Awards

• Commended for Coretta Scott King Award (Author) 2011
• Short-listed for Virginia Readers Choice Award (High School) 2012
• Winner of Cybils (Graphic Novel/YA) 2010
• Winner of Street Literature Book Award Medal (Slbam) (Emerging Classic) 2012

Overview

A graphic novel based on the life and death of Robert 'Yummy' Sandifer, an 11-year-old gang member from Chicago's Southside who was killed by his own gang. 11-year-old Roger is trying to make sense of his classmate Yummy's death, but first he has to make sense of Yummy's life. Was he some sort of monster, or just another kid? A compelling graphic dramatisation based on true events, this gritty exploration of youth gang life will prompt teen readers to question their own understandings of good and bad, right and wrong.

Full Product Details

9781584302674

Table of Contents

Reviews

* A much-needed look at the terrifying perils of life on the margins that will have all readers pondering the heady question of moral responsibility. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * Tightly researched and sharply written. . . this is a graphic novel that pushes an unsightly but hard to ignore socio-political truth out into the open. -- Booklist, starred review * Framing the story through the eyes and voice of a fictional character, 11-year-old Roger, offers a bittersweet sense of authenticity while upholding an objective point of view. . . the exploration of both sides of the story is unflinchingly offered. -- School Library Journal, starred review * Yummy's story, which became a national media flashpoint, may seem like ancient history to prospective readers born years after the murders. . . But author's notes and an appended bibliography. . . assure readers this is the real deal. -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review * Teens who enjoy standalone graphic novels will be drawn to the compelling story and art, and moved by the tragic unfolding of events. This novel would also be an excellent resource for a classroom discussion on gang violence. -- VOYA, starred review Neri's straightforward, unadorned prose is the perfect complement to DuBurke's stark black-and-white inks; great slabs of shadow and masterfully rendered faces breathe real, tragic life into the players. Like Roger, in the end readers are left with troubling questions and, perhaps, one powerful answer: that they can choose to do everything in their power to ensure that no one shares Yummy's terrible fate. -- Publishers Weekly Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor, American Library Association Best Books, Kirkus Reviews Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens, American Library Association (ALA) Editor's Choice, Booklist Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, American Library Association (ALA) Notable Books for a Global Society, International Literacy Association (ILA) 100 Magnificent Children's Books, Fuse #8 Production, SLJ Best Books of the Year, Publishers Weekly Choices, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Cybils Award Winner - Graphic Novel Category, The Cybils Glyph Award Nominee, The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC) Nomination, Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Once Upon a World Children's Book Award, The Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance Library and Archives Storytelling World Honor Award, Storytelling World Street Lit Book Award, Emerging Classic Winner, Street Lit Book Award Medal Committee Ten Best Nexus Graphics Books, The SF Site Top 10 List, Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers, American Library Association (ALA) Top Ten Great Graphic Novels, Booklist Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award Program, Indiana Library Federation Louisiana Teen Readers' Choice Title List, State Library of Louisiana Maverick Graphic Novel List, Texas Library Association (TLA) Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, American Library Association Virginia Readers' Choice, Virginia State Reading Association

Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor; Best Books; Starred Review; Starred Review; Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens; Editor's Choice; Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers; Notable Books for a Global Society; 100 Magnificent Children's Books; Best Books of the Year; Choices; Cybils Award Winner - Graphic Novel Category; Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award Program; Glyph Award Nominee; Highlighted Review; Louisiana Teen Readers' Choice Title List; Maverick Graphic Novel List; Nomination; Once Upon a World Children's Book Award; Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults; Starred Review; Storytelling World Honor Award; Street Lit Book Award, Emerging Classic Winner; Ten Best Nexus Graphica Books; Top 10 List, Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers; Top Ten Great Graphic Novels; Virginia Readers' Choice

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"* ""Tightly researched and sharply written. . . This is a graphic novel that pushes an unsightly but hard to ignore socio-political truth out into the open."" -- Booklist, starred review * ""Comics illustrator DuBurke's gritty black-and-white artwork employs foreshortened backgrounds to bring the action right up in the reader's face, whether it's talking heads calmly discussing their theories on Yummy's disordered personality, families in mourning, or a semiautomatic pointed directly out of the frame. . . Heartbreakingly contemporary."" -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review * ""A much-needed look at the terrifying perils of life on the margins that will have all readers pondering the heady question of moral responsibility."" -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * Framing the story through the eyes and voice of a fictional character, 11-year-old Roger, offers a bittersweet sense of authenticity while upholding an objective point of view. . . the exploration of ""both sides of the story"" is unflinchingly offered. -- School Library Journal, starred review ""Compassionate and unflinching."" -- Gene Luen Yang, award-winning cartoonist and former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature ""Neri's straightforward, unadorned prose is the perfect complement to DuBurke's stark black-and-white inks; great slabs of shadow and masterfully rendered faces breathe real, tragic life into the players. Like Roger, in the end readers are left with troubling questions and, perhaps, one powerful answer: that they can choose to do everything in their power to ensure that no one shares Yummy's terrible fate."" -- Publishers Weekly Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor - American Library Association (ALA) Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Nominee ALSC Notable Children's Books - American Library Association (ALA) Best Books - Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year - Publishers Weekly CCBC Choices - Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Editors' Choice - Booklist Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award - Indiana Library Federation Garden State Teen Book Awards - New Jersey Library Association Glyph Award Nominee - The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC) Great Graphic Novels for Teens, Top Ten - Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List - Texas Library Association (TLA) Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Shortlist - State Library of Louisiana Notable Books for a Global Society - International Literacy Association (ILA) Once Upon a World Children's Book Award - The Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance Library and Archives Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers - Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Rhode Island Teen Book Award - Rhode Island Library Association Virginia Readers' Choice - Virginia State Literacy Association"

"""Compassionate and unflinching."" -- Gene Luen Yang, award-winning cartoonist and former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature * ""Tightly researched and sharply written... This is a graphic novel that pushes an unsightly but hard to ignore socio-political truth out into the open."" -- Booklist, starred review * ""Comics illustrator DuBurke's gritty black-and-white artwork employs foreshortened backgrounds to bring the action right up in the reader's face, whether it's talking heads calmly discussing their theories on Yummy's disordered personality, families in mourning, or a semiautomatic pointed directly out of the frame... Heartbreakingly contemporary."" -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review * ""A much-needed look at the terrifying perils of life on the margins that will have all readers pondering the heady question of moral responsibility."" -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * Framing the story through the eyes and voice of a fictional character, 11-year-old Roger, offers a bittersweet sense of authenticity while upholding an objective point of view... the exploration of ""both sides of the story"" is unflinchingly offered. -- School Library Journal, starred review ""Illustrated with the rough vigor of a Jack Chick evangelical tract, this graphic novel, evoking Yummy's famous mugshot for its cover image, makes for an authentic parable of the dangers of gang life and gang-ruled streets. It's too real to feel preachy, and Roger's narration of Yummy's brief life is realistically stoic and sympathetic."" -- The Horn Book ""Neri's straightforward, unadorned prose is the perfect complement to DuBurke's stark black-and-white inks; great slabs of shadow and masterfully rendered faces breathe real, tragic life into the players. Like Roger, in the end readers are left with troubling questions and, perhaps, one powerful answer: that they can choose to do everything in their power to ensure that no one shares Yummy's terrible fate."" -- Publishers Weekly Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor - American Library Association (ALA) Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Nominee ALSC Notable Children's Books - American Library Association (ALA) Best Books - Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year - Publishers Weekly CCBC Choices - Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Editors' Choice - Booklist Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award Nominee - Indiana Library Federation Garden State Teen Book Awards - New Jersey Library Association Glyph Award Nominee - The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC) Great Graphic Novels for Teens, Top Ten - Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Nominee - State Library of Louisiana Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List - Texas Library Association (TLA) Notable Books for a Global Society - International Literacy Association (ILA) Once Upon a World Children's Book Award - The Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance Library and Archives Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers - Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee - Rhode Island Library Association Virginia Readers' Choice - Virginia State Literacy Association"

"* ""A much-needed look at the terrifying perils of life on the margins that will have all readers pondering the heady question of moral responsibility."" -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * ""Tightly researched and sharply written. . . this is a graphic novel that pushes an unsightly but hard to ignore socio-political truth out into the open."" -- Booklist, starred review * Framing the story through the eyes and voice of a fictional character, 11-year-old Roger, offers a bittersweet sense of authenticity while upholding an objective point of view. . . the exploration of ""both sides of the story"" is unflinchingly offered. -- School Library Journal, starred review * ""Yummy's story, which became a national media flashpoint, may seem like ancient history to prospective readers born years after the murders. . . But author's notes and an appended bibliography. . . assure readers this is the real deal."" -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review * ""Teens who enjoy standalone graphic novels will be drawn to the compelling story and art, and moved by the tragic unfolding of events. This novel would also be an excellent resource for a classroom discussion on gang violence."" -- VOYA, starred review ""Neri's straightforward, unadorned prose is the perfect complement to DuBurke's stark black-and-white inks; great slabs of shadow and masterfully rendered faces breathe real, tragic life into the players. Like Roger, in the end readers are left with troubling questions and, perhaps, one powerful answer: that they can choose to do everything in their power to ensure that no one shares Yummy's terrible fate."" -- Publishers Weekly Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor, American Library Association (ALA) Best Books, Kirkus Reviews Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens, American Library Association (ALA) Editor's Choice, Booklist Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, American Library Association (ALA) Notable Books for a Global Society, International Literacy Association (ILA) 100 Magnificent Children's Books, Fuse #8 Production, SLJ Best Books of the Year, Publishers Weekly Choices, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Cybils Award Winner - Graphic Novel Category, The Cybils Glyph Award Nominee, The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC) Nomination, Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Once Upon a World Children's Book Award, The Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance Library and Archives Storytelling World Honor Award, Storytelling World Street Lit Book Award, Emerging Classic Winner, Street Lit Book Award Medal Committee Ten Best Nexus Graphics Books, The SF Site Top 10 List, Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers, American Library Association (ALA) Top Ten Great Graphic Novels, Booklist Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award Program, Indiana Library Federation Louisiana Teen Readers' Choice Title List, State Library of Louisiana Maverick Graphic Novel List, Texas Library Association (TLA) Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, American Library Association Virginia Readers' Choice, Virginia State Reading Association"

Author Information

G. Neri is an award-winning author, including a Michael L. Printz Award for his contribution to The Collectors anthology as well as an Eisner nomination and Coretta Scott King Honor for Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty. He has written many books for young people, including Ghetto Cowboy, which was made into the movie Concrete Cowboy, starring Idris Elba, debuting at #1 on Netflix. His books have been translated into multiple languages in more than 25 countries. In 2023, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from SUNY for his literary output. Mr. Neri lives on the Gulf coast of Florida. For more information, visit gneri.com. Randy DuBurke is a full-time artist, whose work has appeared in books for young readers, DC and Marvel comics, The New York Times, and MAD magazine. A native of Brooklyn, New York, DuBurke now lives in Switzerland with his wife and their two sons. His website is randyduburke.com.

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