JUST ANOTHER HERO

Few authors have a finger on the pulse of contemporary African-American teens as well as Sharon Draper. This final installment of the Jericho Trilogy perfectly captures high school kids’ difficult lives at home and school and as they look to the future. Narrator JD Jackson more than meets the challenge of portraying a wide array of kids and adults. Main characters Arielle and Kofi, along with their friends, demonstrate their strengths, weaknesses, hopes, dreams, and setbacks. Also outstanding are Mrs. Witherspoon (the dream teacher); Eddie, just back from juvenile detention; and wheel chair–bound Eric. Draper and Jackson’s descriptions and characters are so realistic that listeners are right inside Douglass High School with them. S.G.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2011]