The new Summer Reading Program is designed to be a part of your Fall 1999 Orientation at the University of North Carolina. All incoming First Year and Transfer Students will participate by reading There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America by Alex Kotlowitz. The program is designed to stimulate conversation inside and outside the classroom about social issues facing all of us today as we enter the new millenium.

In January 1999, after considering a wide array of books, a committee of faculty, staff, and students selected Kotlowitz's book for the program. The committee believes that this unforgettable book will help first-year students at UNC-CH to get outside of themselves, to stretch themselves, and to begin the type of public conversation central to an informed and socially-conscious citizenry.

On Monday, August 16, from 1:00-3:00 p.m., students will contribute to small group discussions led by selected faculty and staff. This is an opportunity for you to connect with members of Carolina's learning community and to share a common academic experience with your new peers.

The Book

Kotlowitz tracks two young boys -- Lafeyette and Pharoah Rivers -- and what it is like in parts of contemporary urban America by focusing on life in a tough public-housing project on Chicago's west side over a two-year period. We get to see how real, good people, in a terrible environment, are affected by social problems and social policies at ground level.

Order a copy of the book

The Author

• Biography
  
• Bibliography
  
• Interviews

Related Resources

• Discussion Questions
  
• Timeline
  
• Maps and Demographics
  
• Readings
  
• Websites
  
• Music
  
• New Students' Convocation Keynote Address
  
• Related UNC Courses
  
• Opportunities for Local Community Involvement

Other UNC First Year Initiatives

• Living/Learning Program
  
• First Year Seminars

The Summer Reading Program developed from recommendations made by the 1997 Chancellor's Task Force on Intellectual Climate to improve the first-year student orientation experience. For more information about the Summer Reading Program, contact the Orientation Office at 919-962-8521.


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Last revised: August 17, 1999