In a contemporary, hard-hitting survival tale set in a neighborhood where people get shot "for no real reason," Flake (The Skin I'm In) follows an African-American boy's harrowing initiation into manhood. Two years after Mann's seven-year-old brother is killed in a drive-by shooting, the boys' father decides to teach 13-year-old Mann, who narrates, the same lesson received by boys in African tribes. He drives Mann and his best friend, Kee-lee, into the woods and leaves them there to fend for themselves. Wild animals prove to be less of a threat than the people the boys encounter, and once they do return to the city, Mann's father turns them out again to find out what direction they want to take in life ("You wanna be a pimp-well, there's a road that'll lead you there. Wanna be a thief, sell crack and live high and die hard-well, that road's waiting for you too," says Mann's father). The method used to induct Mann into a violent world will spark as much controversy among readers as it does among characters in the book, but in the end, Mann (who fares better than his friend Kee-lee) does learn some important lessons that go beyond survival. There is a gradual yet notable change in his morality as he searches his soul to find what kind of man he wants to be. Ages 12-up. (Sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 8 Up-Mann and his friend Kee-lee have grown up in the inner city where poverty and crime are rampant in this novel by Sharon G. Flake (Jump at the Sun, 2005). Two years ago, his seven-year-old brother was killed in a drive-by shooting. Mann's father wants to toughen up his son so that he can stop grieving, learn to control his temper, and stop smoking and skipping school. The father takes both teens out into the woods and leaves them to manage by themselves, reminiscent of African tribal coming-of-age rituals. After the boys make their way home, Mann's father wants to make sure that his son is still not too soft to survive on the city streets and throws him out of the house to manage on his own. Mann learns much about himself as he matures to adulthood. The story is written in the first person, and actor Dominic Hoffman becomes Mann, realistically reading the dialogue and depicting emotions ranging from anger to grief. He uses pauses effectively to heighten the suspense and maintain the mood. A short interview with the author concludes the recording. An excellent choice to initiate lively discussions.-Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information