Week One Book One: If I Grow Up

Well, I'm off to a great start! Not only did I finish a book this week, but I really enjoyed it!

I chose If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser. I'm a big Todd Strasser fan. One of his books, Boot Camp, was a Rosie nominee last year and I really loved it. Such a chilling ending!

But on to If I Grow Up...In the Frederick Douglass Project where DeShawn lives, daily life is ruled by drugs and gang violence. Many teenagers drop out of school and join gangs, and every kid knows someone who died. Gunshots ring out on a regular basis. DeShawn is smart enough to know he should stay in school and keep away from the gangs. But while his friends have drug money to buy fancy sneakers and big-screen TVs, DeShawn's family can barely afford food for the month. How can he stick to his principles when his family is hungry? In this gritty novel about growing up in the inner city, Strasser opens a window into the life of a teenager struggling with right and wrong under the ever-present shadow of gangs. *Summary taken from Goodreads.com

I really liked this book (it was such a fast read!) because I found it believable. It's not a "pretty" version of gang life/living in the projects. There are young pregnant girls, deadbeat dads, drugs, shootouts, death, etc. And Strasser does what he typically does--gives you an ending you don't expect.

I really rooted for DeShawn and his friends/family throughout the book. It sure does seem like it's a hard life to get out of, so I felt for their situation.

I definitely recommend this book!!! It's a quick read and very engaging.