Day 24

What You're Reading

YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW ME: SHORT STORIES AND POEMS ABOUT BOYS 

by Sharon G. Flake.

Sharon G. Flake does a phenomenal job of telling the complex and honest stories of young urban life. I've been reading her books since I was in middle school and I've always been able to relate to her characters. One of my favorite books is another collection of her short stories and poems called Who Am I Without Him about girls and their relationships with the boys and men in their lives. When I moved after middle school I had to put the book in storage but as soon as I got my nook, I made sure I bought Who Am I Without Him so that I could read the stories whenever. After downloading it, this book popped up and I knew that this author would not let me down so I bought this one as well and I know now that I made a great decision in doing so. 

What I really enjoy about this book is that it's real. It doesn't just tell the story of one kind of young black male thug because that's not real. This world and the people in it, especially young men, are a lot more complex than that and this book does a great job at telling some of their stories. As I was reading one of the stories, I thought about Jordan Davis and Trayvon Martin and I realize that it is so important that these stories be heard. Check it out! I know it's available at Barnes and Noble!