ABSTRACT
I begin this chapter with a brief description of fi ve 12-yearold boys and girls as they discuss a life experience having to do with chickens. Their families are headed by adults who have lived in Appalachian towns and urban centers for several generations, or who have immigrated to the United States and Midwest during the past 3 years. The children and I met weekly in the school library to participate in what we called “story club,” an informal gathering, where the children could tell stories to entertain one another, ask questions, describe their worldviews, and challenge social and academic rules about identities, learning, and living in a global society.
