November blues / Sharon M. Draper.

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Title:

November blues / Sharon M. Draper.

Author:

Draper, Sharon M. (Sharon Mills), author.

ISBN:

9781416906988

9781416906995

Edition:

First edition

Physical Description:

316 pages ; 22 cm

Series:

The Jericho trilogy

Jericho trilogy.

General Note:

Sequel to: Battle of Jericho.

Sequel: Just another hero.

Abstract:

A teenaged boy's death in a hazing accident has lasting effects on his pregnant girlfriend and his guilt-ridden cousin, who gives up a promising music career to play football during his senior year in high school.

Reading Level:

Young Adult.

670 Lexile.

Program Information:

Accelerated Reader/Renaissance Learning UG 4.6 11.

Subject Term:

Pregnancy -- Juvenile fiction.

High schools -- Juvenile fiction.

Schools -- Juvenile fiction.

African Americans -- Juvenile fiction.

Pregnancy -- Fiction.

High schools -- Fiction.

Schools -- Fiction.

African Americans -- Fiction.

Grossesse -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

Écoles secondaires -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

Écoles -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

Noirs américains -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

African Americans. (OCoLC)fst00799558

High schools. (OCoLC)fst00956288

Pregnancy. (OCoLC)fst01075102

Schools. (OCoLC)fst01107958

Genre:

Young adult fiction.

Young adult books.

Fiction. (OCoLC)fst01423787

Juvenile works. (OCoLC)fst01411637

Young adult works. (OCoLC)fst01726790

Electronic Access:

Publisher description http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0731/2006101343-d.html
Sample text http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0745/2006101343-s.html
Contributor biographical information http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0901/2006101343-b.html

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library	Teen Fiction Book Hardback	120791002989251	T DRA	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

In this second novel in Sharon M. Draper's Jericho Trilogy and Coretta Scott King Honor Book, Jericho and November are locked together in pain from the past and fear for the future, and it feels as though there's no way to escape either.

When November Nelson loses her boyfriend, Josh, to a pledge stunt gone horribly wrong, she thinks her life can't possibly get any worse. But Josh left something behind that will change November's life forever. She's pregnant and now she's faced with the biggest decision of her life. How in the world will she tell her mom? And how will Josh's parents take the news? She's never needed a friend more.

Jericho Prescott lost his best friend when he lost his cousin, Josh, and the pain is almost more than he can bear. His world becomes divided into "before" and "after" Josh's death. He finds the only way he can escape the emptiness he feels is to quit doing the things that made him happy when his cousin was alive, such as playing his beloved trumpet. At the same time, he begins playing football, where he hopes the physical pain will suppress the emotional agony. But will hiding behind shoulder pads really help? And will his gridiron obsession prevent him from being there for his cousin's girlfriend when she needs him most?

Reviews (3)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 8 Up-In Sharon Draper's Coretta Scott King winner, The Battle of Jericho (S & S, 2003), November's boyfriend Josh died during a high school hazing gone wrong and she discovers that she is pregnant with Josh's baby. In this sequel (S & S, 2007), told in the alternating points of view and struggles of November and Josh's cousin, Jericho, listeners experience November's poignant story as she tries to come to terms with losing her boyfriend, discovering she is pregnant, feeling she has disappointed her mother, and battling with Josh's parents who want to adopt their grandchild in exchange for paying for November's college tuition. Jericho's story is also unsettling as he struggles with feeling guilty about Josh's death. JD Jackson smoothly transitions between characters, giving each one realistic and fully distinct vocal patterns and intonations and perfectly expressing their emotions. Scenes are so vividly brought to life that when November goes into premature labor in a car with friends, listeners will feel as though they are right there with them. The struggles of these teens will resonate with urban youth and generate excellent group discussions. While this title can stand on its own, teens will want to read/listen to the previous one as well. Highly recommended and a must-have for libraries that already circulate The Battle of Jericho.-Stephanie A. Squicciarini, Fairport Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Review

Sixteen-year-old Josh Prescott dies jumping from a second-story window in a high-school hazing ritual and leaves behind a mess. His girlfriend, November Nelson, is pregnant, his cousin Jericho has lost his best friend and his parents hire a lawyer to try to convince November that they ought to raise their grandchild. November is her mother's "perfect princess," the one who's going to make it, and it's this mother-daughter relationship that is the heart of the novel. With its effective depiction of the difficulties of having a baby--the health issues, the damaged relationship with her mother, the tricky dynamics of school life--this is clearly a cautionary tale about teen pregnancy. Though the dialogue sounds stilted at times, the story is well-plotted, realistic and matter-of-fact, and November and Jericho are well-drawn, likable characters. Though a companion to The Battle of Jericho (2003), this stands well on its own. (Fiction. YA) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

November is the smartest senior in her high school, but after a fumbling night with her boyfriend, Josh, who subsequently died in a freak fraternity accident, she discovers she is pregnant. How can she tell her mother, who shares November's dream of a college scholarship? With her grief and disappointment, November must face grim reality, and she gets some support from girlfriends. She also gets help from classmate Jericho, who blames himself for Josh's death, and part of the story is told from Jericho's viewpoint as he battles his guilt and turmoil. But the real drama is the physical experience of teen pregnancy, and then the real pain of November's premature labor and childbirth. Will the baby live? And what then? Along with the serious issues teens will appreciate the fast, funny contemporary dialogue, laced with kindness and insults (no invective, though), and also the view of the girl who is Mom's perfect princess but screws up big time. Though written as a sequel to The Battle of Jericho (2003), this gripping novel stands alone.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2007 Booklist

Excerpts

CHAPTER 1 NOVEMBER NELSON TUESDAY, MARCH 30 November Nelson lurched to the bathroom, feeling faint and not quite in control of her suddenly unsteady legs. She touched her forehead and found it warm and glazed with sweat. Sinking down on the soft blue rug in front of the toilet, she was grateful for the momentary stability of the floor. But her head continued to spin, and her stomach churned. She lifted the toilet lid, gazed into the water, and wished she could disappear into its depths. Her breath became more shallow, and her nausea more intense. Finally, uncontrollably, and forcefully, all her distress erupted and she lost her lunch in heaves and waves of vomiting. Pepperoni pizza. She flushed the toilet several times as she sat on the floor waiting to feel normal again. Finally she stood up shakily, gargled with peppermint mouthwash, and peered at herself in the mirror. "You look like a hot mess," she whispered to her reflection. Her skin, instead of its usual coppery brown, looked gray and mottled. She hadn't combed her hair all day, so it was a halo of tangles. November knew her mother would be home soon and would be angry to find out she'd skipped school. She didn't care. Her thoughts were focused on the package in her backpack. Even though she knew the house was empty, she made sure the bathroom door was locked. She dug the little purple and pink box out of her book bag and placed it on the sink. It seemed out of place in her mother's perfectly coordinated powder blue bathroom. With trembling hands she unwrapped the plastic and opened the box. She read the directions carefully. She looked out of the small bathroom window and watched the last of the early spring snow melting on the grass. Everything looked the same, but she knew in her heart that it was all different now. November finally turned back to the little white tube in the box and followed the instructions, which were written, she noticed, in Spanish and French as well. Three minutes later the indicator silently screamed the news that she already suspected. She was pregnant. Copyright (c) 2007 by Sharon M. Draper Excerpted from November Blues by Sharon M. Draper All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.