Kick

I was so excited to see this new book by Walter Dean Myers. It was written with the help of a teenager named Ross Workman. When Ross was thirteen, he wrote a fan e-mail to Walter Dean Myers expressing his interest in writing. The author challenged Ross to write a story with him using alternating voices…Kick is their final product. The first chapter is narrated by Sergeant Jerry Brown, a cop who is interested in working with troubled teens and giving them a second chance. The second chapter is told by Kevin Johnson, a thirteen-year-old star soccer player. The narrations alternate between the two main characters each chapter. After crashing a car with his friend, Christy, in the passenger seat, Kevin is charged with reckless driving, driving a stolen vehicle, and not having a license to drive. Things do not add up. Kevin is staying silent to protect Christy. Christy’s father is pressing charges against Kevin. Sergeant Brown takes an interest in Kevin’s case because Kevin’s father was a police officer who was killed in the line of duty. Kevin needs to straighten up and that includes how he handles his anger on the soccer field. If Sergeant Brown cannot get Kevin to come clean about what happened that night, Kevin will end up in Juvie. I think the idea of an award-winning author working with a teenage writer is ingenious. I hope that all of you future writers will read this book and say, “Hey, I could’ve written that!” Click on the video below to hear from both authors.

The Cruisers

The Cruisers is the first book in Walter Dean Myers’ newest series. Although it is a quick read, this novel will make you stop and reflect on your own perspectives. Four students – Zander, LaShonda, Kambui, and Bobbi – call themselves the Cruisers. The eighth graders attend a gifted and talented academy called Da Vinci in Harlem. The Cruisers created an alternative newspaper for their school and are in hot water for the last article that they published and their low grades. As a consequence, against the assistant principal’s wishes, the principal of the school gives them one more chance. The eighth grade class is divided into the North (Union) and South (Confederacy) to study the Civil War. The Cruisers’ assignment is to make both sides compromise to prevent war. The Cruisers are pushed to the breaking point when some students from the Confederate side publish a demeaning article about slaves in support of seceding from the Union. This novel made me think about my own understanding of the Civil War and how we can make light of serious situations rather than take responsibility for our behaviors. Some of our 8th graders are currently reading The Glory Field by Walter Dean Myers. His other works include Street Love, Monster, Slam, Fallen Angels, and Sunrise Over Fallujah.

Street Love

Walter Dean Myers is on my top five list of favorite young adult authors. Street Love is a novel told in verse resembling rapping poetry. Normally I would say a novel in verse is great for a reluctant reader, but this story has such complex symbolism. For that reason, I would recommend this book for 8th grade and above. This romance is told from multiple points of view. The main characters, Damien and Junice, are two African American teens living in Harlem that come from total opposite family lives. Damien’s family has always encouraged him and wants him to attend college. Junice’s mother has just been sentenced to prison for selling drugs. Junice doesn’t know how she can take care of herself and her younger sister. She only wants what is best for the both of them…to rise above the destiny of women in her family. Sadly, I know there are students who can relate to Junice’s home life. Will the love they have for each other conquer all the odds they have against them? Personally, I would’ve liked a better resolution in the end.