Thursday, February 10, 2011

Yummy by G. Neri

The book Yummy by G. Neri is about an eleven year-old boy named Yummy. The book relates the difficult life of Yummy and how in an instant his whole life was turned upside down. Yummy is known as a troublemaker and people always portray him as a gangster. His father is in jail and Yummy was taken away from his mother due to child abuse, so he lives with his grandmother and the many grandchildren she takes care of. Yummy is a member of a gang called The Black Disciples, and he is always looking for ways to prove himself to them. If you want to advance in the gang you had to prove yourself, so that's what Yummy tries to do. In the middle of the story things go terribly wrong when Yummy tries to prove himself. When Yummy is walking he sees that a few members from a rival gang are playing ball in the Black disciples' territory, so he decides to take care of it. Yummy is scared and doesn t know what to do, so he decides to make a run for it. The members of the gang hide Yummy, while a huge manhunt is underway. Everyone is looking for Yummy and it is all over the news. At the end of the book we see that the Black Disciples are getting tired of hiding Yummy. What will they decide to do?
When I close my eyes I picture myself in a dirty crime-filled city. I see people hurrying down the streets because they are scared of the gangs that have taken over their city. I can hear gun shots in the distance and the wail of police sirens. The main character is Yummy and he can be the sweetest little boy at times. On the other hand he can also be the scariest person. The mood or voice of the book was sort of a thriller where I couldn't wait to read what happened next. There was sufficient detail, not too much and no too little. I believe the author G. Neri achieved his purpose. The book was unlike any other I've read, and it was very inspirational.
Gangs and violence Reviewer Age:13 Uxbridge, MA USA