Handbook+for+Boys



Book Review by Danielle Powell

Title: Handbook for Boys Author: Walter Dean Myers Illustrator: Matthew Bandsuch ISBN-13: 1442031417 Publisher: Baker & Taylor, CATS, 2009 Publication date: January 1, 2001 Pages: 192 Age range: 10+ Language: English
 * Bibliographical Information: **

Walter Dean Myers is one of the most prominent African-American writers for children and young adults. He was born on August 12, 1937, in Martinsburg, West Virginia. As a New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author Myers has garnered much respect and admiration for his fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for young people. In 1968, Walter published his first book, Where Does the Day Go?, illustrated by Leo Carty. He was winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award, and is considered one of the preeminent writers for children.
 * Author Biography: **

This book is a story about a teenager, Jimmy, who in the beginning of the story was almost sentenced into a juvenile detention center. This was until a local barber employed him to work in his shop with the purpose of changing his visions on life. The barbershop is place where old folks talk about how to stay away from trouble, but what do elders know about living as a teenager now a days anyway?
 * Summary: **

I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought it would be beneficial as I continue my field placement experiences because I have been observing a sixth grade class. I really do believe that the students in the sixth grade class would have enjoyed reading this book. I think students in 6th grade especially could relate to this book because they are beginning to have choices and decisions they to make in their lives.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Book Review: **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The theme of Handbook for Boys is maturity or growing up. During the beginning of the story Jimmy does not make the best decisions for himself. His father is not around so Jimmy looks to the local barber, Duke, as a father figure. Although Duke tries to teach Jimmy the importance of decision making and how it can affect his life, Jimmy does not agree with everything he is told. Throughout the story, readers are able to watch Jimmy grow from an adolescent to a young adult.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Literary Element Analysis: **