Parents' Guide to

Boy Kills Man

By Matt Berman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Powerful but mature novel about child assassins.

Book Matt Whyman Contemporary Fiction 2006
Boy Kills Man Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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What's the Story?

Sonny and Alberto are best friends on the mean streets of Medellin, Columbia. They hang out together and protect each other, working together in small-time crime, such as selling contraband cigarettes. So Sonny is shocked when Alberto becomes one of the sicarios, child assassins used by drug lords because they are easy to control, manipulate, and dispose of. Alberto's gun and money give him prestige and respect in the neighborhood, and his determination to keep Sonny out of it tests their friendship. But when Alberto disappears, Sonny's way is cleared, and he no longer has anything to lose.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

This is rough stuff, make no mistake. Every now and then we hear something on the nightly news about the drug wars, the narcotrafficantes, the gangs and militia in Columbia, but it takes something like this powerful book to make it real, especially to teens. While the events depicted here are horrific, author Matt Whyman does keep the reader at some emotional distance. Ordinarily this would be a criticism, but here it's more like praise. These are characters with a miserable present and no future, and readers will be disturbed enough without having emotionally identified with Sonny and Alberto. But the book will still have a powerful impact on your kids, and parents should be prepared to discuss the intense material.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the book's subject matter. It's pretty intense stuff -- should teens read it? Are there any topics that should be off limits to young adult readers? Why or why not?

  • Also, how is reading a book like this one different than reading a news story about the drug war? How does a personal story change things? Do you think the protagonists here are victims -- or merely criminals?

Book Details

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