SCORPIONS

In a voice of despair and deep longing, Peter Francis James reads the story of Jamal, trapped in the ghetto and faced with a challenge too immense for any 12-year-old. Jamal must decide whether to assume leadership of his brother's gang, the Scorpions, after Randy is imprisoned for murder. Third-person narration in James's rich, resonant voice contrasts with the contentious whine of 8-year-old sister Sassy; the half-beaten regret of Mama, old beyond her years; the gentle concern of Jamal's best friend, Tito; the surly self-assurance of Jamal's classmates; the drugged-out haziness of Randy's ace, Mack; and the relentless disdain of Davidson, the principal who does not even pretend respect for a child in crisis. The dark fates of children trapped by circumstance reverberate in this masterful performance of the Newbery Honor title. T.B. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 99]