The Cruisers

Gr 5—8—After successfully diffusing racial tensions and a potentially explosive atmosphere in their school the previous year in The Cruisers, Book 1 (2010), students in a Harlem school for the gifted and talented who started their own newspaper called The Cruiser are asked to help out again in Walter Dean Myers's sequel (2011, both Scholastic). The DaVinci Academy administration needs Zander and his friends to keep their star chess player, Sidney, from being arrested a second time for trying to buy drugs. Zander, LaShonda, Kambui, and Bobbi all agree to help, but Zander can't believe that the quiet white kid he knows, the one who once stood up to bullies to try to protect him, would be dumb enough to get into drugs and sets out to prove that he must have been framed. Zander finally learns that competition and ambitious family members can place a strain on kids like Sidney who play for the school chess team. The Cruisers stage an intervention, remind themselves why drugs are such a dangerous path, and teach Sidney that it is okay to make mistakes. Kevin R. Free gives a young, but wise voice to Zander. His narration easily draws listeners through the pitfalls teenagers face in today's urban landscape. Myers expertly imbues the story with moral lessons, and demonstrates the importance of strong family ties and loyal friends. An excellent addition to tween collections in urban school and public libraries, especially where the first title is available.—Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT