Showing results by author "Walter Dean Myers" in All Categories

Darius and Twig are an unlikely pair: Darius is a writer whose only escape is his alter ego, a peregrine falcon named Fury, and Twig is a middle-distance runner striving for athletic success. But they are drawn together in the struggle to overcome the obstacles that Harlem life throws at them. The two friends must face down bullies, an abusive uncle, and the idea that they'll be stuck in the same place forever in this touching and raw new teen novel from Walter Dean Myers.

During a long, hot July in 1863, the worst race riots the United States has ever seen erupt in New York City. Earlier that year, desperate for more Union soldiers, President Abraham Lincoln instituted a draft - a draft that would allow the wealthy to escape serving in the army by paying a $300 waiver, more than a year's income for the recent immigrant Irish. And on July 11, as the first drawing takes place in Lower Manhattan, the city of New York explodes in rage and fire.

After witnessing the annihilation of his people by El Muerte's legions, young Tarik undergoes the training that will enable him to destroy this fierce leader.

In the groundbreaking tradition of his award-winning Monster and Bad Boy: A Memoir, Walter Dean Myers fashions a highly listenable, powerful novel about the rules for success for young men, especially those navigating coming of age while Black. Share this book in the classroom, in a father-son group, or as a summer listening (or anytime) choice that's likely to spark conversation and be a favorite.

Kevin Johnson is 13 years old. And heading for juvie. He's a good kid, a great friend, and a star striker for his Highland, New Jersey, soccer team. His team is competing for the State Cup, and he wants to prove he has more than just star-player potential. Kevin's never been in any serious trouble... until the night he ends up in jail. Enter Sergeant Brown, a cop assigned to be Kevin's mentor. If Kevin and Brown can learn to trust each other, they might be able to turn things around before it's too late.

This scorching story tells of a father and son trying to reach out to each other over years of loss and absence. An almost unbearably moving recording.

Fifty-four poems, all in different voices, written by one outstanding author. Residents of a fictional Harlem community, from motorman to teacher, from party girl to live-in maid, to jazz artist, a deacon, students, veterans and more - all embodied by 13 remarkable narrators. Original musical recordings from the likes of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Thelonious Monk are included. Each distinctive memory, reflection, thought, or aspiration is evocatively presented in this stunning and memorable tribute.

Abdullah Syed Hari is fourteen years old. He loves his family and his friends. And he is a Somali pirate. A short story from Guys Read: Thriller, edited by Jon Scieszka.

The history of jazz is presented in a series of 15 poems that are read and sung, against a backdrop of original music that sets the appropriate mood and tone for each of the varied pieces. The result is a celebration through poetry and music that reflects the heart and soul of the many styles of jazz in a glowing tribute to a truly American art form.

Paul DuPree is working at a soup kitchen in Harlem the summer his father dies, just trying to get by. But Elijah, the soup man, won't stop talking about the social contract and asking Paul questions about heavy-duty things. Paul has never thought about this stuff. He'd rather hang out with Keisha, an unwed teen mom whose basketball skills rival his own. Then Sly, a notorious Harlem big shot, shows up. Paul is both intrigued and intimidated by Sly and his conspiracy theories, and for once he starts contemplating how you really get ahead in life.

Junice: What am I doing? He'll take one quick look and wish he was anywhere else but here. I'm already ashamed of what I think he will think of me, of the life I lead...Damien: Yes, she is the fruit that will sustain me and yes, she brings a rain that I know can chill. But it is a rain so sweet and sings a song my soul insists that I follow, if I would exist. As more than I have ever, ever been if my mother calls it evil, then I embrace the sin.

Jeremy notices that everyone sees him differently: to his sister, he’s a little brother; to his teacher, he’s a writer; to his mother, he’s a dreamer. With hip-hop verse that resonates with urban verve, this extraordinary tribute to oneself will resonate with children and adults of all ages and backgrounds.

Frederick Douglass was a self-educated slave in the South who grew up to become an icon. He was a leader of the abolitionist movement, a celebrated writer, an esteemed speaker, and a social reformer, proving that, as he said, "Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."

The story of one of America's most revered figures is brought to life by the text of award-winning author Walter Dean Myers.

It is 2035. Teens, armed only with their ideals, must wage war on the power elite. Dahlia is a Low Gater: A sheep in a storm, struggling to survive completely on her own. The Gaters live in closed safe communities, protected from the Sturmers, mercenary thugs. And the C-8, a consortium of giant companies, control global access to finance, media, food, water, and energy resources - and they are only getting bigger and even more cutthroat. Dahlia, a computer whiz, joins forces with an ex-rocker, an ex-con, a chess prodigy, an ex-athlete, and a soldier wannabe.

The opening line of this call-and-response style verse asks the question that forms the thread throughout: Blues, what do you mean to me? In a magnificent collaboration of words and song, a timeline of the blues is presented in a soulful reading with dramatic musical accompaniment that offers a compelling evocation of the blues experience.

Sixteen-year-old Crystal knows she's blessed. She is drop-dead gorgeous and in the beginning stages of a glamorous career as a model in New York City. At first, modeling is exciting. But soon, her life becomes less and less about her, and more and more about her body. Crystal wonders if her new life is worth giving up everything - her friends, her beliefs, and her self-respect.

For a young adolescent, David Curry has a lot to contend with. He loves and fears Reuben, his troubled father. His older brother, Ty, is turning into someone David doesn't know anymore, or trust. And his mom is struggling to hold everything together.

In lyrical, soul-searching free verse, the father-son team who presented Jazz, delivers a heartfelt and thought-provoking homage to this country. Reflective and non-judgmental, stretching across a tumultuous history and following dreams of and struggles for freedom, this masterful and stunning presentation of patriotism through poetry, quotations, and depictions of myriad Americans celebrates the heart and soul of this land.

The two-time National Book Award finalist discusses his historical novel about the New York City Draft Riots in 1863 with middle graders and teens ages 12 and up. The event includes a discussion with the audience.