Much of the story is told from the perspective of Arielle who, along with her mother, must deal with an abusive stepfather, and Kofi, who must be the adult to his irresponsible parents while dealing with a growing addiction to prescription drugs given to him for an injury to his arm.  Added to seeing how they all deal with major issues in their lives is the mystery of who is committing thefts of money and electronic devices, and who keeps pulling the fire alarm in the middle of winter!  Lots of action leading up to a dramatic ending!

Short story books are wonderful because one can read the stories they choose. First Crossings has a wonderful introduction which explains the collection. Each story is unique in its perspective. One story is about getting in trouble at school and the problems with translation. A story talks about football and the prejudices of some people. A Minnesota author, Marie G. Lee, also has a story in this collection. These stories talk about the difficulties of being a teen in a new country.

I really liked reading about RD.  I liked the first person narrative that let us into his head to see how he thought about things and figured out solutions to his problems.  I think our students will like this book because of how RD and his friends talk to each other and relate as friends…or sometimes NOT as friends.

Looks

Meghan and Aimee both have weight issues although no one would compare the two. Aimee is anorexic although no one seems to be helping her.   Meghan is overweight although no one seems to see her. These two are not friends, in fact in many ways they are opposites, but they are brought together by one girl who has done mean things to both girls.  Although the cover would lead the reader to believe that this is a book about weight, it is more.  A variety of issues such as popularity, family dysfunction, cliques, and school in general are covered in this book.

Boost

Savvy and Callie are sisters and like many sisters are a bit competitive with each other. Although they’re somewhat competitive with each other, they are more competitive in their given sports. Callie is a cheerleader and Savvy is a basketball player. As the title would suggest, this is a book about steroids and sports. It is not, however, the typical book about steroids in sports. When drugs (steroids) are found in Savvy’s locker, many people are asking questions. The answers to these questions are probably not what the reader will expect. Boost takes a new look at steroids and the reasons young athletes use them while engaging the reader in a story about the competitive spirit, friendships, and family.

The Juvie Three by Gordan Korman

Gecko, who is incarcerated for driving a stolen get-away car, is surprised when a stranger comes to visit him in the juvenile detention center. This stranger, Mr. Healy, has “a deal” for Gecko. Instead of being in the detention center, he would be in a half-way house. Half-way between jail and freedom. As he leaves with Mr. Healy he is joined by two other juvenile delinquents, Terence and Arjay. The three will live together and depend on each other to stay “on the outside.” This is difficult for all three, especially Terence. Their lives are confined to school, group therapy, and community service. A nosy neighbor and a social worker who follows the rules, maybe a bit too closely, make life difficult for the three. They are also faced with challenges such as school and staying out of trouble. Life soon gets more complicated.

This is a quick read and an engaging book from the beginning to the end. Readers will not be disappointed as they follow these three on their adventures as they try to stay out of trouble.

Shifty by Lynn E. Hazen

Soli, Shifty, is fifteen and moves from foster home to foster home. When he stays with Martha, he finally finds a home in which he feels comfortable. He even has a new foster sister, Sissy, and baby brother, Chance. Shifty is “shifty.” Often he finds himself getting into trouble. For example he drives Martha’s van even though he doesn’t have a driver’s license. Because he would like to stay with Martha, he tries to keep out of trouble especially when the social worker seems to be “uptight” and cops seem to always be around to catch him messing up. This, however, is quite difficult for Shifty and problems ensue.

Black Box by Julie Schumacher

Elena’s sister, Dora, has been hospitalized for depression after swallowing a bottle of pills. As one would expect this is difficult for the family especially Elena. The attention is focused on Dora and her recovery and not on Elena. Often Elena, who is new to her school, feels as though no one is listening to her until she meets Jimmy. It seems as though the two have quite a bit in common. When Dora comes home from the hospital Elena tries to take care of her and help even though her parents don’t listen to her. This book has emotional ties to keep the reader involved. It is also full of twists and turns. Reluctant readers will especially like this book because it is a quick read and keeps the reader engaged.

17-year-old Liam is the son of a former fashion model and a straight-arrow, no-nonsense father who doesn’t approve of anything Liam does.  Too much bad behavior finally gets Liam kicked out of the house and he goes to live with his father’s brother, “Aunt Pete,” a DJ, glam rocker, who is gay, lives in a trailer and has his own issues with Liam’s father and grandparents.  It seems like Liam couldn’t find many more ways to get in trouble, even after moving in with Aunt Pete.  But working with Liam to figure out why he is such a “screwup” is what keeps us reading to the end of this very satisfying story.

Go Liam!

The book is divided into sections based on DeShawn’s age until he reaches 18, and his life becomes more and more complex and challenging.  I had to keep reading to see what would happen to DeShawn, all while feeling the hopelessness of his living situation, which was the author’s purpose in writing this book.  I think students who enjoy reading our “street lit” books will like this one, even though the dialogue and language didn’t seem very authentic–”school-safe” maybe but not authentic.

The author says we as a country need to do something soon about the problems of inner-city youth and families, and gives information and data to support his message. It’s a hard topic to read about and harder still to experience.