Yummy: The Last Days of a South Side Shorty by G. Neri Illustrated by Randy DuBurke (Published by Lee & Low Books, 2010)
What a powerful story! I started reading and couldn't put it down. The story of Yummy is such a dark tragedy. This is the true story of 11 yr old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer, last days. In 1994, while shooting at a rival Chicago gang, Yummy killed a 14 year old girl named Shavon Dean (an old friend) by accident in his neighborhood. This killing made national news; every news channel had “Yummy” picture displayed on the TV screen. Try to avoid being arrested Yummy went on the run. Guns, drugs and violence are talked about throughout this story but, the author G. Neri doesn't try glamorize or down play the gang activity, he simply tells it as is. This 2011 Coretta Scott King Honor Award Winner is highly recommend for teenagers, adults and educators. Other awards: ALA 2011 Notable Book, 2011 Great Graphic Novel for Teens, and YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. A must-have for all teen/young adult (YA) collections. It was brilliant of the author to choose a child to narrator the story, who did not look up to the gang lifestyle.
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