Age: 17
Title: If I Grow Up
Author: Todd Strasser
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pub Date: ?
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: Yes
Annotation: In this vibrant portrayal of one child's journey to a bleak manhood, DeShawn struggles to find a path out of the Projects. Just as the heroic gang leader, Marcus, is the only father figure available to DeShawn, there seems to be no other future ahead of him but the bleak prospects of drug deals and gang wars.
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: It's not a happy book, but it's a worthwhile read. It's exciting, realistic, and never touchy-feely. Overall, a great read.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: The gritty *realness* of the book. Not even the most creative plot twists seem contrived. The entire book seems true to its world, our world. Also, in Marcus, we find a hero and role model as tragic and brave as any Achilles, and yet as evil and conniving as a Mafioso. Marcus is one of the most thought provoking and compelling characters in the novel, and was a definite highlight.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: I wish the book was slightly less patronizing in its plea for inner-city minorities. The story does its job well enough. There's little need for anything more.
Cover: The name is compelling, but the cover itself is less than perfect. It in no way portrays the gritty,
inner-city setting or the action, hopelessness, guns or drugs that are so pervasive in If I Grow Up.
Did you finish: Yes
Age Range: 14-18 up
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
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