My Story Starts Here: Voices of Young Offenders

by Deborah Ellis

Deborah Ellis, activist and award-winning author of The Breadwinner interviews young people involved in the criminal justice system and lets them tell their own stories. Jamar found refuge in a gang after leaving an abusive home where his mother stole from him. Fred was arrested for assault with a weapon, public intoxication and attacking his mother while on drugs. Jeremy first went to court at age fourteen (“Court gives you the feeling that you can never make up for what you did, that you’re just bad forever”) but now wears a Native Rights hat to remind him of his strong Métis heritage. Kate, charged with petty theft and assault, finally found a counselor who treated her like a person for the first time. Many readers will recognize themselves, or someone they know, somewhere in these stories. Being lucky or unlucky after making a mistake. The encounter with a mean cop or a good one. Couch-surfing, or being shunted from one foster home to another. The kids in this book represent a range of socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations and ethnicities. Every story is different, but there are common threads ― loss of parenting, dislocation, poverty, truancy, addiction, discrimination. The book also includes the points of view of family members as well as “voices of experience” ― adults looking back at their own experiences as young offenders. Most of all, this book leaves readers asking the most pressing questions of all. Does it make sense to put kids in jail? Can’t we do better? Have we forgotten that we were once teens ourselves, feeling powerless to change our lives, confused about who we were and what we wanted, and quick to make a move without a thought for the consequences? Key Text Features
illustrations
photographs
further reading
glossary
resources Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.2
Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.8
Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2019

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Deborah Ellis has achieved international acclaim with her courageous and dramatic books that give Western readers a glimpse into the plight of children in developing countries.

She has won the Governor General's Award, Sweden's Peter Pan Prize, the Ruth Schwartz Award, the University of California's Middle East Book Award, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award and the Vicky Metcalf Award.

A long-time feminist and anti-war activist, she is best known for The Breadwinner Trilogy, which has been published around the world in seventeen languages, with more than a million dollars in royalties donated to Street Kids International and to Women for Women, an organization that supports health and education projects in Afghanistan. In 2006, Deb was named to the Order of Ontario.

Reviews

[Robin Tobin (On the back porch reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book fascinating. I am amazed at how these young offenders viewed the world around them... There was such a wide diverse representation of young offender's, their backgrounds and their crimes..... I loved the true recounting of both the good and bad, the ridiculous and the serious, the scary and the hopeful journeys taken by these youth... Kudos to the "Taking Steps" and other solid, positive suggestions to get one's life back on track after serving time. Thank to the young adults who shared their stories......

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book so interesting.  Told from the perspectives of teens themselves (as well as added perspectives from parents, those in prison for decades, and those who used to be in the juvenile system), we learn just how and why teens entered the juvenile system in the first place.  For some, it was because they didn't know how to use their emotions.  For some, they fell in with a bad crowd and wanted to prove themselves.  For others, their parents had them help with illegal things, too.  

All of the teens have had a brush with the system, but not all of them got a second chance.  Periodically through each anecdote, Ellis asks questions such as "Why do you think having a foster mom sit X down and learn table manners was so important for X?" or "What can you do to control your anger?"  And at the end of each anecdote, she turns the story back to the community.  If you've graffiti'd a place, why not go to a community center and do some weeding?  If you are experiencing troubles at home, who are some adults you know you can trust and turn to?  Further in, there are explanations of the Canadian justice system, examples of what domestic violence and relationship abuse looks like, and other topics that are important to identify for our own safety.  

This was a beautiful mix of age-appropriateness, perfect for an adult like me who used to plan on working with teens and now has a resource to present, and perfect for teens too (I would imagine) who need that resource to be able to find the words and narratives and sources of empowerment.  

It was well designed and let the teens speak for themselves, which I hugely appreciated.  Let teens tell other teens that breaking the law isn't cool or fun, and neither are drugs and alcohol, and other group-bonding "rituals" that seem important at the time.  Though compiled by an adult, it's largely by teens, for teens.  And that's something I can get behind.

Review cross-listed here!

[Linda Branton · Rating 2 out of 5]

We got this book for free, I think. Probably a high school or intro college required reading.
It is many short stories from young offenders, with conversations starters geared towards teenager discussions.
Interesting short reads. Stay in school and try to find an adult who will help you was the overwhelming theme.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Story Starts Here: Voices of Young Offenders by Deborah Ellis, 176 pages. NON-FICTION. Groundwood Books, 2019. $17.

Language: PG13 (12 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Here are the experiences of more than 20 young adults and 10 adults who have been in and out of (or have had family members in and out of) the children’s criminal justice system in Canada. These people give the facts as they are -- the ugly truths and buds of hope -- and all of them encourage readers to not repeat their mistakes.

We may all occupy space on the same planet, but we each live different lives. While some details are left out or made vague to protect the identities of those sharing their experiences, enough is shared here to make you grateful for what you have -- people, things, opportunities. Ellis does her best to help every reader relate by asking questions that put readers in the shoes of those they read about and giving application ideas at the end of each experience shared. Whether you are in a bad situation or you know someone who is or you just want to see life from someone else’s point of view, those interviewed want you to read this book and know you are not alone. The mature content rating is for underage drug and alcohol use as well as mentions of rape and sexual abuse. The violence rating is for bullying; criminal activity, including stealing and gun violence; mentions of self-harm, suicide, and murder; and mentions of physical, mental, verbal, and sexual abuse.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...

[Carolina Colleene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Language: PG13 (12 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
Here are the experiences of more than 20 young adults and 10 adults who have been in and out of (or have had family members in and out of) the children’s criminal justice system in Canada. These people give the facts as they are -- the ugly truths and buds of hope -- and all of them encourage readers to not repeat their mistakes.
We may all occupy space on the same planet, but we each live different lives. While some details are left out or made vague to protect the identities of those sharing their experiences, enough is shared here to make you grateful for what you have -- people, things, opportunities. Ellis does her best to help every reader relate by asking questions that put readers in the shoes of those they read about and giving application ideas at the end of each experience shared. Whether you are in a bad situation or you know someone who is or you just want to see life from someone else’s point of view, those interviewed want you to read this book and know you are not alone. The mature content rating is for underage drug and alcohol use as well as mentions of rape and sexual abuse. The violence rating is for bullying; criminal activity, including stealing and gun violence; mentions of self-harm, suicide, and murder; and mentions of physical, mental, verbal, and sexual abuse.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of first-person interviews with teens and young adults who have survived the judicial and foster care system in Canada. What is so incredibly heartbreaking about each of their stories is their similarities; nearly every kid had a long history of family mental health issues and abuse- physical, verbal, sexual, drugs and alcohol, you name it. And their parents got it from their parents, etc. Several of the stories are from the grandchildren of the first nation people who were forced into residential schools; they have definitely carried the burden of that horrific act that broke family, community, language and purpose for their future generations. What is hopeful in the stories are when the person found counseling, restorative justice, and people who treated them like a person worthy and valuable of love. Each kid wants to do better for their kids, to try and slowly change their family history into a new future. This was very insightful of the chronic issues kids in these situations face and why it is so difficult to overcome the negative behavior. Would definitely recommend to others.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite sure who the audience is here?

Using the teens (young offenders in the Canadian system-- prison, foster care, etc.) to tell their story but including plenty of textboxes with statistics and an unappealing format was wonky. Is it for educators? It is for advocates? Is it teen to teen advice and experience?

I couldn't grasp the audience and therefore can't say that I "enjoyed" it (as much as you can enjoy hearing the stories of abused, disenfranchised, lonely, drug-addicted, homeless teens tell stories about how they were let down repeatedly by adults-- with some adults helping them navigate the system or provide hope and guidance). The randomness of fonts, colors, a photograph, sometimes discussion questions was awkward at best.

[Nicole Roccas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved being able to work with the publisher and prepare a study guide for this important book to be used by teachers and instructors. What a great way for young people to learn about the problems associated with youth incarceration and the need for policies that emulate restorative justice. My Book 18 of #220for2020 #RoccasReads2020

[Lori Emilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Belongs in every senior years classroom. Stories in young offender’s own words.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing stories that will change your worldview forever.

[laurinda goddard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every person working with kids and youth should read this book