Mascot

by Charles Waters, Traci Sorell

What if a school's mascot is seen as racist, but not by everyone? In this compelling middle-grade novel in verse, two best-selling BIPOC authors tackle this hot-button issue.

In Rye, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC, people work hard, kids go to school, and football is big on Friday nights. An eighth-grade English teacher creates an assignment for her class to debate whether Rye’s mascot should stay or change. Now six middle-schoolers–-all with different backgrounds and beliefs–-get involved in the contentious issue that already has the suburb turned upside down with everyone choosing sides and arguments getting ugly. 

Told from several perspectives, readers see how each student comes to new understandings about identity, tradition, and what it means to stand up for real change.

Genres: Middle Grade, Poetry, Realistic Fiction, Novel In Verse, Young Adult, Fiction, Sports

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2023

About the author

I was born in Philadelphia and raised in the suburbs of Philly in a town called Yeadon.

Fun fact: Will Smith grew up 15 minutes from me in one direction and Tina Fey grew up 15 minutes from me in another.

After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University, I joined several theater touring companies, including, Poetry Alive! where I first experienced the power of poetry.

For eight years afterward when I wasn't developing my poetic skills, I was acting at Walt Disney World performing in various shows, including, the role of Judge at The American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

I'm the co-author (with Irene Latham) of various books including: CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR? Poems of Race, Mistakes and Friendship, DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD: Poems, Quotes and Anecdotes from A to Z, AFRICAN TOWN, BE A BRIDGE (Fall '2022) and curating our first anthology, IF THIS PUDDLE COULD TALK: Poems of Imagination (Spring '22).

​My poems have appeared in many anthologies including:
- Amazing Places edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins.
- The National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry edited by J. Patrick Lewis.
- The Proper Way To Meet A Hedgehog edited by Paul B. Janeczko.
- The Poetry Friday Anthology Series edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong.
- One Minute Till Bedtime edited by Kenn Nesbitt.

​Since 2007 I have been a proud member of the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Social justice, nicknamed “wokeness” in contemporary culture, rubs segments of the population the wrong way. Yet, the more experience and exposure to those of different backgrounds, the more we empathize with the historical plight of generational oppression, and the further we read on about how power has been distributed in this country from day one, the more clarity is provided for the necessity of change. One listing ship righted at a time. Knowing the premise behind social justice and still bemoaning it as “woke” or “cancel culture” is lazy and disconnected at best, tone deaf to the perspectives of the subjugated and selfish at worst. HOWEVER, all this does not serve as an antecedent to a well written YA book about social justice. While the premise of a multi-POV storyline about an offensive Native American mascot was engaging enough, the execution was contrived and overtly stereotyped. Of COURSE it was the white, homeschooled girl who was privileged and pushy. Of COURSE it was the Hispanic kid who played soccer and spoke in Spanglish and whose family was ever so grateful for the opportunity to send their kid to a better parochial school. Of COURSE it was the kid of Asian minority descent who was arguably the smartest one in the group. Most of it was written in verse through interior monologuing, the students embroiled in a brewing controversy over whether or not to keep the school mascot/nickname which was the Braves, complete with war paint celebrations before big games and “tomahawk chop” chants during. Yes, the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians, two professional sports teams, did change their names within the last five years because honestly, it was the right thing to do. But to read the purported thoughts of 8th graders on the topic felt forced, their words inauthentic. While middle schoolers do have passion, in 26 years I haven’t seen it generally seep into sociopolitical issues to the extent this book claimed. After all, I’ve worked at two middle schools my whole life, one named for a slave owner the other for the man responsible for the Trail of Tears, and few have batted an eye outside of a shocked look when they learn the truth.

[Renata]

this is an important topic and it makes a really compelling argument for why indigenous mascots are harmful. it's pretty didactic by design and I think it would be best used in a classroom setting.

also like I'm not a huge poetry expert but sometimes I read novels in verse and I'm like "yes gorgeous concise compelling" and sometimes I'm like "feels like you just used a lot of extra line breaks here" and this was more of the latter.

[Gary Anderson]

Mascot is a middle-grade verse novel told in the voices of six eighth graders from an honors English class. They are all excited to move on to high school next year, although they have different views of the high school’s mascot. Rye High School’s mascot is an Indigenous caricature that has served as the symbol of school pride for six generations in the community. The Braves mascot also inspires offensive but sanctioned activities such as stereotyped face painting and tomahawk chops during pep rallies and athletic contests.

The six voices include Callie, an Indigenous girl who is new to the school; Franklin, a Black boy who at first doesn’t consider the mascot problematic but eventually sees the problem; Priya, an Indian girl who is a budding journalist; Luis, a Salvadoran immigrant who doesn’t understand why the mascot is controversial; Sean, a white boy who firmly believes that the anti-mascot protestors are blindly “woke” and symptomatic of a larger problem in America; and Tessa, a white girl who is anti-mascot but sees the issue through a lens of privilege rather than feeling the hurt it causes. Each of these perspectives provides fuel for the complex relationships in the classroom community and friendship groups as anti-mascot proponents begin taking action to bring about change.

The cultural diversity in Mascot is due to the book's suburban Washington, DC setting where most of the students’ parents work for the government. The exception is Sean’s blue collar parents who are struggling financially. All of the parents are supportive of their children even though some disagree with the stances being taken by their kids. In class, the students are led by Ms. Williams, a Black lesbian teacher who guides the students to empathize with those who do not share their views.

Authors Charles Waters and Traci Sorell fairly present all sides of the mascot issue, although it’s clear that the book is critical of using human stereotypes as school mascots. Waters and Sorell also dramatically show how young people can channel their passion into effectively organized protests.

Mascot’s strength is in the “novel” part of the verse novel category. Rich characters with interesting, important conflicts will keep young readers turning the pages. The “verse” aspect is not as poetic as it could be. The characters’ voices are not easily distinguished from each other, so the name labels on each passage are helpful. The verse patterns never vary, so the dynamic opportunities provided by verse are not realized. Also, some of the enjambment seems random rather than used for any poetic effect. Consider these lines, for example: “I look up and say, ‘Mom, Dad, Grandma, what / do you think about the school mascot?’” The line break between what and do doesn’t seem as purposeful as it might be if the break fell after Grandma or after about.

Mascot is a strong choice for school and classroom libraries. It will work as an independent reading title for many students and is also an excellent option for lit circles and book clubs because its inherent controversy lends itself to discussion. It’s impossible to read this book without agreeing or disagreeing with the six bright students who carry the story.

[Beth Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of mixed thoughts about this book.

Mascot is a middle grade novel in verse told from the POVs of six different 8th grade students who are all in the same advanced English class together. The book takes place over the course of the entire school year and revolves around several students working to have the school's mascot changed from a Native caricature while several of the other students are fighting to keep the mascot for the sake of tradition.

On the whole both the plot and characters were very didactic and the novel in verse structure didn't add to the book. But I could see this being a very useful and engaging book to use in a classroom setting where conversations about these topics could be great jumping off points for middle school students.

I'm glad that I read it but I have a hard time seeing this being something a middle school student would pick up unless it was assigned. And I don't actually think there is anything wrong with that.

[Mrs Heidrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought-provoking. I really liked the multiple points of view.

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Callie has been homeschooled until she gets to junior high. She is taken aback at the sheer enthusiasm for the team mascot: the Braves. Ms. Williams, her English teacher, assigns the students an argumentative prompt regarding the name of the mascot. But, Ms. Williams assigns the students the side they will argue.

The story is told in verse and from the various students' perspectives. Each student's history and perspective shifts and changes throughout the story. I think the important to remember is that junior high is when students began to form their voice. This part of the plot is handled well. The students mature into their own ideas and are able to articulate why they feel this way.

An important issue that is still being addressed today. My own district has a team that is called the Indians.

[Andrew Eder · Rating 4 out of 5]

GREAT MG book addressing so many experiences, especially around the mascot “controversy”!!

This book has many characters which I LOVED. Each one has a really unique experience and perspective on the issue. The religious republican family, the native family, the white savior, etc… really dynamic group of characters that were very intentionally added for depth and variety!

Written in prose, you also get to the meat of it all asap which I loved. Fast paced, dramatic, and gripping. I’m a biiiiiig Traci Sorell fan for her picture books, but this was a great MG for her!

Classic structure of a MG but a really honest and realistic story that it just flowed very nicely.

Highly recommend to all readers!!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed reading this and appreciated the treatment of an important topic made accessible to a middle-grade reading level. The characters were stereotypical and I think one of the attempts of the book was to make these stereotypes more nuanced by writing from their individual perspectives. Was it successful? Enough nuance? I'm not sure because I felt like I wanted MORE nuance but I will still totally recommend this book for this topic to anyone and especially to my children as they grow as readers!

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the way this story is told in verse and all the questions it brings up, but I don't think it addressed all I expected it to. Arguments were set up and then abandoned. Minds were changed almost immediately with little reflection. I wanted something approachable that made sense. The characters were pretty one-note. There was so much potential here!

[Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling middle grade novel in verse, telling the story through six different eighth grade students (and sometime’s their teacher). The topic is important and captures not only a cultural moment but essential parts of the middle school experience.

[Sabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very, very good.

[Rebecca McPhedran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel in verse about a group of middle school students outside of Washington DC. They are all in a seventh period English class; and are tasked with grouping together on an assignment centered around their schools mascot.

It is obvious that the mascot is a sticking point for many of them; some claim it is tradition while others see the mascot as discriminatory. These six students learn about human rights, the lengths of friendship and Native sovereignty. A really cool read. Glad I have it for the school library.

[Jes Niemiec · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was written in poetry, which is not usually my thing but the metaphors and connections the poetry made helped me to understand the different perspectives to a higher degree. I was really enjoying the various voices which helped me to get a stronger understanding of this conflict from the different backgrounds and understandings.

[Marci Laevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good message. Not always believable. The mascot is indigenous but the characters are multiracial - good job of representation.

[Corinne Colbert]

Read for my summer reading bingo challenge for the “read a book from the children’s library” square

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's more tension and yelling
among Rye's fans
than between us and our rivals.
That'll make an interesting news story.
Racism trumps everything--even enjoying a
championship game!

I just don't think verse was the best messenger here. Otherwise, a quick read about some middle school students who make a big change in their community. I appreciated that all sides were represented and the characters have a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints.

[Lauren B · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Mascot, Charles Waters and Traci Sorell weave together multiple voices from students at a middle school in rural Virginia, to tell a story about systemic racism vs. social justice (or “wokeness,” depending on your point of view) in small town America. This novel in verse is moving and meaningful, if at times clumsy and cliched.

Callie, an eighth grader who is part Cherokee, bands together with friends Priya, Franklin, and Tessa, to lobby her school district to change their middle school’s dated mascot. Other kids in the school, notably Sean and Luis, find their classmates’ crusade pointless and politically correct. Everyone takes their case to the school board and the community will never be the same.

Although the writing is lyrical and lovely, I would be unlikely to assign this book in my class because I found the characters to be underdeveloped and one-dimensional. However, if I were to use this book in my class, I would likely ask students to complete the Langston Hughes poetry assignment, and also to engage in a debate about an issue with social relevance in our local community.

[Keeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard enough for an adult to write one believable child or youth narrative voice. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: please don't try to write more than two youth narrators. In this case, two authors have teamed up to write six youths and one adult. The book is also a verse novel of the "shorter lines, so kids looking for a quick read will be psyched, but no distinct poetic literary techniques" school -- like Starfish rather than the more poetically accomplished Before the Ever After, for example.
Now, these observations are likely to matter much more to English teachers and librarians than to actual kids. The subject matter is extremely topical in my region and it handles most of the characters' viewpoints believably and empathetically (the exception being Tessa, who would best be described as "woke Karen who has insufficiently motivated character development"--Luis also feels a bit underdeveloped). If kids or parents are bothered by the handling of the topic, it wouldn't matter if it were in verse by Jacqueline Woodson (or Langston Hughes for that matter).
I still wish we could have stuck to max two protagonists (Callie and Franklin are the ones closest to the authors' authentic identities and to their hearts). I think those two would have brought more impact without needing to pingpong to five more perspectives every time.

[Libriar · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A very accessible book about a group of 8th grade honor English students in a suburb of Washington D.C. who are assigned a debate about whether or not the high school should change its current mascot (the Braves). The book is told in multiple perspectives including a girl of Cherokee heritage who recently moved from Oklahoma. The authors do a good job of balancing views in the book. This would be a great addition to a 7th or 8th grade English class or a class that focuses on social justice. ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.

[Katie Reilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in a suburb of Washington DC, this middle grade novel in verse shares its story through the perspectives of six honors English students debating the school district’s mascot.

Themes include identity, tradition, and standing up for real change.

Favorite lines:

P 63: Sometimes it’s hard to gauge what’s right and what’s wrong in a classroom.

P 216: Being passionate doesn’t always mean being right.

[Annie Oosterwyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is rare to find a book for middle grade that handles sensitive issues of race so well. So many perspectives made it into this book and were all treated sympathetically. This book is full of windows and I recommend highly!!

[Christine]

While I recognize its importance, I thought this book was too didactic. I also thought seven POV characters (six middle school students + their teacher) was way too many. I personally would have preferred having two POV characters who were on opposite sides of the mascot issue.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked it being told in verse and the multiple POVs.

[Megan Ritchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise was good, but the book fell short. Maybe I’m just old, but is this really how 8th graders talk and act? Things felt forced and out of touch. Good idea for the book, but I expected more.

[Keilani Crespi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did! "Mascot" by Waters and Sorell features a cast of middle school characters from Rye, some of whom love their school mascot - the Braves - and some of whom most certainly do not. Callie, an indigenous person herself, hates the mascot and the mockery it makes of her culture and pride, and many of her classmates, like Priya, agree with her. However, some classmates like Sean and Luis, even when challenged to argue against the mascot for a project in Ms. William's English class, can't be convinced in their true opinions to hate the mascot. In a novel that examines how the students wrestle with reason, emotion, and uncomfortable feelings about a mascot, the authors showcase real conversations between students about these feelings and how they come to resolutions in and amongst themselves about fairness, justice, equity, and - finally - a change of mascot.

As an educator, I think the best way to use this book in a classroom would be to use it to model discussions and debates. The characters have many debates about the mascot, and often times it is the characters' thinking which illustrates how debates must have sound logic and reasoning behind them. Beyond this, the novel incites many good discussions about the "why" behind what we believe, the importance of using evidence to back up arguments, and agreeing to disagree on some things when people's minds just aren't changing. This book is a model of thinking critically about one's beliefs, in addition to being an excellent mentor text for a novel written in verse, and is engaging enough to keep reader's hooked due to the realness of the subject and the heart of the characters.

[Corey Heitschmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mascot by Charles Waters and Traci Sorell is a solid 4 out of 5 stars for me. The book is written in a easy to read format that lets readers hear multiple voices as the chapters and story progresses. It does a good job showing the tension around school traditions and social changes needed when it comes to the debate over Native American mascots. The struggle I found in my rating is Franklin’s character arc, and some side characters, were overly predictable. His complete shift from loving sports to no longer caring about them felt too drastic and unrealistic. Personal growth and advocating for activist ideals doesn't always require completely abandoning your identity. Another issue I noticed was how some of the side characters lacked depth. While the core voices were strong, others felt like placeholders meant to represent viewpoints who are going to hold on to school traditions and mascots. I do feel the book helps show those who shift their views from beginning to end to express that listening and growth are possible regardless of someone's background positions. This reinforced the book’s message that anyone can be part of the solution when it comes to justice and challenging harmful traditions. Overall, it's a decent book with a strong message worthy of a one time read for me, but could be very useful in a classroom where there are mascot issues, or traditions that need to be addressed - or maybe even challenged. I would go with a soctratic seminar (Is it possible to love something such as a sport, tradition, symbol and still want it to change?), or journal writes to share with students as a way to incorporate these ideas in class.

[Natalie waterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Mascot in class is important because it creates space for students to talk about identity, power, and representation in a way that feels accessible and relevant. The debate over the school’s mascot mirrors real issues happening across the country and seeing characters their age navigates those tensions helps students feel more connected to the conversation. It also models how to engage in civil discourse and how to listen to voices that challenge your own perspective. For students who may not see their identities reflected in most school texts, Mascot can be a validating and empowering read. For others, it offers a chance to build empathy and critical awareness. In a classroom setting, reading this together allows for guided discussion, reflection, and accountability, which is harder to achieve through independent reading alone.

As a teacher, I see a lot of ways to use this book in the classroom. I would focus on analyzing voice and perspective, asking students to write responses from each character’s point of view. I would also use it to teach argument and counterargument by mapping out each student's position on the mascot issue. The text lends itself to discussions on social justice and respectful disagreement, which are valuable skills across the curriculum.

[Alice Seo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mascot is a book told from the viewpoint of six 8th graders who are in an honors English class written in poem form. They are tasked from their teacher about their school mascot, which is the Brave, a caricature of a Native American. Is it offensive? Is it racist? Is it ok to keep it the way it is? Or do we need to change it? The characters are diverse and gives different viewpoints on the issue at hand. Each character must confront their own beliefs and privileges, and some show how they change and grow as they tackle the mascot issue.

I believe that this book is suitable for students in 5th grade and older. A teaching idea I would give to my students in middle school is to have them connect the text to real social issues. I would first give them examples of teams that changed their mascot, like the Cincinnati Reds, or the Washington Redskins and give them examples of teams that did not change their name like the Atlanta Braves. Divide students into groups to research each team, and discuss the following questions:
- Why did they change the name?
- Who supported it? Who didn’t?
- How does that compare to the book?
Students will then discuss their findings with the rest of the class.

[Jane McCarville · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Mascot" is a middle-grade novel in verse that tackles the sensitive and relevant issue of Native American mascots in schools. It is told from the alternating perspectives of six diverse eighth-grade students and their teacher in an honors English class, all with different backgrounds, viewpoints, and beliefs.

The eight-grade teacher assigns a project to debate the pros and cons of the school's mascot, the "Braves." This assignment sparks conversations, disagreements, and ultimately, what will the final outcome, for parents, teachers, school, the community, and the students themselves.

I recommend this book because it discusses conversations and debates about a sensitive topic, looking at it from different perspectives.

Teaching Idea for "Mascot" – Middle and High School Grade Level
Creating a Community Action Project

Community Survey and Interviews: Students can develop a survey or interview questions to gather diverse perspectives on the topic from their school community (fellow students, teachers, parents) and local community members. This mirrors the process the characters undergo in the book, engaging with varied opinions and experiences. For example: one school in Spokane, WA area (Wellpinit High School), remains the "Redskins," but the decision to keep the name has been a point of contention and debate, with students voting to retain the name, while the Spokane Tribal Council has also supported this decision.