Scorpions

The Scorpions are a gun-toting Harlem gang, and Jamal Hicks is about to become tragically involved with them in this authentic tale of the sacrifice of innocence and the struggle to steer clear of violence. This Newbery Honor Book will challenge young men to consider their own decisions as they come of age in a complex and often frustrating society. Pushed by a bully to fight and nagged by his principal, Jamal is having a difficult time staying in school. His home life is not much better, with his mother working her fingers to the bone to try to earn the money for an appeal for Jamal‘s jailed older brother, Randy. Jamal wants to do the right thing and help earn the money to free his brother by working, but he‘s afraid to go against the Scorpions. Jamal eventually pulls free of the gang‘s bad influence, but only through the narrowest of escapes. Walter Dean Myers, five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, sensitively explores the loyalty and love between friends faced with hard choices. Scorpions is 25 years old, but the issues of poverty and violence make it a timeless powerful read—sadly as relevant as ever. For twelve-year-old Jamal, every choice has a consequence. A Gritty Coming of Age Story: When his older brother is jailed, twelve-year-old Jamal is pressured to lead the Scorpions, a notorious Harlem gang. An Unforgettable Friendship: Jamal and his best friend, Tito, must navigate a world of danger where loyalty is tested and a single moment changes both of their lives forever. Authentic Urban Fiction: A raw, unflinching look at the cycles of poverty and violence in a vividly-drawn Harlem, penned by a master of young adult literature. A Timeless Classic for Teens: A Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel that sparks essential conversations about moral choices, community, and consequences.