Literacy Matters Vol. 23 Winter 2023

Denver with parties, gifts, and access to a recording studio. At one of the parties, Denver is raped while unconscious but does not realize what happened. When she runs away to live with Merc, Denver’s parents beg her to come home and try to convince her that she is being manipulated and held captive by Merc. Denver ignores them. Merc gradually becomes more controlling of Denver. Eventually, she learns that Merc raped her at the party and recorded the assault. The book illustrates how sexual violence is not limited to a singular moment of assault. Instead, perpetrators of sexual assault can gradually and vindictively harm people. Told in verse, the book demonstrates how fame and wealth often shield influential people from accountability and allow them to prey on unknowing victims.

hometown, and Derek, who is now in college in New York. The story illustrates how a community responded in the aftermath of the assault, providing opportunities for readers to reflect on multiple characters’ actions or lack thereof. Readers can trace how opinions around sexual assault shift throughout the novel.

Parachutes Yang, K. (2020). Katherine Tegen Books. ISBN: 978-0062941091 Claire recently arrived from China to attend high school in California and moved in with Dani, who attends the same school. While seemingly opposites initially, the girls have more in common than they think when they are both assaulted. Claire is raped by her ex-boyfriend, and Dani is sexually harassed by her debate teacher. After the assaults, the girls

The Music of What Happens Konigsberg, B. (2019). Arthur A. Levine Books. ISBN: 978-1338215502 During a scorching summer in Mesa, Arizona, two high school boys, Max and Jordan, work together in an amateur food truck to raise money for Jordan’s mom, whose house is close to foreclosure. Before meeting Jordan, Max was raped by an adult male. The book illuminates how toxic masculinity

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join forces to pursue justice while reckoning with a flawed justice system that benefits the assaulter rather than the assaulted. Because the narrative provides two different experiences with assault, readers will expand their understanding of sexual violence and the social and legal aftermath that can follow.

Saints and Misfits Ali, S. K. (2017). Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-1481499248 15-year-old Janna is an Arab- and Indian-American hijabi struggling to manage the expectations of her Muslim and non-Muslim friends and family. Janna is stalked and nearly raped by Farooq, a boy who has memorized the Qur’an and is seen as the most pious Muslim. She wants to report him, but she worries

and gender norms often perpetuate rape culture by denying male survivors access to systemic care and support in the aftermath of sexual violence. Max discusses the rape with his mom and Jordan, whom he begins dating. The book details how the rape traumatizes Max in the aftermath of the assault. Max’s narrative can provide readers with examples of how people attempt to process and cope after rape. Resources for High School: • Discussing Sexual Harassment in the Classroom (Samsa, 2017) • Exposed (Messitt, 2014) #MeToo K-12 Resources (Stop Sexual Assault in Schools, 2021) • Teach Consent (2010) Conclusion We see increasing importance in learning about consent, bodily autonomy, and sexual abuse in light of recent legislation that limits discussions of gender, sexual identity, and sex in schools across several states. This guide can be a starting point for using text to facilitate necessary conversations on these topics in your work with young people. We aim for the inroads you find here to lead to pivotal moments of learning, or perhaps unlearning, that raise further questions and dialogue. Alongside your students, colleagues, or the broader community, we hope the texts here start conversations that might collectively move us toward a future without sexual and gender-based violence. As teachers, we must consider the safety, autonomy, and humanity of those we teach. Students from four to eighteen years old deserve the right to read about boundaries, personal space, and sexual harm as part of a humanizing and comprehensive K-12 education.

people will not believe her, especially as Farooq has started talking about how Janna is “straying” from Islam. Janna is also hesitant to say anything for fear of making her community look bad. With the support of old and new friends, Janna manages to channel her anger and stand up for herself, refusing to take on the shame that belongs to Farooq, all while preserving the standards of her faith. This narrative of a girl’s evolution from a terrified victim to someone who knows she is worthy of support and is brave enough to get it can facilitate thoughtful

discussion about why victims are often hesitant to report their experiences. Muted Charles, T. (2021). Scholastic Press. ISBN: 978-1338673524 Denver is a seventeen-year-old with dreams of being a famous musician. She enters the world of Sean “Mercury” Ellis, one of Denver’s most revered artists. At first, Merc showers

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