Secrets And Lies

 

 

Justin and Sean, both twelve years old, have been best friends for a long time. They live in the Red Hook Projects in Brooklyn, a tough neighborhood in New York, are half Puerto Rican and African-American, and love hip hop and rap music. Suddenly, Sean's behavior markedly changes - he becomes very aggressive, gets into fights, pulls away from his friends, and disregards his dropping grades. He also takes mysterious out-of-town trips with his mother on weekends, which he explains with lies. Justin becomes determined to uncover the truth about his friend's double life. What is Sean's secret? Author Torrey Maldonado, who is from Brooklyn, is a teacher and an inspiring public speaker. He has an excellent ear for teens' dialog and skillfully takes readers into the heart of their world.

A Turning Point

Marcy Lewis is a very intelligent, yet insecure teenager. She is shy, overweight, refuses to change in the locker room because she is afraid the other students will make fun of her body, and doesn't think she'll ever have a boyfriend. Her father is verbally abusive and bullies her family, while her passive mother refuses to get involved. Life begins to turn around in a positive way with the arrival of a young, talented English teacher named Ms. Finney, who has a wonderful rapport with her students and encourages communication and self-expression. Marcy flourishes in Ms. Finney's classroom, and begins to realize her self-worth. One day, Ms. Finney is suspended for her "unorthodox" teaching methods, and Marcy becomes one of the leaders in the fight to have her favorite teacher reinstated. This decision changes her life, and those around her, forever. The Cat Ate My Gymsuit beautifully crafts the "turning point" in the tumultuous life of an adolescent, and is also an insightful book that illustrates how a dedicated teacher can have a profound influence on her students.