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librarybonanza 's review for:
Bang!
by Sharon G. Flake
Age: 6th-8th grade
First person narrative
Plot: The death of a son and a brother is a hard toll to take. The unexpected death of a son and a brother for no reason pushes a family into fear, despair, confusion, and isolation. Two years after his brother is killed, Mann still cannot step onto his house's porch where Jason was shot by some kid the same age as Mann. His mother still bakes cakes for Mann on his birthday and his father becomes abusive and overprotective. While the father wants to protect Mann, his means of protection result in a far disturbing ending.
In a last attempt to teach Mann how to survive, his father abandons Mann and his best friend, Kee-Lee, on a camping trip where they must travel several weeks through the unforgiving wilderness and experience belittling racism on their journey home. Finally home, Mann's father throws Mann onto the streets in order for him to "figure out the man you wanna be" (187). Mann and Kee-Lee go to Kee-Lee's money-scrounging Aunt to live in a house filled with misery and gambling. Once she finds out that both boys like to paint, she exploits their talents. After Kee-Lee threatens and abuses one customer for not paying, the man shoots and kills Kee-Lee. With no one left, Mann lives on the streets stealing purses, begging for money, and drinking. He finally finds refuge in the run-down stable he used to frequent as a child. He attempts to nurse two dying horses back to life where his father soon finds him.
The majority of this book is tragic and very real. While the issues described are somewhat manipulated to keep the reader interested, the characters have excellent depth and provide various perspectives of an area ravaged by shootings and death. Also, the tragedies aren't sugar-coated but provide real reactions and coping mechanisms like family and art.
Quotes: "'So I figure,' Kee-Lee says, 'If I'm gonna die, why I gotta waste the time I do got sitting in school learning stuff I won't use'" (14).
Father: "'Grace, don't you know that black boys is for hunting and killing and burying?" (100).
First person narrative
Plot: The death of a son and a brother is a hard toll to take. The unexpected death of a son and a brother for no reason pushes a family into fear, despair, confusion, and isolation. Two years after his brother is killed, Mann still cannot step onto his house's porch where Jason was shot by some kid the same age as Mann. His mother still bakes cakes for Mann on his birthday and his father becomes abusive and overprotective. While the father wants to protect Mann, his means of protection result in a far disturbing ending.
In a last attempt to teach Mann how to survive, his father abandons Mann and his best friend, Kee-Lee, on a camping trip where they must travel several weeks through the unforgiving wilderness and experience belittling racism on their journey home. Finally home, Mann's father throws Mann onto the streets in order for him to "figure out the man you wanna be" (187). Mann and Kee-Lee go to Kee-Lee's money-scrounging Aunt to live in a house filled with misery and gambling. Once she finds out that both boys like to paint, she exploits their talents. After Kee-Lee threatens and abuses one customer for not paying, the man shoots and kills Kee-Lee. With no one left, Mann lives on the streets stealing purses, begging for money, and drinking. He finally finds refuge in the run-down stable he used to frequent as a child. He attempts to nurse two dying horses back to life where his father soon finds him.
The majority of this book is tragic and very real. While the issues described are somewhat manipulated to keep the reader interested, the characters have excellent depth and provide various perspectives of an area ravaged by shootings and death. Also, the tragedies aren't sugar-coated but provide real reactions and coping mechanisms like family and art.
Quotes: "'So I figure,' Kee-Lee says, 'If I'm gonna die, why I gotta waste the time I do got sitting in school learning stuff I won't use'" (14).
Father: "'Grace, don't you know that black boys is for hunting and killing and burying?" (100).