Behind the Book thanks the NYU Community Fund for their support of our programs Harvey Milk High School.
Visit 1: May 13, 2010
Students read The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd, a coming of age and coming out story about a high school senior and his path to self-acceptance and understanding. The Vast Fields of Ordinary was a New York Times Notable Book of 2009 and won the American Library Association’s inaugural Stonewall Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature.
Guided by Mr. Burd and their English teacher, students read and discussed the novel and then reflected on their own experiences. During Mr. Burd's visit, the students had a debate about which conveys more meaning to the reader: the intricacies of the plot or the literary devices used. Students also created poster presentations about the different themes in the book.
Below, students from Harvey Milk talk about the experience:
