6-12 resources.

Success Stories: Read online about projects funded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development that are helping communities to break free of the cycle of poverty, not just for a day, but a lifetime.

Poverty Facts: A collection of facts about the state of poverty in America that illuminates understanding, including the Top Ten Poverty Rates of U.S. cities, counties and states.

Additional Resources
For exploring social teachings about the dignity of the human person
Videos:

Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story is the compelling dramatization of the early life of Catholic Worker founder Dorothy Day as a young journalist whose agonizing over failed love affairs leads her to reflect on her life and, in doing so, discovers God, then meets Peter Maurin and puts his ideas of social justice into practice during the Depression. (1996)

Romero is the powerful dramatization of the last three years in the life of Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador whose condemnation of human rights abuses led to his assignation in 1980. (1989)
Books:

PICTURE BOOKS FOR YOUNG (ages 6-9)
READERS AND LISTENERS:
The Sneetches by Dr. Suess; Random House, 1961.
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Suess; Random House, 1954.
Whoever You Are by Mem Fox; Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1997.
Sadako by Eleanor Coerr; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1993.
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman; Dial, 1991.
The Berenstain Bears' New Neighbors by Stan & Jan Berenstain; Random House, 1994.
The Lady in the Box by Ann McGovern; Turtle Books, 1997.
Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco; Philomel Books, 1994.
Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco; Scholastic, 2001.
The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco; Scholastic, 2000.
Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco; Penguin-Putnam, 1992.
Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth; Random House, 1998.
Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki; Publishers Group West, 1993.
The Brand New Kid by Katie Couric; Random House, 2000.

FOR INTERMEDIATE GRADE READERS:
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry; Houghton-Mifflin Co., 1989.
Samantha Learns a Lesson by Susan Adler; Pleasant Co., 1986.
The Night the Bells Rang by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock; Puffin Books, 1991.
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli; Scholastic, 1990.
Journey Home by Yoshiko Uchida; Alladin, 1978.
Do Bananas Chew Gum? By Jamie Gilson; Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1980.

FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS:
Reaching Dustin by Vicki Grove; Puffin Books, 1998.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor; Puffin Books, 1976.
Let the Circle Be Unbroken (sequel to Roll of Thunder) by Mildred D. Taylor; Puffin Books, 1981.
Cherokee Sister by Debbie Dadey; Delacorte Press, 2000.
Treasures in the Dust by Tracey Porter, Joanna Cotler Books, 1997.
Miles' Song by Alice McGill; Houghton-Mifflin Co., 2000.
The Graduation of Jake Moon by Barbara Park; Antheum Books for Young Readers, 2000.
My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt; Dell Yearling, 1998.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan; Scholastic, 2000.
The Giver by Lois Lowry; Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1993.
Stepping on the Cracks by Mary Downing Hahn; Avon Books, 1991.
The Robber and Me by Josef Holub; Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1997.
The Starplace by Vicki Grove; Puffin Books, 1999.
Holes by Louis Sachar; Scholastic, 1998.
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Holt Willis; Dell Yearling, 1999.

FOR HIGH SCHOOL OR ADULTS:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; Warner Books, 1960.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck,
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith; The Blakiston Co., 1943.
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, Scribner, 1996.


 

 

 

 

 
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  site resources...
 
• Take a tour of Poverty USA and learn what it's like to make ends meet when you're living in poverty.
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• Test your knowledge about Poverty USA by taking the poverty quiz.
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• Review the Poverty Pulse survey results to better understand American attitudes toward poverty.
• Get involved and help reduce the population of Poverty USA with a hand up, not a hand out.
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