Title: No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death RowAuthor: Susan Kuklin
ISBN: 978-0-805-07950-0
Recommended Grade Level of Reader: 10th and Up
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Media Type: Book
Copyright: 2008
Genre: Non-Fiction
Reader's Annotation: Despite being adolescents when sentenced to prison, these young offenders prove that hard crime is punished with hard time.
Plot Summary: No Choirboy examines the lives of four young men who were imprisoned for crimes committed before the age of eighteen. Of the two sentenced to death row, each was convicted of murder. The four young men, who were fourteen to seventeen years of age when arrested, come from different backgrounds and their diversity shows that not all prisoners come from poor or disadvantaged upbringings. While Kuklin provides narration, much of the book is dedicated to commentary given directly by the various inmates as well as two families whose lives were affected by teen violence.
Evaluation: (B) The author does an effective job at highlighting her position on the death penalty. Readers will glean that this non-fiction account is anti-death penalty and anti-imprisonment for juvenile offenders. Kuklin presents a one-sided view, however. While the inmates’ commentary is emotional and effective in showcasing their plight, No Choirboy could have been more relevant by offering both sides to the controversial issue.
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