Scorpions

In a voice of despair and deep longing, Peter Francis James reads the story of Jamal, trapped in the ghetto and faced with a challenge too immense for any 12-year-old. Jamal must decide whether to assume leadership of his brother's gang, the Scorpions, after Randy is imprisoned for murder. Third-person narration in James's rich, resonant voice contrasts with the contentious whine of 8-year-old sister Sassy; the half-beaten regret of Mama, old beyond her years; the gentle concern of Jamal's best friend, Tito; the surly self-assurance of Jamal's classmates; the drugged-out haziness of Randy's ace, Mack; and the relentless disdain of Davidson, the principal who does not even pretend respect for a child in crisis. The dark fates of children trapped by circumstance reverberate in this masterful performance of the Newbery Honor title. T.B. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

January 29, 1996
PW called this Newbery Honor novel about a 12-year-old caught up in the violence of Harlem gangs "realistic, spare and almost unbearably sad." Ages 12-up.

Twelve-year-old Jamal feels the weight of the world on his shoulders in this YA novel. His life is one of pressure and harassment with little comfort. An older bully fights him regularly, his brother is in jail, his kid sister tattles on him for sport, and a gang member is recruiting him. Jamal's only saving grace is pal Tito, who stays by his side through his travails. This is a classic story of frustration, the feeling of taking one step forward and two back. Unfortunately, the narration doesn't keep pace. Peter Francis James gives some of the supporting characters distinct identities, but many of the character voices are not varied enough. Further, his pacing of the story is problematic; constant pauses slow the narration to a frustrating crawl. M.B. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine