Five 2008 Quick Picks

FIVE 2008 QUICK PICKS

Graffiti L.A.: Street Styles and Art

By: Steve Grody

This book of three hundred pages showecases some of the graffiti found on walls in Los Angelos. It begins by giving a brief history of the beginning of graffiti in the 1930's by gang members. Grody then describes the four forms of graffiti that were popular during the height of the graffiti movement in the 1980's. The four types are tags, throw-ups, pieces and productions. The reader is also able to read a little bit about the artist of each piece showcased. I am not a fan of graffiti by any means because it is basically the defaming of someone elses property, but some of these were true pieces of art. This book is good for students who don't like to read very much, especially at-risk children.

Tupac Shakur Legacy

By Jamal Joseph

This biography of Tupac Shakur is very well written and put together. Jamal Joseph was able to provide primary sources that truly share the inner working of this incredible artist. Readers are able to tell that Shakur was not only a rapper, but a very talented poet. Some of the poetry inserted in the book are printed in Shakur's actual handwriting. I enjoyed learning more about Tupac Shakur, because to be honest I am not a fan, nor am I familiar with his work. I must say that after reading this book, I had respect for this man, who lived a life full of passion for his poetry and art.

Lessons from a Dead Girl

By Jo Knowles

I was absolutely uncomfortable reading this book because of the nature of the situation. The story revolves around the friendship of Leah and Laine. Leah has just passed away and Laine is trying to deal with the abuses that she endured from her late friend. It is crazy to think that one friend could sexually abuse another, especially when they are both females. It took me a long time to finish this book, because I honestly didn't want to read anymore about the situation. The book, however is very well written and explores the situation with true care and respect.

Glass
by Ellen Hopkins

This book deals with the topic of substance abuse in the form of crank. This is a sequel to a book called Crank, in which the main character, Kristina is a high achiever at school who gets pregnant. This book picks up on life after the baby is born. Because Kristina is not happy with her figure she decides to take crystal meths. She instantly gets hooked and becomes an addict. She loses her sense of reality and wants to do anything for it and is even willing to lose her baby for it. This book is so sad, but real at the same time. It was a pretty good read and I will be waiting for the next book if there is one.

Almost Home

By Jessica Blank

The plot of this story revolves around a group of kids that live in the streets of Los Angelos. They escape from their homelives for a variety of reasons ranging from boredom to being abused. This book took me out of my comfort zone, I enjoy reading books with idealistic plot lines. This was far from it. It focused on what these kids had to do in order to survive the street of Los Angelos. One of the characters entered the world of prostitution and drugs. This book is nicely written and showcases the voice of each character quite clearly. This book would probably be a good read for high school students, especially Juniors and Seniors.