The author describes the challenges and rewards of her work as a teacher and advocate for at-risk youngsters, introducing the principles and practices of her innovative educational program designed to teach tolerance through literature and writing.

A true story about a teacher in a racially divided school who gives her students what they've always needed, a voice. Erin Gruwell comes to a southern California high school bubbling over with naive optimism. She quickly discovers that her unruly classroom is not easily won over by her good intentions. After a few floundering attempts to connect with her students, Gruwell gives them the assignment of keeping journals about their own lives, This assignment...