Title: Scorpions Author: Walter Dean Myers
ISBN: 0-06-447066-0
Recommended Grade Level of Reader: 7th and Up
Publisher: HarperTrophy
Media Type: Book
Copyright: 1988
Genre: Fiction
Reader's Annotation: Jamal’s brother has made a lot of bad choices and is now serving jail time. Will Jamal decide to follow in his big brother’s footsteps by joining the Scorpions?
Plot Summary: Scorpions is a novel about a street gang by the same name. Jamal, the twelve year old male protagonist, is being pressured into not only joining the gang, but also becoming the leader. His brother, the former leader of the gang, has been sentenced to jail for committing a violent crime. Jamal is uncomfortable with the idea of becoming a gang member, but is given a gun anyways by his brother’s friend. Eventually, a bully’s actions at school persuades Jamal into declaring himself a member of the Scorpions. While feeling powerful for a while, Jamal and his best friend Tito find that gang life and using weapons is cause for trouble.
Evaluation: (C) This would be a good book for reluctant readers. It is a short read and the writing is simplistic with the exception of a lot of slang language. Some teenagers may be able to identify with this, however. The plot and content of Scorpions highlight the importance of making good decisions. The reader will see many characters throughout the course of the novel, such as Jamal’s brother Randy, paying the consequence for making poor choices. With this, Scorpions may also be a good pick for freshman as teenagers at this stage of their lives will be faced with many difficult decisions throughout high school and beyond.
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