Scorpions

Name: Scorpions
Rating: 4.716980934143066 (53 reviews)

Walter Dean Myers

Oct 2009 · Harper Collins

4.7

53 reviews

Ebook

240

Pages

Eligible

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About this ebook

The Scorpions are a gun-toting Harlem gang, and Jamal Hicks is about to become tragically involved with them in this authentic tale of the sacrifice of innocence and the struggle to steer clear of violence.

This Newbery Honor Book will challenge young men to consider their own decisions as they come of age in a complex and often frustrating society.

Pushed by a bully to fight and nagged by his principal, Jamal is having a difficult time staying in school. His home life is not much better, with his mother working her fingers to the bone to try to earn the money for an appeal for Jamal's jailed older brother, Randy.

Jamal wants to do the right thing and help earn the money to free his brother by working, but he's afraid to go against the Scorpions. Jamal eventually pulls free of the gang's bad influence, but only through the narrowest of escapes.

Walter Dean Myers, five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, sensitively explores the loyalty and love between friends faced with hard choices. Scorpions is 25 years old, but the issues of poverty and violence make it a timeless powerful read—sadly as relevant as ever.

Ratings and reviews

4.7

53 reviews

A Google user

this book is about a young boy who lives with his mother and younger sister sassy whom seems to be sassy most of the time. Jamal's older brother is in jail because he was cought selling drugs and other sorts of stuff. His friend got let out , and jamal thought it was cause he squiled on randy ,jamals brother. Randy Jamals older brother wants him to be the leader of the scorpions. tHATS ALL I GOT TO - SALLEY JANE

Amaya Powell

March 25, 2015

This book is super duper good. Like me and my classmates are reading it and when are said stop at one chapter we can't hear her cuz where so deep into the book

1 person found this review helpful

Delilah “Ladi Dadi” C.

May 12, 2017

I first read this book in 6th grade, which was many moons ago. My first African American book read in public school, and I enjoyed every moment of reading it. I'm still in awe of the imprint it left on me to want to influence and care for the youth. A book that every child should read. At home and in school.

2 people found this review helpful

About the author

Walter Dean Myers was the New York Times bestselling author of Monster, the winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award; a National Ambassador for Young People's Literature; and an inaugural NYC Literary Honoree. Myers was recognized by every single major award in the field of children's literature. He was the author of two Newbery Honor Books and five Coretta Scott King Book Award winners. He was the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults and a three-time National Book Award finalist as well as the first ever recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

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