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A review by debz57a52
Tyrell by Coe Booth
4.0
This is easily one of those books that can change a hate-to-reader into a reader. I respect Coe Booth immensely for that and look forward to reading her others, if only I could keep them in my classroom longer than a few hours.
I began reading this book, chapter by chapter, with a 19yo special education 5th-year senior in my remedial reading class. She had not finished a book longer than 75 pages ever, and she had no reason to feel that it was necessary. I read the first chapter aloud with her during class, and she decided she might be okay reading more on her own. After 2 chapters, she decided she wouldn't read the rest of it unless she and I read it together - she used the word "share" - and I can understand why.
Tyrell has a whole host of problems: his dad's in jail, his mom likes playing the "poor me" card and working the system, his little brother's education is suffering, his family has been moved to a roach-infested motel until room opens up in the shelter, his girlfriend is increasingly embarrassed that he's not going to school anymore, a girl down the hall is becoming more and more tempting, and his old friend wants him to join him in the drug-dealing business. Tyrell's narration includes regular curse words and a structure more like Ebonics, but he's a strong personality who wants to do good things for his brother, his friends, and even his mom. He knows who he is and he knows where he wants to go; today's urban teens could do worse for a literary role model.
It was with huge gratification that my student mentioned above gave up her lunch and cut one of her classes to sit and read the last two chapters with me. She's disappointed that Bronxwood, the sequel, won't be out for another few months, but she's gotten her younger sister, newly entered into my class and the special education department, hooked on the book, too.
For English/reading teachers: Because of all these problems and the way Booth left cliff-hangers at the end of many chapters, it was an ideal book to talk about prediction and foreshadowing, and I think that's why this one student liked it. We had to talk about what we thought would happen after each chapter. The numbered chapters would be great to make up titles to get at main idea and summarizing. It would also be great to talk about the tougher conflicts of man v. society and man v. self.
I began reading this book, chapter by chapter, with a 19yo special education 5th-year senior in my remedial reading class. She had not finished a book longer than 75 pages ever, and she had no reason to feel that it was necessary. I read the first chapter aloud with her during class, and she decided she might be okay reading more on her own. After 2 chapters, she decided she wouldn't read the rest of it unless she and I read it together - she used the word "share" - and I can understand why.
Tyrell has a whole host of problems: his dad's in jail, his mom likes playing the "poor me" card and working the system, his little brother's education is suffering, his family has been moved to a roach-infested motel until room opens up in the shelter, his girlfriend is increasingly embarrassed that he's not going to school anymore, a girl down the hall is becoming more and more tempting, and his old friend wants him to join him in the drug-dealing business. Tyrell's narration includes regular curse words and a structure more like Ebonics, but he's a strong personality who wants to do good things for his brother, his friends, and even his mom. He knows who he is and he knows where he wants to go; today's urban teens could do worse for a literary role model.
It was with huge gratification that my student mentioned above gave up her lunch and cut one of her classes to sit and read the last two chapters with me. She's disappointed that Bronxwood, the sequel, won't be out for another few months, but she's gotten her younger sister, newly entered into my class and the special education department, hooked on the book, too.
For English/reading teachers: Because of all these problems and the way Booth left cliff-hangers at the end of many chapters, it was an ideal book to talk about prediction and foreshadowing, and I think that's why this one student liked it. We had to talk about what we thought would happen after each chapter. The numbered chapters would be great to make up titles to get at main idea and summarizing. It would also be great to talk about the tougher conflicts of man v. society and man v. self.