Riot

by Walter Dean Myers
Hennepin County Library audiobook 3 CDs
read by full cast
genre: YA Historical Fiction

Like other books by WDM, this one was challenging in some regards and very accessible in others. I loved the opening montage with different music for different eras (modern, 1954, 1900, 1863), but I'm not exactly sure why the author chose to bring us back in time by starting in the modern day. The book is essentially a Civil War story, but by starting in today's era, perhaps he's trying to "hook" young readers and bring them gently back. It made me wonder what the print version does! The music works very effectively for the audio version. (I made another note later about the music enhancing the story.)

The story is written like a screenplay, which immediately made me think of Monster. It was a bit disjointing, though, to have all the "fade out," "long shot," etc. language. Another difference between experiencing the book in an audio vs. print format.

As with most historical fiction, I wonder about the accuracy. Some of the language surprised me. Did they really refer to single men as "batching" it back then?

The role of the Irish in NYC . . . super interesting. Police, soldiers, poor people, rioters, . . . people shouldn't be pigeonholed, but trends and majorities get noticed.

Myers is an amazing author. I would love to hear how students, especially black students, respond to his work. For a white person in a primarily white community, I'm glad that he broadens my horizons as a reader.

Claire's identity crisis felt a bit overwrought . . . but perhaps that was more the vocal work than the writing. With a black dad and a white Irish mom, I'm sure she would have had identity concerns with her pale skin.

At the end, Walter Dean Myers read the author notes. I was surprised by his voice; I guess I'd never heard it before. It wasn't what I expected at all. I couldn't listen to all of the author interview because the interviewer was awful! He talked AT the author instead of asking good questions and listening. Argh!

I had never heard of the Draft Riots of 1863 before! In all the years I did History Day research with students, this never crossed my awareness. I suppose with all the other Civil War events of 1863, these riots were not the biggest news. Still, I love when reading fiction helps me to learn something new.

I added two more books to my reading list because of this title - one is about Amistad.
I've not gone on to do any research on this topic (lots of other stuff going on right now), but I'd love to learn more about this event and Five Points in NYC.

Game

by Walter Dean Myers
audiobook on CD, Carver County, 4.25 hours
read by JD Jackson

Drew Lawson is a Harlem basketball player with dreams of the big time. But when two white students move in and join the team, the attention they garner frustrates him and clouds his chances of winning a college scholarship that will get him out of his crime-ridden neighborhood.

I really enjoyed this story (except when there was a lot of basketball talk - just not my thing). I especially liked the relationship between Drew and his sister Jocelyn (?). Very fun! It was interesting for me to think about recommending this book to my students. Bball fans would probably like it, but the average Chaska kid most likely hasn't experienced inner-city black neighborhood issues. It's a very different world - one Myers brings to life extremely well.

I also loved that Drew's family was intact - mom, dad, sister, brother. Drew's friend had a brother facing prison time, and that impacted Drew positively (in that he saw the futility of going the route of so many other "brothers" in the area.