CW: Accidental shooting of child

3.5 Stars ( )

This is a great, honest, and well-written story collection for young readers. My daughter was reading it with her 8th grade English class and I decided to get myself a copy. She and I exchanged a few of our favorite stories and were able to have some great discussions as well as share our perspectives - definitely worth checking out! ( )

Meyers's collection of short stories brings the humor and tragedy of the in the lives of the residents of 145th street. The character in each story lives out the Harlem neighborhood. Big Joe plans his funeral before he dies, Kitty and Mack share their love story, and Angela forsees impending death. The fight works tirelessly to provide for his family, an elderly resident teaches a white police officer of compassion, and a young resident rides the wave of success and good luck. The characters come together for a "Block Party" and share their lives in a very human place. Though the language in the text is gritty and straight-forward and the themes are understated, the text is a good resources for exploring the resiliency of human beings and the co-existence of sorrow and joy.
The History and Purpose of the Short Story
http://www.teachertube.com/video/short-stories-262947
In the curriculum, I use some of the stories as paired readings with excerpts from "A Raisin in the Sun" or "The House on Mango Street" in order to explore multicultural themes. ( )

A collection of short stories about various young people and their neighbors living in Harlem. Angela’s dreams appear to predict people’s deaths after her father dies. Mack is the confident school jock who loses his foot in a shooting accident; its up to his girlfriend Kitty to bring him out of his depression. Big Joe decides to enjoy his funeral while he’s still alive. Monkeyman stands up to gang members.

Teen book club read. Very interesting discussions. "The Streak" was a personal favorite. "Angela's Eyes" resulted in great visual art projects. ( )