Miracle's Boys

Lafayette has to share his bedroom with the older brother he calls "New Charlie." Seems like the brother he knew and loved didn't come back from his stretch in the reformatory. This guy is more like a stranger than a brother. But now that Mama's dead, being able to stay in their NYC apartment with oldest brother Ty'ree hinges on whether or not Charlie can stay out of trouble. It might look grim for this family, but there's a lot of heart and warmth in this reading by Dulé Hill. Hill, who ironically plays a young man named Charlie on the TV drama "The West Wing," brings all three brothers to life in a low-key, boys-in-the-'hood performance that lets listeners feel the pain without ever losing hope. M.C. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

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.