Gunstories

Photo © Kate Burkart Writer and photographer S. Beth Atkin, is the author of Gunstories: Life-Changing Experiences with Guns, Voices from the Fields: Children of Migrant Farmworkers Tell Their Stories and Voices from the Streets: Young Former Gang Members Tell Their Stories. Included in the awards she has received are: ALA: Best Books for Young Adults; Hungry Mind Review; Children's Books of Distinction American Booksellers Association: Pick of the List; and Booklist: Editor's Choice. Her books are used nationally in schools, universities and libraries to help youth and adults understand more fully issues concerning violence, discrimination, firearm use and regulations teen pregnancy, language barriers, firearm use and regulations, gangs, child labor, and many family issues. She lectures nationwide about her books and these topics. Ms. Atkin's work has been utilized in radio, T.V., videos, plays and numerous book and magazine publications.She was previously a visiting fellow at the Institute of International Studies, University of California, Berkeley and co-produced Connecting Students to the World which utilizes distinguished visitors who come to the university and connects them to inner city students through live web chat sessions. Her books are implemented in the program. Ms. Atkin was the bi-cultural curriculum editor at California State University, Monterey Bay, National Science Foundation project, utilizing the Internet to motivate Latino/Hispanic high school students in science courses.

Guns are a fact of life for young people growing up in the United States. They are found in homes--for protection, sport, and hunting. Guns are also on the street--for defense and security, and in gang-related uses. Guns can cause accidents, and even deaths, while they can also nurture self-esteem and athletic abilities. The impact of guns on young people's lives is undebatable--and often dramatic.S. Beth Atkin's evocative photographs and candid interviews share the remarkable stories--told in their own voices--of an array of young people's life-changing experiences with guns.