Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Robyn

This is an amazing book. Very powerfully written. I am not going to give away the ending, but it completely caught me by surprise - and it brought tears to me eyes.

Tasha is 15, she lives in a rough neighborhood in Buffalo NY, she's a good student, top of her class, stays out of trouble, and she has a baby, Imani.

Imani means "faith" in Swahili.

One night Tasha is hanging out at Skate-A-Rama with her friends. This guy approaches her and asks her name. He's older, he's good looking... he wants to talk, so him and Tasha go outside. There are other kids hanging out front of the roller rink when they get outside. The boy takes Tasha's hand and leads her around back, where it's quieter, so they can talk.

They talk for maybe 5 minutes -- Tasha can't even remember what was said -- when the boy throw himself at her and starts kissing her. She tries to push him away and he throws her to the ground and gets on top of her. Tasha is yelling, get off me, get off me, when the boy tells her, I have a knife and if I have to show it to you I am going to have to use it on you. Tasha isn't stupid, so she shuts her mouth. The boy puts her face down on the ground and has his way with her. After he is done, he just leaves her there.

9 months later Imani is born.

I have book talked this book to high school freshman and it has gone over very well. A wonderful, powerful book.