Overview
In the groundbreaking tradition of his award-winning Monster and Bad Boy: A Memoir, Walter Dean Myers fashions a highly readable, powerful novel about the rules for success for young men, especially those navigating coming of age while Black. Share this book in the classroom, in a father-son reading group, or as a summer reading (or anytime) choice that's likely to spark conversation and be a favorite. ""When the proprietor of a Harlem barbershop takes over as the court-appointed mentor for two troubled teenagers, he conveys the message that the future is built not only on hard work but on sustaining dreams as well."" (Smithsonian magazine). In his introduction to Handbook for Boys, Walter Dean Myers wrote: ""I know as a troubled teenager I would have loved to have a neighborhood barbershop to sit in and a group of worldly and knowledgeable men to counsel me. Thinking about this was my motivation in writing this book, hoping it will be, in the least, a jumping-off point for many interesting conversations about success.""
Full Product Details
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Imprint: HarperCollins Childrens Book Group
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 1.50cm
, Length: 18.30cm
Weight: 0.110kg
ISBN: 9780064409308
ISBN 10: 0064409309
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 02 February 2026
Recommended Age: From 13 years
Audience:
General/trade
,
Children/juvenile
,
General
,
Children's (6-12)
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
I've been waiting for somebody to write this book. It doesn't surprise me that Walter, who's dedicated to these young people, has written it. --Nate Tiny Archibald A novel that will get readers thinking. A great choice for counselors working with teens like Jimmy, and as a spark for debates. A novel that will get readers thinking. --KLIATT As a handbook, it could touch many lives. --School Library Journal Jimmy and Kevin are engaging, and believable, and sympathetic characters, and the Harlem setting is, as always in Myers's work, richly drawn. --Riverbank Review Myers presents the real-life pitfalls of young people in clear and concise language. --Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) Readers will be hooked. --Publishers Weekly Myers's passion and concern for adolescent boys infuses the [novel] and gives it a heartfelt urgency. --Kirkus Reviews
Author Information
Michael L. Printz Award winner and Margaret A. Edwards Award recipient Walter Dean Myers is a five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. He is the author of Handbook for Boys; Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam; Monster; Bad Boy: A Memoir; and the Newbery Honor Books, Scorpions and Somewhere in the Darkness. He lives in Jersey City, NJ, with his family. You can visit Walter Dean Myers online at www.walterdeanmyersbooks.com.
