Tyrell

Reason Book Chosen

I chose this book because of its more recent publication date and because it won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

Bibliographic Information

Author: Coe Booth

Publisher: Push (September 1, 2007)

ISBN-10: 0439838800

Copyright Date: 2006

Genre

Urban Fiction

About the Author

This is Coe Booth’s first novel. Her second novel, Kendra was published in 2008. Coe Booth is a young African American writer from the Bronx. She portrays a realistic portrait of life in hard times, with only oneself to count on.

Reader’s Annotation

Life in the Bronx just got a whole lot tougher for Tyrell. Everyone wants a piece of him and he has to keep in together, keep it real, and keep his head up, when it seems like everyone’s keeping him down.

Plot Summary

Tyrell is an African American teenager dealing with everyday teen struggles like getting along with is mother and keeping his girl troubles in check, except he has a lot more on his plate than that, and a whole bunch of distractions and temptations. Tyrell, his little brother, and mother are evicted from his apartment in the Bronx, and Tyrell’s mother expects him to support the family, by whatever means possible, while his father is in jail. While living in a roach infested motel for a couple of weeks Tyrell tries to watch out for his family, but he also learns to watch out for himself and sometimes to rearrange his priorities. Tyrell, whom is growing up too fast, faces a lot of questions and decisions, some more relevant to an average teen than others. Does he cheat on his girlfriend? Sell drugs in the neighborhood to get by? Become just like his father? Be loyal to himself or to others? Who can he trust? Tyrell gets a money-making idea and runs with it, taking him to interesting places and causing him to meet interesting people –some new and some old. Somehow, in this award-winning novel, Tyrell manages to keep it all together, even if he makes a few mistakes along the way.

Critical Analysis

This book is well written, in a language that is true to its character. The story is fast paced and action packed. The main character, dialogue, and setting all feel “real”, written by Bronx native Coe Booth. Tyrell is a complicated character with many emotions, and mixed feelings about his values, his future, and his community. Because he feels so real, I found myself sometimes wanting to shake him and say “no, don’t do that”, but mostly wanting to hug him and wrap all the empathy I felt for him around him. 

Attitudes about gender roles and how to treat women is one area this book explores on the surface, illustrated as an area of conflict for Tyrell. As Tyrell matures and his relationships with his girlfriend, his mother, and his new girl play out, and some details about his parents’ relationship are revealed, his views about women start to change. Booth does a good job developing this underlying theme, but I am left wanting a little more in depth exploration of this topic and a little more resolve.

While this book may have appeal for teens whom are struggling to survive and dealing with issues beyond their years, most older teenagers could relate to issues and themes presented in this novel.  

Themes/Issues/Tags

Being true to your values, Responsibility, Not Becoming Your Parent/Father, Loyalty, Survival, Poverty, Hope, coming of age, Drugs, Adult/Teen Relationships, Homelessness, New York

Controversial Subject Matter

The mother trying to cheat the welfare system (by saying the younger son is mentally retarded when he is not)

Parental neglect

Engaging in illegal activity “when you have to” to get by

Defense: Complex issue that the character ponders in depth

Booktalking Ideas

Topic hooks –

Having to move quickly (or often), having to pick up and go

Absent father

Becoming just like a parent or choosing your own path

Setting hook- Description of the motel they are living in (many rich descriptions to choose from). Perhaps contrast this with a description of the home they used to live in or his girlfriend’s home (and all of the comforts of it).

Curriculum Ties

Poverty 

Reading Level

 12+

Interest Level

13-17