Reviews

Dream Town: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity by Laura Meckler

kbrogden's review

informative slow-paced

3.75

jansbookcorner's review

4.0

A 4 star non fiction book is a rarity for me. This one wavered between 3 and 4, and so I rounded up. It is about a community that is being intentional in efforts to not only be integrated and have equity but to also appreciate one another. While a big picture is presented, good and bad at times, there were things that seemed glossed over.

I went in to this book with expectations of a blueprint of sorts for other schools, but instead got a history through the eyes of individuals and of course their biases. There are things that can be pulled from it, but some of the things they did back in the beginning would not be allowed today with the laws that are now in place. They worked for them and helped get them to where they are now, but are not options in 2023. Overall, an interesting story.

Thanks to Henry Holt Publishing and Goodreads for this book I received through a Giveaway.

laura_theaudiowasbetter's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring slow-paced

4.25

ibj's review

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

mariabeatriz's review

informative medium-paced

4.0

taylorbutze's review

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.75

legogrrl's review

3.0

Very interesting but a little long. 3.5 stars

lizziewoj's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

4.5

tofupup's review

5.0

I loved the way this book organized itself around individual players in the city's history. It's also worth reading to see the impact that ordinary citizens had when they saw a problem and organized with their neighbors to try to create change.

sarames's review

challenging hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

4.25

Simply cannot imagine reading this book if you didn't go through the Shaker School system, but since I did: what an awesome read.