Wednesday, October 19, 2011

After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson


Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Genre: Coming of Age, Realism
Rating: 6
Teach-ability: Situational
Teachable Aspects: setting, character

Overall this book was okay. I didn't dislike it, but it wasn't one that I finished feeling as though I enjoyed the story. The book was a quick read, and emotional attachment was made between me as the reader and the characters in the novel. Wanting to know more of the three girls' stories shaped the way I read the novel.

The story takes place in urban New York in the mid-1990's. The story revolves around three girls, told from the point of view of a nameless character. The events of the story coincide with the life and death of Tupac. The book is very much realistic fiction, the girls do not make extraordinary accomplishments nor is there an abundance of action or suspense in the novel but it seems very much true to the time and characters of urban New York in the mid-1990's.

Given my lukewarm feelings of the book I really don't have much to say as far as excitement or critique. One thing that I do find interesting is the title. "After Tupac and D Foster" gives the notion that there is something after Tupac and D Foster both leave, however the entirety of the book takes place up until Tupac dies and after D Foster leaves, but not after. To me, it seems as though the reasoning for this title is to serve as a recollection of the times from the future. The main character is recalling the past, and thus the book is written (not takes place) after Tupac and D Foster.

I think this book would be a tricky one to teach depending on the situation of the classroom one would teach it in. If the demographics of the classroom are majorly white, with only a couple of African American kids in the entire school I feel as though the book could stigmatize young black kids, which is obviously not the intent of the author. This negative reaction to the book would really be too bad, and in that case I think it would be more effective as a book recommended to specific kids rather than read as a whole class text.

Overall, the story is fluid and well done. I would recommend this book as it deals with issues of friendship and time.

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