Todd Strasser has written an urban street gang book in If I Grow Up. It is reminiscent of Gang Leader for a Day and, indeed, one of the articles referenced by Strasser is by Sudhir Venkatesh. DeSwawn is a smart kid living in the Fredick Douglass Projects and seeing his world get worse around him as we follow him from age twelve to twenty-eight. This book was a very quick read and good and I really liked DeShawn and wanted him to succeed. At the same time it was kinda the same old story but not as compelling as The Battle of Jericho or Scorpions. Read them instead or at least first or in addition to If.
Monday, June 28, 2010
If...
Todd Strasser has written an urban street gang book in If I Grow Up. It is reminiscent of Gang Leader for a Day and, indeed, one of the articles referenced by Strasser is by Sudhir Venkatesh. DeSwawn is a smart kid living in the Fredick Douglass Projects and seeing his world get worse around him as we follow him from age twelve to twenty-eight. This book was a very quick read and good and I really liked DeShawn and wanted him to succeed. At the same time it was kinda the same old story but not as compelling as The Battle of Jericho or Scorpions. Read them instead or at least first or in addition to If.
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Haven't read this one yet, but liked Wish You Were Dead by Strasser. Good, creepy, and nice twist on all those student-shooter novels.
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