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(2)
YA
On the run after a drug deal turns into a cop shooting, Lil J encounters enigmatic Kelly. Like Scrooge's ghostly visitors, Kelly shows Lil J scenes from his past, present, and future. Myers communicates powerfully the effects of drugs, violence, poverty, and despair, driving home his message that it takes a conscious and vigilant effort to overcome relentless adversity.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2009
(2)
YA
This novel offers piercing snapshots of the struggles of three urban high school girls and the threat of school violence. Trina flits by Dominique; Dominique takes it the wrong way, vowing to fight Trina; Leticia witnesses it all. The fight goes down, and readers are left to wonder what might have been had Leticia intervened. An intriguing setup with a provocative conclusion.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2009
(2)
YA
In a small southern town in 1946, white fourteen-year-old Ansel Anderson is on the cusp of manhood. Tragedy strikes when Mary Susan, the girl he likes, is brutally murdered. An innocent man is lynched for it, and Ansel cannot--or does not--do anything to prevent it. The writing is lyrical, the subject is dark, and the ethical dilemmas will keep readers riveted.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2008
3 reviews
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