Miracle's Boys

December 3, 2001
Seventh-grader Lafayette fears that he will become separated from his two brothers after the death of their mother. "Viewing household tensions through Lafayette's eyes, readers will come to realize each character's internal conflicts and recognize their desperate need to cling together as a family," said PW. Ages 12-up.

Starred review from September 10, 2001
Currently riding high with a role in TV's The West Wing, actor Hill's hip reputation and powerful performance here are a perfect match for Woodson's affecting novel about three orphaned African-American brothers struggling to stay together and survive on their own in contemporary New York City. Hill narrates as sensitive, 13-year-old Lafayette, youngest of the three siblings, who is trying to cope with the stresses that often overwhelm him. He's still haunted by the memories of finding his mother Milagro, or Miracle, dead from illness, and confused by the evil actions of middle brother Charlie, recently released from a juvenile detention center. As a stabilizing, caring force, oldest brother Ty'ree works hard to hold the family together in the face of great personal sacrifice. Woodson's realistic situations and dialogue are given even more resonance via Hill's comfortable delivery. And her message of love and hope winning out shines through loud and clear when Hill rises to the emotional, but never sappy, conclusion. Ages 10-14.

April 24, 2000
Once again, Woodson (If You Come Softly; From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun) reveals a keen understanding of the adolescent psyche via the narration of a winning seventh-grader. Lafayette, whose mother has recently died, is worried that some day he will be separated from his two older brothers: high-school-graduate Ty'ree, who gave up a scholarship to MIT to take care of his younger siblings; and Charlie, the rebellious middle boy, who, after spending more than two years in a correctional facility, has returned home cold and tough. (Lafayette calls him "Newcharlie," because his brother, with whom he was once so close, now seems unrecognizable to him.) Viewing household tensions and hardships through Lafayette's eyes, readers will come to realize each character's internal conflicts and recognize their desperate need to cling together as a family. The boys' loyalties to one another are tested during a cathartic climax, though it is resolved a bit too easily, and Lafayette's visions of his mother aren't fully developed or integrated into the plot. Gang violence and urban poverty play an integral part in this novel, but what readers will remember most is the brothers' deep-rooted affection for one another. An intelligently wrought, thought-provoking story. Ages 10-up.

megatron311 - Jacqueline Woodson, The author of Miracle Boys’ tells a story about three kids that are forced to grow up without any parents. Lafayette is one of the main characters. He is determined but also is very curious about his parents deaths. His brother, Tyree is forced to raise 2 other kids to as he is in charge of the house and has to have a job instead of working. It is often in a apartment in New York where they are forced to live in a small rundown room. They live in a poor rundown apartment with their brother, Tyree in charge even though he is 19 because both of their parents died. The story is written in paragraphs with it very descriptive. I like that there are chapters every 7 pages or so. It is not meant to be a very funny book but makes up for its lack of humor with description. One example from the book is, “Brothers is the baddest. Then comes Dominicans. Dominicans don’t mess around. I’m cool with Dominicans though” It shows how throughout the book they are forced to live in unity with each other. Another quote is, “Ty’ree was all right after Mama died. But I was all wrong. The year before, I’d seen this show about snakes. They showed this one snake slipping out of its old skin and then leaving the old skin on the ground behind him. That’s how I felt—like Mama’d been my skin. But I hadn’t grown a new skin underneath, like the snake had. I was just blood and bones spreading all over the place.” This show how Lafayette was still recovering throughout the story from his Mom’s death. Miracle Boy’s has won the Coretta Scott King award for authors. The author, Jacqueline Woodson has won the John Newbery awards for 2 of her other books. Woodson went to Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. Miracle Boy’s made me get into the book. It made me feel like I was right there with Lafayette in his journey without his parents. It made me experience what it felt like by putting me in the shoes of someone without parents.