The thing was that me and Rise were blood brothers, but sometimes I really didn't know him. As Jesse fills his sketchbook with drawings and portraits of Rise, he tries to make sense of the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and loss in a neighborhood plagued by drive-bys, vicious gangs, and abusive cops.
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Summary
The thing was that me and Rise were blood brothers, but sometimes I really didn't know him. As Jesse fills his sketchbook with drawings and portraits of Rise, he tries to make sense of the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and loss in a neighborhood plagued by drive-bys, vicious gangs, and abusive cops.
Description
A powerful National Book Award Finalist from the acclaimed, bestselling author of Monster. "This novel is like photorealism; it paints a vivid and genuine portrait of life that will have a palpable effect on its readers." (School Library Journal starred review)
With Harlem as its backdrop, Autobiography of My Dead Brother follows the diverging paths of best friends Rise and Jesse. When Rise becomes engulfed in gang activity and starts dealing drugs, Jesse, a budding artist, tries to make sense of the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and loss in a neighborhood plagued by drive-by shootings, vicious gangs, and an indifferent juvenile justice system.
The innovative first-person storytelling, along with cartoons and photos, pulls in readers and makes Autobiography of My Dead Brother a strong and thought-provoking choice for sharing in a classroom or at home.
"Though the story is starkly realistic, there is always hope in the gifts of Jesse the artist and C. J. the musician, of schools and churches and of caring parents." (Kirkus)
"Touching and impactful, Autobiography cannot fail to intrigue, and hopefully influence youngsters with its poignant statement of two roads taken." (Judges' Citation, National Book Award)
Critic Reviews
“"Paints a vivid and genuine portrait of life that will have a palpable effect on its readers." -- School Library Journal (starred review) "The innovative illustrated novel format is effective." -- Kirkus Reviews "Striking black-and-white illustrations.. What will affect readers most is Jessie's sharp, sometimes poetic first-person voice and the spirited, rhythmic dialogue of other vivid characters." -- Booklist "Teens, some who may be struggling with similar issues, will be on edge while 15-year-old Jesse decides if he will allow his environment and peers to dictate the type of man he will become." -- KLIATT”
"Paints a vivid and genuine portrait of life that will have a palpable effect on its readers." -- School Library Journal (starred review)
"The innovative illustrated novel format is effective." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Striking black-and-white illustrations.. What will affect readers most is Jessie's sharp, sometimes poetic first-person voice and the spirited, rhythmic dialogue of other vivid characters." -- Booklist
"Teens, some who may be struggling with similar issues, will be on edge while 15-year-old Jesse decides if he will allow his environment and peers to dictate the type of man he will become." -- KLIATT
About the Author
Michael L. Printz Award winner and Margaret A. Edwards Award recipient Walter Dean Myers is a five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. He is the author of Handbook for Boys; Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam; Monster; Bad Boy: A Memoir; and the Newbery Honor Books, Scorpions and Somewhere in the Darkness. He lives in Jersey City, NJ, with his family. You can
Back Cover
The thing was that me and Rise were blood brothers, but sometimes I really didn't know him. . . . As Jesse fills his sketchbook with drawings and portraits of Rise, he tries to make sense of the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and loss in a neighborhood plagued by drive-bys, vicious gangs, and abusive cops.
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