The Death of Jayson Porter by Jaime Adoff

by Jaime Adoff

Sixteen-year-old Jayson Porter wants to believe things will get better. But the harsh realities of his life never seem to change. Living in the inland-Florida projects with his abusive mother, he tries unsuccessfully to fit in at his predominately white school, while struggling to maintain even a thread of a relationship with his drug-addicted father. As the pressure mounts, there's only one thing Jayson feels he has control over-the choice of whether to live or die.In this powerful, gripping novel, Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Jaime Adoff explores the harsh reality of a teenager's life, giving hope even in the bleakest of hours.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Abuse, Fiction, Teen, Poetry, Mental Health

Hardcover

First published April 29, 2008

About the author

Jaime Adoff was born in New York City but grew up in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from Central State University in Ohio, where he studied drums and percussion. Moving to New York City in 1990, he attended the Manhattan School of Music and studied drums and voice. Jaime then went on to pursue a career in songwriting and fronted his own rock band for eight years. He released two CD’s of his own material and performed extensively in New York City and throughout the US.

He is the author of the "all ages" original poetry collection "The Song Shoots Out of My Mouth": A Celebration of Music,(2002)(Downloadable at audible.com 08') which was a Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor book,(2003) an IRA Notable book (2003), A NY Public Library book for the teenage(2003), a VOYA poetry pick (2002) and a CCB Best Book for 2002.

The critically acclaimed "Names Will Never Hurt Me" (2004) was his first young-adult novel and almost instantly became a MUST HAVE for teens around the country. In 2005 it was named a NY Public Library book for the teenage, and was nominated as a Best Book for Young Adults.

"Jimi & Me" (2005) was the recipient of the 2006 CORETTA SCOTT KING/​JOHN STEPTOE NEW TALENT AUTHOR AWARD. It was named as a 2006 YALSA QUICK PICK FOR RELUCTANT READERS, A 2006 NY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK FOR THE TEENAGE and was selected to the VOYA TOP SHELF FICTION LIST FOR 2005. It received a *starred* review from LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION and was cited as "an exceptional story" and "a tremendous addition to any collection" by VOYA magazine.

Jaime's latest young adult novel "The Death of Jayson Porter"(April 08) has been receiving rave reviews nationwide. Including *Starred Reviews from *Booklist*, *Library Media Connection*, and *VOYA* magazine,(5Q). It was also selected for the 09' "Choose to read Ohio program." A project of the State Library of Ohio, to promote reading across Ohio. As well as an Ohioana Book Award finalist in the Juvenile category.

His first picture book "Small Fry"(NOV 08) was cited as "Cathartic and Encouraging fun" by Kirkus Review.

Jaime is a highly sought after speaker, presenting across the country on teen issues, diversity, YA literature and Poetry. His Rock n Roll school visits have been knocking the socks off students and teachers alike, for years. Jaime has worked with students from Kindergarten through High School and even college and graduate students as well. Giving them all a "backstage- all access- pass" into the life, creative process, and works of one of the most groundbreaking, unique and innovative voices writing for children and teens today.

Jaime Adoff is the son of the late Newbery Award-winning author Virginia Hamilton and renowned poet Arnold Adoff.
Jaime lives in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio, with his family.

Reviews

[Noninuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warning for suicidal thoughts & physical abuse.

Being half black, half white, doesn't make life any better for Jayson. He's a victim of an abusive mother, a drug addicted father & the world of poverty. Having a brilliant mind, he's able to attend a school for privilege kid but it's a school for mostly white kids & he doesn't fit in. This is a story about a 16 years old teenager who saw 'the pit of hell' & survived.

I love the story telling. For a slow reader, this kind of books; fictions told in prose & verses are a great help sometimes when we feel overwhelmed and in a slump.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost want to give it five stars-- thinking about it now-- Jayson is bi-racial, living with his white, drunk, part-time hooker mom who has a penchant for beating him even though he's nearly sixteen years old. There's a hold she has on him with her mood swings, alcoholism, and love. He lives in the projects around gangsters and druggies and has a friendship with a co-worker and friend who lives across the way. Jayson has always though, thought about suicide.

Eventually, learning that this mother and crack-addicted father he thought were biological are actually not puts him over the edge, literally, when he jumps from seven stories. And, he survives, but dies as well. An inspiring story of the "death of" the old Jayson and the start of the new Jayson when the woman who's always kept in touch is actually his biological mother who's never given up on him comes back. For whatever reason, the writing style, the well-rounded character, I loved Jayson and genuinely cared that he would eventually beat the odds and end up happy-- even with a halo and speech and PT therapy.

[Salsabrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, such a raw, intense read. It's tough to read what Jayson is going through but tough to put the book down, too. A compelling voice speaking to a harsh reality.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a harsh and painful read but it was so real and beautiful that it sucked me in right away. The format of the book is so good and the prose made this an easy and emotional read for me. I became attached to Jayson so fast and that is a testament to the author’s abilities to create layered, fully fleshed out characters. The diversity the book offered was also such a breath of fresh air to me. I really enjoyed this book for the most part and the message is an important one; sometimes you have to die before you can really live.

[Emanuel O · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rated the book the death of Jayson Porter by Jaime Adoff 5 stars because I liked all of the detail that it had in it.The book follows a sixteen year old kid named Jayson Porter who lives with an abusive mother and can’t hold his relationship with his drug addicted father as pressure mounts there's only one thing Jayson feels that he has control over the choice whether he lives or dies.This is my first time reading a book by this author and i thought it was really good so i would read another book by this author.The author does a great job using detail in the story to almost create visuals in your mind while reading the book.This book does a really good job in keeping you reading there were no parts in the book where i got lost and overall it was a really good book.

[Austin Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Death of Jayson Porter is a great book. It is about a black teen that is going through some rough things in life. His dad is all cracked out and his mother beats him regularly. Jayson thinks about suicide a lot. He loves going to the "rail" and pushing on it with all his weight as he thinks about jumping.
I honestly think that it was a great book. The author did a great job of setting the book up. He kept me guessing what would happen next and when I found out that those were not Jayson's real parents I was very shocked. This book kept me on my feet. It was a very exciting book. Jayson had to be my favorite character because he was the character that was going through the most and he just played a huge part in the story. My favorite part was when Trax stepped on that guys LeBron's and the guy freaked out and said, "These shoes cost more than your life. Do you want me to show you?" Then the guy pulled out a gun and shot at them. I think the ending was great when Jayson found out who his real mother was.
I would recommend this book to someone that likes to be on the edge of their seat and someone that likes to guess what will happen next because this book will do just that. I would recommend this book to kids that go to school where I go because in the book there is a lot of slang that we understand. I think it is neat how they use slang and things like that in the book so people will relate. I think the book A Child Called it compares to this story because both of the stories are about abuse.

[Carrie Hinkel-Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This format of this book is touted as great for the reluctant reader, and I have to agree. While I prefer the "dense" format of traditional books, the set up of this book is akin to graphic novels.

It may seem a bit intimidating at first because it appears to be so thick, but don't let the size of the book fool you. If it were set up more like the regular book format, it would probably be little more than half the size it is now, and that's not that long.

The wording isn't cumbersome either, so any reader can cruise through it without stumbling. For the seasoned reader, it should be a quick read, as long as you do not let the format of the book disengage you from the story.

That happened to me originally, but I stuck with it and I am glad that I did because it is a truly amazing story so far.

Adoff has managed to hook me in and care for Jayson as I go through the ups and downs of his life with him.

Truly well done and a testament to the author's abilities. I hope to finish it soon!

Okay, I finished it and it only got better and the ending was great!!! Not to say that I need a happy ending, but the way the story unfolded, it was a great way to end it. It was nice to be able to feel happy for Jayson. He deserved the good ending.

Well done story that anyone of any age can enjoy and appreciate!

[Brayan Atilano · Rating 4 out of 5]

"the death of Jayson Porter " by Jaime Adoff is a very dramatic novel because it talks about a teenager named jayson Porter who is just 16 years old but lives in a harsh life. An this is because his mother is a very abusive to him and was always hit him because his mother never liked him. He also tries to avoid his father because he is a bad addiction to drugs. Because of this problem their parents have, he is alone and all day out in the streets trying to earn a living with out no ones help. Jayson describes his live in poem way in which he rhymes everything he is doing toward his last day in which he kills himself. The last part in pg 258 Jayson recognizes that he does has friends close enough to him really cared about all the horrible things he has lived through in oder to change his life around. But it shows a lesson to how bad effects in your life can cause a variety of bad things to leading up to consequences that refers to being very mad an almost killing yourself for no reason. Really recommend this novel because it shows events that can be experienced from various people who live a harsh life and evolve to turn into criminals or even kill themselves just for one bad decision in life.

[Qais · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Death of Jayson Porter by Jaime Adoff is a heart wrenching book that is told from the eyes of suicidal Jayson Porter.

Jayson Porter is a young teen who has a black father addicted to drugs and a mother that spends her time with an avalanche of boyfriends and alcohol. Given the terrible neighbourhood he’s in, Jayson doesn’t stand a chance at a decent life. His mother is kind of like Jekyll and Hyde in that way that she loves him one moment and physically abuses him the next. Jayson is filled with suicidal thoughts but keeps them at bay at the thought of things becoming better.

I don't usually read bleak novels filled with despair, but Jaime Adoff made me keep turning pages of this book. The story is comprised of short and punchy poems. I have never lived with the troubles Jayson has but this book gave me a distinct taste of life like that through Adoff's brilliant imagery. His use of poetic devices in this book made me visualise and feel everything Jayson was going through.
But most of all this novel showed how privileged I am and the sad reality of some people's lives.

I would recommend this book to any reader looking for a raw, intense read and wouldn't mind some (a lot) of inappropriate things.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an amazing book. Highly recommend for anyone to read. It tells us about a teenage boy, age 16 who is deciding between if his life is worth living or not. Only person that could've saved him from committing suicide was his girlfriend, April. I rated this book 5 stars because it was interesting and made me keep on reading.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I found this book relentlessly depressing, I think the teens that like the Pelzer books will be drawn to this in the same way. It's very readable,and very sad, with just the hope you want at the end.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book...love the way the story is told through the main character, Jayson. It's a glimpse in to a teen's life that you won't forget. The book is similar, but not the same, in style to Ellen Hopkin's stuff.

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Could not put this book down. I very much liked the poetic novel style. The book was raw and real! Frightening. I'm glad it ended the way it did. I would recommend this to anyone , not just YA.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

- I luv you
"It feels good, but bad at the same time. Good to feel wanted, bad because I don't even know what that word means. "

-I luv you
.. " I text her. I want to love her. Someone. I want to know what it feels like. Maybe if I text it, if I say it, I'll know. I'll feel it. "

The story about Jayson Porter, his hardships and what he endures,
Jayson dies but comes back, stronger than before.

[Lisa Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to like this book more than I did. The ending was just a little too hard—too neat, clean, happily ever after—for me to believe. On the whole, however, the author takes the reader into the raw, difficult realities of poverty, abuse, and depression that too many young people face, and does so without flinching. That boldness is just enough to move my rating from two stars to three.

[Gina Malanga · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my students recommended this book and said it was his favorite book and he had read it 3-4 times. After reading it I can see why! In the vein of The Child Called It Jayson Porter has had an awful life and is contemplating suicide to get away from it all. When we meet him he is in the process of killing himself. This story is a rollercoaster and there is no lack of pain and drama.

[Dan]

Recommendation: High school

Jayson's story was heartbreaking. His road to recovery felt true after his fall, and the verse during those scenes were some of the strongest in the story.

[NATALIE]

this is by far the most heartwarming and realistic books I have ever read. it touches deeply on the topics of mental health and real-world issues. the death of Jayson porter will leave you in tears and make you want to read more.

[Jj Burch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn’t expecting much, but ugh. Powerful, raw, and heartbreaking. Probably too relatable for students, but that’s what makes it work.

[Magnus S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really good because it goes into the life of a boy with lots of struggles and inner conflict. it has lots of plot twists and has lots of multi layered characters.

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

cool👍

[Courtney Hinchion · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was overall pretty good. It’s tough to read what Jayson goes through but, I enjoyed reading it.

[Greyson Hall]

This book is really deep. It’s sad but I relate to his situation fully. Overall it’s a goood book thought. Few plot twist but it’s good

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing style was different from the usual. It was still a page turner.

[Breanna Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

bro- sooooo gooood
CRIEDDDDDDD
f his motherrrrrr

[Yani White · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Death of Jayson Porter not only lets you see the life of an partially African-American young man, but exposes you to the thoughts of a suicidal individual. You would think a 16/17 year old would be out enjoying life, but for Jayson it’s different. I thought the book was beautifully written. Once you think the book is winding down, it creates another plot twist, or adds/brings back a significant character. The book would be enjoyable to anyone who likes cliff hangers. The author does add some dialogue and actions that create a revengeful tone for the reader, but on the reverse side, it engages you more in the book. It opens your eyes to an actual hard life. Physical and verbal abuse. Racism. Child neglect. If there was a second book, I would definitely read it. I also recommend people, especially young adults to read this.

[Faith Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reviewed this book on spencer.com as well. It is moving, tragic and necessary. Written in poetry and prose, Jaime captures the state of mind of a troubled teen living in a broken home and how he ultimately resolves his inner demons.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in the projects in Bandon, Florida is not easy for anyone, but it is especially hard for Jayson Porter. Jayson lives with his drug addicted, neglectful, and abusive mother. He also cannot count on his father, whose own addiction is spiraling out of control. Dodging bullets and drug dealers in his neighborhood, Jayson falls into a depression that he cannot prevent. Although his mother’s friend Trina arranges for a scholarship to send him to a good school in a better neighborhood, he does not fit in and has no friends there, even though he realizes on some level that it is his best hope for getting out of Bandon. Trax, his friend in the projects, has a child already, and has his own issues. Sadly, neither Trax nor Jayson really share their innermost thoughts with each other. Jayson meets April, and although he loves her, is it enough to make him choose life o

ver death when he passes the rail of the high rise apartment each day, thinking about how jumping might provide the ultimate answer to his problems? Using careful prose and moving toward a stark poetry style, Adoff tells a gripping story about what happens when we just lose hope.

[Christie (The Ludic Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Death of Jayson Porter is a book that took me way outside of my comfort zone. I don’t mean my reading comfort zone, I mean my human comfort zone. This is a YA novel that packs a significant punch.

Sixteen-year-old Jayson lives with his drug and alcohol addicted mother, Lizzie, in a high rise slum called Sunny Gardens in Bandon, Florida.

Sunny Gardens. The last stop for single moms and their messed-up kids. The last stop before the streets. Sunny Gardens, where the elevators are always broke – but not as broke as the people living here. Where crack is bought and sold like they trade stocks on Wall Street. Shootin’ with needles and guns while I’m tryin’ to do my homework. Babies cryin’ ’cause they hungry.

Jayson takes the reader through hot, hopeless days while he tries to balance school, work and a mother who abuses him physically and emotionally. His father is long gone, although Jayson does visit him a couple times.His life is complicated further by the fact that his mother is white and his father is black, so he isn’t really a part of either world. Jayson is one of those kids you root for, but you also wonder how he’s ever going to survive.

He wonders, too. In fact, he often contemplates jumping from the railing of his apartment building, imagines what it would be like to be “a bullet screaming to the ground.”

Here’s the bit that was out of my comfort zone. I don’t have any real experience with ‘project’ living. I don’t know any crack addicts or hookers. As a mother, I can’t imagine beating my kids the way Jayson’s mother beats him. And even though I understand that this is fiction, I also know that there are kids out there who live like this. So, the book touched a nerve.

Adoff captures Jayson’s fear and misery. The writing is immediate and unembellished, sometimes even reading like poetry. There is very little in Jayson’s life that is joyful, but finally and thankfully, there is hope.

[Mike Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book Jayson is a young black teen who's dad is hook on crack and a mom who spend most of her time with her boyfriend and drinking. Due to the neighborhood he live in he has no chance of having a decent life. His mom shows her love for him some days then abuse him the next. Jayson can not depend on his mom so he has to work at a car lot dealership. He also has to deal with his boss bullying him and telling him he is going to fire him almost everyday. Another struggle he has to go through is getting to work because on the way to work he has to pass through gang territory and to the gang members he is a easy target. I haven't finish the book yet but I think the author view point is the struggle of young black men in bad neighborhood and how hard it is to overcome. I can relate to this book because I use to live in a neighborhood just like Jayson's and it was hard to stay out of trouble even through I was not a bad kid, trouble just found me. But I was lucky enough to have somewhere else to go in live and now life is good and I have no worries about gangs or violence. The view point of the book is convincing because I can understand what he is going through with his parent and the violence and his neighborhood. This is similar to the book Tyrell do to the fact that both main characters are young black teens who have to look out for themselves. Also they both had parents issues that had kept them down. In conclusion I think young teens would like this book a lot because they might be able to make connection through out the book. This book is good so far and I'm only half way through the book. This book would be useful for teens because it show them how to overcome something that is very hard.