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Avg. Customer Review: 
 This book should be in every high schools curriuclum!
The Freedom Writers Diary is a book about a teacher that made a huge difference in her students life. She has students write journal entries throughout the years and compiles them and makes a book. This book is a great book for anyone to read because it lets people look into the lives of under privileged children and the pain they go through. This book is a book that shows people how just because people are stereotyped into not becoming the best they can, doesn't mean they won't make a difference. Everyone in this world has something to offer. I think that this should be a mandatory book for high school students to read. I would rather read this book before I would want to read To Kill a Mockinbird or Pudd'in Head Wilson. This book has a lot more that teenagers can relate to or can understand.
Incredible
I was deeply touched by this book. I was amazed to see what exactly a determined 23 year old teacher can accomplish. Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers are true hero's. Their stories will shock and inspire you. It will make you ask, "Does this type of stuff really happen in a place like Long Beach." Its sad, but very true, that these kids are the victims of the war in America. The war of violence and destruction that is becoming increasingly apparent all over the United States, yet this book gives us hope. It is truly touching how these kids, with the encouragement from a teacher could turn their lives around. This book should serve as an inspiration for every individual. The fact that one strong and courageous teacher could inspire 150 students to go onto college should prove what each and everyone of us can do if we are willing to help. This book is what life is all about: Courage, commitment, strength, acceptance, love, hope, faith and the willingness to help. Buy this book.
Students speak out
English teacher Erin Gruwell had her students, who had been written off as unteachable, write diary entries about their lives and activities in class as she exposed them to lessons about acceptance and prejudice. These diary entries form the meat of the book and many of them are real eye-openers. I knew that there are many kids in our society living in situations that are really intolerable, but I was nevertheless shocked by many of the things I read. In the end I was impressed by many of the students, saddened by others. I would have liked to read a bit more from Gruwell herself. Although she mentions what a struggle she had with her class at times, I got the sense from reading the entries that the students started making connections between their lives and their texts and producing well-written, introspective diary entries fairly quickly. I have no doubt that Gruwell accomplished amazing things, but it sometimes comes across as too pat. Surely there were some students she didn't reach. Surely there were times when her approach failed and she had to go back and rethink her methods. But then again, I suppose that's all material for a different book. This one is reserved for the voices of the students. It's a good read.
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