|
Autobiography of My Dead Brother By Walter Dean Myers HarperCollins/Amistad, 2005 Ages 14 and up Jesse and Rise are childhood friends and blood brothers who are trying to make their mark on the world or at least survive their tough Harlem neighborhood. One turns to his art, sketching and writing, while the other turns to the streets. Bang! By Sharon Flake Hyperion, 2005 Ages 14 and up Since witnessing his little brother’s murder, thirteen-year-old Mann can’t escape the bang of the gunshots in his mind. Inspired by an African coming of-age ritual, Mann’s grief-stricken father takes drastic measures to ensure he will not lose another son—measures that push Mann to the brink of self-destruction as he struggles to live up to his own name. The Battle of Jericho By Sharon M. Draper Atheneum, 2003 Ages 13 and up Jericho’s and his cousin Josh’s decision to pledge The Warriors of Distinction high school club creates a tragic need for Jericho to decide what he values and how much of an influence he wants others to have over him, no matter how popular they are. The Beast By Walter Dean Myers Scholastic, 2003 Ages 14 and up Spoon’s holiday break from prep school brings him face-to-face with the reality that his Harlem girlfriend, Gabi, has become addicted to drugs. Begging For Change By Sharon G. Flake Hyperion, 2003 Ages 12 and up With her mother in the hospital and her drug-addicted father on the scene, Raspberry Hill still manages to find answers to many coming-of-age questions and, ultimately, to find herself. Bucking the Sarge By Christopher Paul Curtis Random House/Wendy Lamb, 2004 Ages 15 and up Working against all odds and particularly his mother, the Sarge, pseudo-philosopher Luther T. Farrell finds a way and the means to live a good life. Handbook for Boys: A Novel By Walter Dean Myers HarperCollins/Amistad, 2002 Ages 13 and up Duke’s Place, a Harlem barbershop, is the place where the young men of the neighborhood turn for wise advice about love, success, school, and family; in other words: growing-up. Hush By Jacqueline Woodson Putnam, 2002 Ages 11-15 When her police officer father testifies about a serious crime involving his coworkers, Evie/Toswiah and her family lose their own identity in the Witness Protection Program. Street Love By Walter Dean Myers HarperCollins/Amistad, 2006 Ages 14 and up Damien and Junice are two Harlem teens from very different backgrounds who give up everything to be together in this urban love story told in free verse. Twists and Turns By Janet McDonald Frances Foster, 2003 Ages 12 and up Sisters Keeba and Teesha decide to turn their talents at braiding hair into professions, which they begin just after high school by opening their own beauty salon in the housing projects where they grew up, which results in some unexpected challenges. |