Fifteen-year-old Tyrell is living a life in poverty. His mother doesn't want to be a mother and his father is in prison. It is now up to Tyrell to support his seven-year-old brother, himself, and his mother. The family of three has been shipped to a roach infested motel for the homeless which is where they will call home until Tyrell figures something out. Teenagers shouldn't be under pressure like this--but it is Tyrell's reality. Now he has to solve his family problem's fast--or they are going to be split apart. Will Tyrell succumb to the pressures of the street by dealing drugs? Will he let down his girlfriend, Novisha, by hooking up with a fine Latino girl that has found her self in the same situation as Tyrell?
Rationale for selection: This is a recent book that our media specialist recommended I read. As awful as it sounds, I judged this book by it's cover! It looked like something that my students could relate to--especially the boys!
Reader response: I am really glad I read this book! It portrays teenagers and poverty in a true-to-life light. Nothing was sugar-coated in this novel. It had realistic street language and dealt with things like sex and drugs without preaching or glossing over. This book tells it like it is. I recommend not reading it if you are offended by language or sexual content...the exact reasons why high schools students will love it!
Genre and Themes: This is a realistic fiction book that deals with homelessness, parenting, drugs, school, teen relationships, the foster care system, and prison.
Teacher Thinking Notes: This would be a great book to model a book talk in class. Students will be doing their own book talks on novels that they love and recommend. I could easily model this and try to get kids to check it out from the library. I would like to have a "book talk" contest. Students would do their book talks, and then we would chart how many of our classmates check out or put on hold the book we have recommended.
Grade or Reading Level: mature 8th grade- college level
Interest level: very high
Quality level: high
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