G. Neri's takes the controversial character of 11 year old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer, who in 1994 after accidentally killing a neighbor girl, became the nation's poster child for gang violence. Right from the start Neri informs his readers that this is a fictionalized retelling based on the facts and evidence of the case, alongside opinions of fellow gang members and citizens of the Roseland community in Chicago. All in the format of a graphic novel.
Neri shows a profound respect for his young audience, posing the tough questions and presenting the story from many perspectives. He doesn't lead his readers into drawing conclusions, he presents the many sides and asks that readers decide for themselves. It's a truly inspiring way to approach a very complex issue. I couldn't have been more impressed after putting it down.
Unfortunately, until last week precisely one person had shown interest in the story. I had no luck selling it last year and I couldn't have been more disappointed.
Flash forward to the end of last week. A student asked for a graphic novel recommendation and having read most of my collection, I made another attempt.
Before I had the chance to officially follow up, here's what happened today. As the students were lining up for lunch, I overhead, "This was awesome." The book came out of one bag and immediately sank into another. Ahh. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing students circulating books between themselves. And just as we see in Yummy's story, the opinions of the peers you respect are the biggest influence of all.
A special thank you to Brendan and Topher. You may have been doing what came naturally but it meant a great deal to me. It's examples like this one that weave the fabric of our reading community.
For a wonderful and comprehensive review read Betsy Bird's take here.
No comments:
Post a Comment