Caught Up

October 1, 2014
Kennedy, an African-American teen girl from a suburban gated community, lets her fascination with all things 'hood drive her into dangerous territory. Her prim best friends, Jordan and Hope, have nothing but contempt for "low-budget hood roaches" and "stupid, annoying Ebonics." Kennedy, however, seeks a boy who's swaggerlicious and has even gotten a job at the local mall's food court in hopes of meeting boys more her style. When Sasha, Kennedy's co-worker, starts inviting her to parties and introducing her to boys from the 'hood, Kennedy quickly finds herself drinking, smoking weed, sneaking out of her house and becoming attached to an older boy named Malik. A lifestyle that initially seems adventurous and exciting soon leads to frightening fights, controlling behavior on Malik's part and a scare-'em-straight climax with serious consequences. Readers see some of Kennedy's thoughts and feelings-her frustration with her mom's and friends' disapproval, her wonder at receiving Malik's attention-but others remain opaque. It is never clear where Kennedy thinks Malik gets his money or even what interests her in 'hood life in the first place. Some dialogue and slang phrases feel repetitive: Sasha repeats "Miss me wit' dat" far too often. Sometimes rough around the edges but an engaging cautionary tale nevertheless. (Fiction. 14-18)

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December 1, 2014

Gr 10 Up-Teens looking to read about romance, sex, drug use, and urban drama will find it in the story of 16-year-old Kennedy Simms, a suburban girl who longs for the excitement of life in the 'hood. She's attracted to boys who wear sagging jeans and smell of marijuana smoke-boys her more conservative friends disapprovingly call "thugs" and "hoodlums." But Kennedy's bored with dating the nerds her parents and friends like; she's determined to break out of her safe world in a gated community and experience life. Soon, she is defying her mother, staying out all night, drinking, partying, and generally making poor decisions. She meets Blaze, who seems like bad news, though he might have a warm heart beneath his tough exterior. However, Kennedy falls for Malik, who thrills and romances her. She ignores all of the warning signs, choosing Malik over her friends when they try to warn her against him. It takes a catastrophic event and serious consequences to help Kennedy see the error of her ways, though by then it may be too late. While most of the characters are shallow and stereotypical, and the slang-filled dialogue can be a challenge to read, Kennedy is an appealing protagonist and the fast-paced story will keep teens glued to the page. Fans of YA street lit authors, such as Ni-Ni Simone and L. Divine will enjoy this, and despite the mature content, it's more suitable for the majority of high school libraries than adult titles in this genre.-Miranda Doyle, Lake Oswego School District, OR

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