by Calvin Slater ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2014
Readers who bring to the novel an understanding of the circumstances impoverished inner-city life can beget will find...
A gritty yet heartwarming debut for teens chronicles the coming-of-age of 16-year-old Xavier Hunter, who navigates new love amid the challenges of drugs, gangs and other woes in inner-city Detroit.
Xavier’s general compassion and particular interest in the attractive Samantha become readers’ entryway into a teenage underworld where conflict meets him at every corner. His path to a solution will affect not only his own future, but the futures of those he cares about the most. Using a voice that comes directly from young Detroiters, Slater (a pseudonym) mixes in the humor of the dozens, the African-American oral tradition in which two competitors go head to head in a competition of good-natured insults, to color his characters with authenticity. The novel digs deep into the lore of the Detroit inner city to offer an abrasive narrative populated by many stereotypes and one-dimensional clichés; these throw Xavier’s determination to go in a new direction in sharp relief. Slater presents tough situations that lack strong context, which, combined with the stereotypes, may serve to reinforce rather than break down unwarranted assumptions.
Readers who bring to the novel an understanding of the circumstances impoverished inner-city life can beget will find inspiration in Xavier’s story. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61773-132-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Dafina/Kensington
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2014
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by Kathleen Glasgow ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 30, 2016
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.
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After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself.
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself; her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out; her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply; and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her—who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves—Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she "like-likes" but who had pined for Ellis instead. But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a "semifamous" local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic. Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way "girls who write their pain on their bodies" scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together.
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-101-93471-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
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by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2017
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told.
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The 17-year-old son of a troubled rock star is determined to find his own way in life and love.
On the verge of adulthood, Blade Morrison wants to leave his father’s bad-boy reputation for drug-and-alcohol–induced antics and his sister’s edgy lifestyle behind. The death of his mother 10 years ago left them all without an anchor. Named for the black superhero, Blade shares his family’s connection to music but resents the paparazzi that prevent him from having an open relationship with the girl that he loves. However, there is one secret even Blade is unaware of, and when his sister reveals the truth of his heritage during a bitter fight, Blade is stunned. When he finally gains some measure of equilibrium, he decides to investigate, embarking on a search that will lead him to a small, remote village in Ghana. Along the way, he meets people with a sense of purpose, especially Joy, a young Ghanaian who helps him despite her suspicions of Americans. This rich novel in verse is full of the music that forms its core. In addition to Alexander and co-author Hess’ skilled use of language, references to classic rock songs abound. Secondary characters add texture to the story: does his girlfriend have real feelings for Blade? Is there more to his father than his inability to stay clean and sober? At the center is Blade, fully realized and achingly real in his pain and confusion.
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told. (Verse fiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-310-76183-9
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Blink
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
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by Kwame Alexander & Deanna Nikaido ; illustrated by Melissa Sweet
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by Kwame Alexander ; illustrated by Dare Coulter
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