Little Chicago

by Adam Rapp

Little Chicago opens in the office of Children’s Services, where 11-year-old Blacky Brown is being interviewed by a social worker trying to determine what has happened to him. His emotions are blocked at first, but then he reveals that he has been sexually abused by his mother’s boyfriend, and is released into his mother’s custody. Thus begins an alternately harrowing and hopeful story of a brave boy’s attempts to come to grips with a grim reality. Blacky is helped at first by a classmate, Mary Jane, who has also been ostracized, and then by the gun that he buys easily from his sister’s boyfriend. Little Chicago is an unblinking look at the world of a child who has been neglected and abused. It portrays head-on the indifference and hostility of classmates, teachers, and even Blacky’s mother, once these people learn his “secret.” Like Sura in The Buffalo Tree and Whensday in The Copper Elephant, Blacky is one of Adam Rapp’s mesmerizing voices, more so because it is a voice so rarely heard.

Genres: Young Adult, Abuse, Fiction, Dark, Mental Health, Realistic Fiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 1998

About the author

Adam Rapp says that when he was working on his chilling, compulsively readable young adult novel 33 SNOWFISH, he was haunted by several questions. Among them: "When we have nowhere to go, who do we turn to? Why are we sometimes drawn to those who are deeply troubled? How far do we have to run before we find new possibilities?"

At once harrowing and hypnotic, 33 SNOWFISH--which was nominated as a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association--follows three troubled young people on the run in a stolen car with a kidnapped baby in tow. With the language of the street and lyrical prose, Adam Rapp hurtles the reader into the world of lost children, a world that is not for the faint of heart. His narration captures the voices of two damaged souls (a third speaks only through drawings) to tell a story of alienation, deprivation, and ultimately, the saving power of compassion. "For those readers who are ready to be challenged by a serious work of shockingly realistic fiction," notes SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, "it invites both an emotional and intellectual response, and begs to be discussed."

Adam Rapp’s first novel, MISSING THE PIANO, was named a Best Book for Young Adults as well as a Best Book for Reluctant Readers by the American Library Association. His subsequent titles include THE BUFFALO TREE, THE COPPER ELEPHANT, and LITTLE CHICAGO, which was chosen as a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. The author’s raw, stream-of-consciousness writing style has earned him critical acclaim. "Rapp’s prose is powerful, graphic and haunting," says SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL. [He] writes in an earthy but adept language," says KIRKUS REVIEWS. "Takes a mesmerizing hold on the reader," adds HORN BOOK MAGAZINE.

In addition to being a novelist, Adam Rapp is also an accomplished and award-winning playwright. His plays--including NOCTURNE, ANIMALS AND PLANTS, BLACKBIRD, and STONE COLD DEAD SERIOUS--have been produced by the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the New York Theatre Workshop, and the Bush Theatre in London, among other venues.

Born and raised in Chicago, the novelist and playwright now lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Dawn F · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was extremely difficult to read and rather depressing, neglect of a child is hard to witness. I have so much awe for the honest, raw and unsentimental way this is told, though, to be able to put yourself in the skin of an 11 year old and make it sound true is a gift very few authors have.

[Jason Germiat · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, Adam Rapp is an excellent writer. He uses descriptive analogies that I would never think of. Little Chicago will always be a personal favorite of mine as it shows how differenly someone views the world. You can find hope in the loneliest places.

Rapp is a genious when it comes to mixing humor with serious situations. It's subtlety of his choice of words leaves you calm as you flow through the life of a young boy having some trouble understanding the world and wanting to fit in.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Blacky Brown, an 11 year-old boy who is sexually abused by his mother's boyfriend, pulled so hard at my heart that I vowed to never judge another child's actions again without finding out their cause. So tragic is this youth, so frustrating his turmoil, so infuriating the lack of help. A child aside, Blacky trudges through school and the ridicule of classmates once the word is out about his molestation. Enduring the cruelty so rampant in today's society, this small boy creates his own safety and then his own world. Sadly insightful, disturbingly realistic.

[Ria · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was hard to read because the subject matter is hard. Reading it from 1st person view made it even more difficult. It was at times an emotional experience, but the book seemed to go nowhere. Several questions and issues and lives were introduced and pretty much none of them were resolved in any way. I have nothing against open endings, but if you're going to leave everything open why even write it? I remember back when I bought it, which was ages ago, how such a big story could be told in such a relatively short book. And I did feel like it could have benefited from maybe double the page count. Blacky, the protagonist, faces a serious trauma, and his family too suffers and deal with difficult times. But all that just gets thrown in and nothing is really done with it. To me, it was an unsatisfying experience.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Adult Fiction is a lot harsher these days... when I was a kid we just read books about dogs dying and crap like that. This is a chilling tale about sexual abuse, it doesn't get too graphic since it is meant for kids, but depicts the post-traumatic stress really well.

[maryjenn♥☠ h · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a really good book...i recommend adam rapp books to ppl hes a good author

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The character is optimistic but the story itself is very bleak. Almost every character had very big problems and none of them were resolved - though hints at possible starts to resolutions were available for some of them. Real life doesn't always get wrapped up nicely. Lots of real life endings aren't satisfying or aren't what we hoped. Even so, I kind of felt like the book posed lots of questions and loose ends and was building up toward events that we didn't ever get to see. I'm left with a lot of questions...

Blacky mentioned seeing a classmate sitting naked in a classroom once... What's that all about? I mean, I can make a pretty good guess, but that's a big question left unresolved.

His little girlfriend slipped and hit her head and they took her away in an ambulance... and that's it. No followup.

Blacky legit tried to murder his bullies, but failed. What's going to happen with that? I imagine they won't bother him anymore, but will they turn him in to the police? You can't shoot at your classmates and try to kill them. Even if they're terrible people.

Does Blacky get help from someone who isn't a fucking idiot? How about his siblings and their mom? Do any of them end up okay? It doesn't look promising.

I feel like the ending is left up to me, in which case I choose to have Blacky wander out in the woods looking for deer during the freezing weather. He gets lost and freezes to death. Shay runs off and eventually gets a job doing something artistic and never talks to her family again. Cheedle manages to make it through his childhood without being abused by any of his idiot mother's boyfriends. He gets accepted into a prestigious university at an early age and never looks back. The end.

At any rate, I did enjoy the book. It was well written besides the lack of quotation marks for dialogue. The narrator was interesting. I just didn't like that it didn't really lead anywhere. I don't feel like any of the characters are any better off at the end than they are at the beginning. Most are worse off.

[Del Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Chicago is a well written book.

This was an easy book to read. The main character was sad but interesting. He is a victim of a complete family breakdown. I recommend it for anybody.

[Julia Rubin · Rating 5 out of 5]

LITTLE CHICAGO & THE BANALITY OF EVIL

This book is haunting, beautifully written, disturbing, often poetic, and quietly deliberate. Blacky (real name Gerald) Brown's world is one of severe abuse and neglect. Even after discovering the horrors her 11-year-old son endured at the hands of her boyfriend, Blacky's mother is completely useless, and spends her days drinking, taking pills, and hiding from her children when she's not visiting the abuser boyfriend in jail. In many ways, she is a child herself. Her three kids live in abject poverty and are often without food and clean clothes. Yet they go on as if things are normal. Their lack of reaction to their circumstances showcases just how bad their lives are.

All of the adults in the book are useless or awful, and we feel as trapped and frustrated as Blacky. Adam Rapp heightens the tension at key moments, creates believable relationships between siblings and friends, and showcases the banality of evil in a small, sleepy town.

Blacky sees the world in a highly visceral way. There is something deeply disturbed about him, and even though well-intentioned teachers and social workers probe him gently for answers, no one takes the time to do too much digging into his head. A guidance counselor even tells him to "rise above" the horrific bullying he endures that eventually results in tragedy.

Much like Harmony Korine's film "Gummo," "Little Chicago" presents a miserable world rotting from the inside out with just the slightest bit of light at the end of the nightmarish tunnel.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was probably one of the strangest books I've read. Anyways, it's worth a read I think but not for a young teenager for whom it's marketed towards.

SPOILERS:

So this 11 year old kid gets molested right, and his mother, sister and brother barely even acknowledge the fact all the while said kid is getting bullied at school. And then he buys a gun for 10 dollars and a hand job. Like seriously, Adam Rapp? This books is a bit ridiculous. And then it just ends. I hate books that don't really have any sense of a complete ending.

[Anthony Sage · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was absolutely beautiful. I've been in a bit of a readers block but this book surely pulled me out of it! I couldn't put the book down It was so strange and sad. I love how I almost read the book in one sitting. The characters were really amazing too. I loved Both Blackys brother and sister. All in all I cannot wait to read more books from Adam Rapp

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adam Rapp writes beautifully. But it sometimes feels like a bit of a deliberate, manipulative slog through compounded uglinesses without any glimmers of light. Not a bad book at all, but to my mind, felt contrived towards darkness.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book, definately not what i expected. it kept me guessing the whole time with all its twists. this book had a very exciting beggining to. i would definately tell others to read this.

[Noa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kinda jacked up. If the author was going for a 'child with the autism-spectrum disorder/sensory integration disorder's' perspective, then it was very well done. That said, its a pretty jacked up story.

[Phoenix Rises · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book sears ... A reminder of what makes us vulnerable, and why we chase our dreams, even when it costs us everything ... The pain Blacky feels here is a real one, and that is why we run away ...

[Salsabrarian]

An intense, unsettling, sometimes graphic story of sexual abuse, neglect and bullying. For Blacky, the abuse and bullying is just the way his life is. Lib notes: Graphic scenes and dialog: Bullies pissing on Blacky, Blacky giving a guy a hand job, description of Al's abuse, swearing.

[Marka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, kinda weird sometimes. But somehow...very real too. Foggy, but real you know?

[Briana · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was funny at first then got boring

[Anthony]

this book was good it realy was interesting my favorite part in this book was the beginging when it showed setting and i could feel the what he was going threw.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful. Certainly some verisimilitude problems, but certainly not as many as people would like to think.

[Victoria W · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was one of the more odd books that i've read, but i coulnt seem to put it down. i loved it. twas a great read.

[Tiffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seeing life through Blacky's eyes gives you a good look on what physical as well as mental abuse can do to a kid.

[Linda Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Rapp book I ever read. I got sucked into the story immediately; read straight through to end. And what a shock to discover I knew the setting quite well.

[Ashley.H · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was a really well written good story. However I really wish the ending was a bit different.

[Evin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book leaves me hollow inside. The cruelty of this children and the neglect and uncaring of the people around him make me feel so angry with a feeling of nostalgia.

[Kirstin Jung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tragedy

Sad story that is all too real for so many children
. Well written. Wish there was a more thorough ending but the point is made.