Synopsis
Jojo's back, released from jail, and people are tense and afraid all over again. They wonder if his friends will start showing up again. They wonder if they'll be walking down the street one day and they'll run into Jojo and Jojo will give them attitude or shove them around, just for fun. Jojo's friends have a way of making it hard - really hard - on people who decide to press charges against Jojo. Those people just wish Jojo would go away and never come back. Then there are the people who have hate in their hearts. These people wish something bad would happen to Jojo. Something really bad.Ardell Withrow is one of those people. Norah McClintock is the author of a number of novels including Tell, Bang, Snitch, Watch Me and Marked. Norah lives in Toronto, Ontario.
Children's Literature
Having served two years for manslaughter in the death of his neighbor Eden Withrow, Jojo Benn is now back. At home, he wants nothing more than to be left alone to care for his mother who is dying of cancer. However, the circumstances of his crime have led to a great deal of anger elsewhere. The victim, Eden, died when he stepped in to break up a beating between Jojo and his pregnant girlfriend Shana. In the time since, Eden's brother Ardelle has not let go of the past; he has sworn vengeance on Eden's killer. Ardelle feels even more incensed when Shana begins to bring the baby over for visits with his father. A sense of foreboding falls over the neighborhood as Jojo tries to go quietly about his life while Ardelle sits on his porch and stares angrily at the Benns' house. Then Jojo is jumped and brutally beaten by a gang that includes Ardelle. The neighborhood closes ranks to protect one of their own. Told by a young neighbor boy, the story unfolds naturally without sensationalism. The very real tension in the neighborhood is palpable and while the denouement is not surprising, is it not predictable. These are the real facts of life for many teens in hardcore neighborhoods but it is not a story without hope. Ardelle does have the grades and the wherewithal to get out of the cycle and make something of himself. But many teens will read this and wonder whether or not Ardelle should face punishment for his part in Jojo's death. The book is ripe for discussion. Written with brevity and insight, this quick read leaves the reader much to think about. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey