by Judith A. Hayn

Booth, C.  (2011).  Bronxwood.  New York, NY: Push.

Bronxwood, a project housing unit in the Bronx, forms the focus of Coe Booth’s Tyrell series. Tyrell (2006) began his story which continues in the third novel. Now 16 and living with his best friend Cal and his brother, Tyrell still struggles against the odds to survive. The brothers deal drugs, but Tyrell refuses; he earns money by DJ-ing local parties, a talent he learned from his jailed dad. Using his party money, he yearns to reunite his mom with younger brother Troy who is in foster care. The novel covers only 23 days in August, and the action is fast-paced. Pops gets out of jail, demands Tyrell help him DJ, moves back in with Moms, and tries to beat the system to get Troy returned. Tyrell now has to decide where his own life is going. He can try the drug dealing trade, go back to his traitorous girlfriend Novisha, return to his parents’ new apartment with Troy, or convince his galpal Jasmine to pursue their growing attraction. Booth’s voice is streetwise, urban smart, and gritty with realism. The series, which also includes Kendra (2008), vibrates with the violence and chaos of teen survival in the city.

Dr. Judith A. Hayn is an Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 

This article is part of a series from the Special Interest Group Network on Adolescent Literature (SIGNAL). 

 

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