Woodson, Jacqueline. After Tupac & D Foster.
NY: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2008. Print.
ISBN
978-0-399-24654-8
Hardcover, $15.99
160 pages
160 pages
***AWARDS AND HONORS***
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| Cover Artwork Copyright © G. P. Putnam's Sons 2008 |
ANNOTATION
Three
girls come into each other’s lives on the street of their Queens neighborhood,
where they follow the early-1990s’ media accounts of Tupac Shakur’s life and
death. This 2009 Newberry Honor Book deals
with friendship, fostercare, multiracial ethnic identity, homophobia, racism, and the United States
prison system.
BOOK REVIEW
After Tupac & D Foster focuses on the flourishing friendship of three girls in 1990s Queens, New York. The title character, D Foster—a child of the fostercare system with an obscure past and a knack for “roaming” on city buses—mysteriously wanders into the lives of Neeka and her unnamed narrator neighbor. Around this time, real-life rapper Tupac Shakur’s controversial encounters with celebrity, the legal system, and two separate gun shootings are hot topics in the news. Bonding over Tupac’s lyrics, music, message, and breaking reports, this trio—known by each other as “Three the Hard Way”—learn more about themselves and the uncertainties of life than they ever expected. Acclaimed author Jacqueline Woodson writes with a fun-loving flair, even when the story shifts to serious social issues like racism, homophobia, and the United States prison system.
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| Title Page Artwork Copyright © G. P. Putnam's Sons 2008 |
The
way in which the girls’ friendship fits in with the near-historical account of
Tupac’s life is an interesting concept.
Whether it all creates a remarkable novel is another thing. Woodson’s character development in After Tupac & D Foster is somewhat
scattered with mediocre plot development.
The “Three the Hard Way” trio are likeable enough; but their loyalty to
one another reads as rushed and unnatural.
The book’s inconsistent 26 chapters is much like the story’s own
qualities. Some are deep, visual, and
powerful, while others are flat with not a whole lot to say. Other Woodson novels may be award-worthy; but
that’s not the case with this one.
Nevertheless, young-adult readers with a special interest in the impact
of the life and message of Tupac Shakur may find the “Big Purpose” behind After Tupac & D Foster.
RELATED RESOURCES (COOL STUFF)
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RELATED RESOURCES (COOL STUFF)
>>> Watch a book trailer here...
>>> Preview other books by author Jacqueline Woodson here...
>>> Check out this interview with author Jacqueline Woodson...
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