Kid B

B-boying is the only thing seventeen-year-old Kid B has ever been any good at—but that’s nothin’ to floss about in his racially charged eastern Texas town in the rust belt. He’s been called “wigger” and “jigaboo,” but race doesn’t matter to Kid. Or his krew. What matters is that they represent at the upcoming Throw Down—one of the most cutthroat hip-hop dance competitions in the nation—and that they hold their own against rivals Magno Clique, the roughest gang of b-boyers in town.

Over a hot summer, friendly challenges between the two gangs turn bloody. And though he’s just trying to keep it together with his messed-up family, his friends, and his new girlfriend, Kid is forced to figure out the next steps in his life.

B-boying is the only thing seventeen-year-old Kid B has ever been any good at—but that’s nothin’ to floss about in his racially charged eastern Texas town in the rust belt. He’s been called “wigger” and “jigaboo,” but race doesn’t matter to Kid. Or his krew. What matters is that they represent at the upcoming Throw Down—one of the most cutthroat hip-hop dance competitions in the nation—and that they hold their own against rivals Magno Clique, the roughest gang of b-boyers in town.

Over a hot summer, friendly challenges between the two gangs turn bloody. And though he’s just trying to keep it together with his messed-up family, his friends, and his new girlfriend, Kid is forced to figure out the next steps in his life.

KLIATT

Kid B is a white B-boy, or break-dancer, living in Texas. Break dancing is all he has. His home life is a mess. His mother's dead, his father is always on the road, and his abusive brother is sleeping with their stepmother. Kid should be getting ready to graduate, but instead is in summer school with only enough credits to be considered a freshman. He takes a lot of taunting for "acting black." He spends most of his time with his boys, The Krush Krew, practicing his moves. Their archenemies, The Magno Clique, are in constant battle with the Krew, both in dance-offs and in physical (and very violent) altercations. At The Throw Down, the biggest competition of the year, Kid B is discovered by a talent agent who can help Kid get out of Texas and away from all of the bad influences there. Kid reluctantly chooses this new path, one without his Krew, and not a second too soon. Dalecki's novel is packed with long descriptions of B-boy battles, detailing every tiny bit of every dance move. Those with a particular interest in breaking may find this interesting, but for others it will certainly seem like overkill. The vernacular is also a challenge. The boys use lots of slang (and bad grammar), which may give some readers pause. While this will surely appeal to a small subset of readers, the lengthy dance descriptions, slight plot, and colloquial speech will deter many.

Linden Dalecki directed and edited the documentary Breakin' Away, which screened at the Cannes Short Film Corner and is featured in the full-length Texas b-boy documentary Inside the Circle (2006). Kid B, his first novel, evolved from his story "The BBoys of Beaumont," a firstplace winner in the Austin Chronicle's short story contest. Growing up inside the D.C. beltway, Linden b-boyed his way through junior high and high school. Now he writes and lives in Austin, Texas.