 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Street Love
- By Walter Dean Myers
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Common Sense Media says
A hip-hop, Romeo & Juliet-inspired love story.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this book deals with issues of class, street life, love, and runaway teens. There are also discussions of selling drugs, imprisonment, and the child welfare system.
What's the story?
Damien has it all: an acceptance letter from Brown University, a loving family, and a mom-approved girlfriend. On the flip side, Junice is losing everything: her mother goes to jail for drug possession and she's left caring for her little sister and her grandmother who's slipping into dementia. She's struggling under the weight of it all while trying to keep her sister and herself out of the foster care system. When Damien and Junice meet, their love is unlikely and more powerful than either could have imagined.
Is it any good?
Award winning author Walter Dean Myers brings hip-hop, love, and poetry together for a Romeo and Juliet-like story of teen love. Myers' poetry is rhythmic, authentic, and clever. Damien is supposed to go to Brown University and date the girl his mother likes. Junice is supposed to end up like all the women in her family -- with a long rap sheet and a life spent tangled in the system. Neither teen is sure where they are going in life, but both know there has to be more than what is expected of them.
The cadence of Myers' poetry is grounded in hip-hop beats. The rhythmic, driving prose captures the desperation, hurt, anger, hope, love, and innocence of all the characters. In the novel adults and teens struggle with their evolving roles. Mothers want their kids to live the lives they have planned for them. Teens want to assert more control over their futures. All are desperate to be understood. STREET LOVE, with its urban setting, hip-hop roots, and popular theme is an attractive reading choice. Parents may not like the main characters' choices in the end, but it does provide a great opportunity for discussion.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the unrealistic expectations we place on others. What presumptions did Damien have about Junice? What about Junice mother's demands? How does one's expectations influence their behavior and their view of others?
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AGE
Perfect for older kids, but lil kids put that book down..( u wouldn't understand it)
This book isn't bad, but its a bit confusing, becuase of the way it was set-up. Its kinda like romeo and juliet but the African American Version. Of course Walter Dean Myers, writes good African Americans books and it wasn't the best.
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AGE
OK book.
it was an ok book. i read it last year and thought it was good at some points and bad at others. it had some content that isnt appropriate for younger kids.
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AGE
i t hink the book is very good.specially is your child is goin thru deficult relationship with her boyfriend.the book will help your child understand that dating is not easy.it takes time.
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AGE
a romeo juliet love story
its a gud book....gud for older kids
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AGE
to bad for amber
im sad because i can not find it any where :- (
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| Author: | Walter Dean Myers |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Publisher: | HarperCollins Children's Books |
| Publication date: | October 31, 2006 |
| Number of pages: | 144 |
| Paperback price: | $7.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 9 - 12 |
| Read aloud: | 12 |
| Read alone: | 12 |
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