After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson
Who would like this book? Readers, 11 and up, who want a glimpse of life as a foster kid in the inner city.
Why? Woodson tells this moving, powerful story through the authentic voice of a girl living in Queens, New York, and growing from 11 to 13 years old. At the beginning of the story, she tells us the end: “The summer before D Foster’s real mama came and took her away, Tupac wasn’t dead yet.” In a series of short chapters, she spins back in time to the day that she and her best friend Neeka were just hanging out when D showed up. D’s life is a mystery to them, and D is at first not ready to fill in all the details. Slowly, the girls become fast friends, calling themselves “Three the Hard Way,” and we learn about all three of them. The narrator and Neeka have families with problems and demands; D has a foster mom with minimal expectations. The contrast between having a family and not having a family is vividly drawn, as is the “family” that evolves through friendship. Woodson uses an inner city dialect effectively. Here’s D’s description of her mom: “I know my moms is like three fries short of a Happy Meal, but she my moms, so I take what I get.” If you like that line, read this book! It is a 2009 Newberry Honor Book.
The details: 160 p. 2008 Review by Samrarian