Promises to Keep

Bluford High #19

by Paul Langan

No one likes Tyray Hobbs. Once a feared bully, he’s become an outcast. At Bluford High, his peers taunt him for how he treated them. At home, his parents punish him for the trouble he’s caused. Unable to escape his reputation or his past, Tyray is desperate. And when an unlikely friendship develops, he clings to it like a lifeline. Now that connection is threatened, and Tyray faces his toughest decision yet. Will his next move lead him to ruin or redemption—or both?

This books is the sequel to The Bully and the follow-up novel, The Gun (Payback).

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Drama, Contemporary

138 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Born in Philadelphia, Paul Langan spent his early childhood in the city before moving with his single mother to southern New Jersey. There he attended public school and worked a variety of jobs—including salesperson at a shoe store, attendant at a horse ranch, landscaper at a mental hospital, and a night-shift stockperson in a warehouse store near Atlantic City. “Each job,” he says today, “could be the topic of several juicy novels.”

In 1991, he enrolled at Camden County College and a year later transferred to La Salle University, where he studied creative writing and literature, earning a B.A. in English. While at La Salle, he lived with international students, traveled to his roommate’s home in Kenya, became a prison tutor, and found “the courage” to write.

After graduation, he worked for a nonprofit agency in Philadelphia and then joined Townsend Press (TP) as an Assistant Editor. After he contributed to a number of TP textbooks and taught English at a community college, Paul reconnected to his interests in creative writing through the Bluford Series. Originally working as an assistant with the Bluford novels, Paul’s role steadily grew. He now serves as both editor of the series and author or coauthor of several novels, including The Bully, The Gun, and The Fallen. His stories reflect his personal experiences, including the difficulties of growing up without a father, being the “new kid” in school, and dealing with the loss of a loved one.

In 2001, Paul completed a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to expanding the Bluford Series, he dreams of writing a successful movie script, preferably a “supernatural thriller.” Today Paul lives with his wife and three children near Philadelphia and stubbornly clings to the hope that he will one day see the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl.

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyray Hobbs is nothing but trouble. He's a bully. But when his latest target, new student Darrell, gets his fill and stands up to Tyray, breaking Tyray's wrist in front of everyone in the school cafeteria, things really get out of control. Tyray buys a gun and waits for Darrell one night. When the time comes, Tyray can't kill Darrell and turns the gun on himself. Darrell stops Tyray from killing himself by knocking the gun away. Now Tyray has to deal with the fallout. He is a joke at school. His parents have grounded him for life, and his dad doesn't mind throwing a punch or slap in Tyray's direction. The only thing standing between Tyray and prison is the fact that Darrell hasn't told anyone what really happened that terrible night. Will Tyray be able to overcome his past and build a new life? Will he keep wishing Darrell had not knocked the gun away that night? Can he and his parents ever have a real conversation? Tyray's life isn't easy, but its the only one he has, and it is up to him to make the most of it. New in the Bluford High series, and follows The Gun, sequel to The Bully.

[Benny]

Chapter1 summary!

Tyray was a bully in high school, he bullied a boy named Darell how was on the wrestling team and decided not to take Tyrays bullying any more. One day at lunch Tyrays was bullying darell then did a wrestling move by picking him up and body slamming him on the floor. The other kids where laughing at tyray.tyray got a gun to try to get revenge on Darell so he waited until he got off of work. Tyray held the to darell and Darell begged please don't kill me, then turn the gun to him self before he could pull the trigger Darell jumped up and hit the gun out of his hand making the bullet out of is hand.

[Kiacarter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that I have read the book I don't think that the cover fits the book that well. I usually like the covers of the Bluford Series books:(. I though that this book was good though. The ending of this book wasn't all that good and could of been a little better! Other than that I am Pretty excited that this is the first book that will be on my 2013 Reading Challenge Goal of books!!!

[Ramona · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Tyray Hobbs continues. I like how Tyray keeps evolving ever so slowly, but definitely moving forward. This is a good addition to the Bluford books, and I hope there are more Tyray based books to come. There is much for him yet to accomplish!

[Brianni Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts off with Tyray having a flashback of when he was going to shoot a boy he was bullying named Darell. Darell finally sticks up against the bully and now the gun is pointed at him. Tyray does want to shoot the gun, so he drops it and runs off. When he wake up in the morning he has to go and pick up the gun from where he dropped it. When he gets back to school everyone laughs at him because they think he is a punk and cannot do anything. He finds this girl who he use to bully and she tries to make a friendship. Will he accept her friendship or brush her off?

I recommend this book to seventh and eight graders. This book made me relate to some of the events because I have been bullied and I stood up to the bully to the point I couldn't take it anymore.

[Julia Naishuler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! So much excitement and drama! It really taught u a lot

[Sonni]

I haven't read it yet. we'll cuz I don't know we're we can open the book to read them

[Helen Canas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book but I really got disappointed because it wasn't the same ending I was hoping.

[Jeremy Lam]

good

[Jeremiah Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is called Promises to Keep and the author's name is Paul Langan. This is a very good book. I liked the book because of the mystery and the drama. There wasn’t anything that I did not like about it. The main settings for this book was Tyray’s house and the school playground. The main characters were Tyray, Tyray’s dad and Darrell. The main conflict was that Tyray had a lot of issues with anger and depression. It connected to the unit theme, because Tyray worked hard to get better by using the help from his therapist and the advice from his dad. I would recommend this book because it will have you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what happens next. It also has a good lesson that if you are going through something to talk about it with someone you trust.

[Danniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is called Promises to Keep and the author's name is Paul Langan This is a good book I liked the book because of the mystery and the drama. There wasnt anything that I did not like about it. The main settings for this book was Tyray’s house and the school playground. The main conflict was that Tyray had a lot of issues with anger and depression. It connected to the unit theme, because Tyray worked hard to get better by using the help from his therapist and the advice from his dad. I would recommend this book because it will have you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what happens next. It also has a good lesson that if you are going through something to talk about it with someone you trust.

[Kaitlyn Siah]

This book was incredible. The main character Tyray. Tyray changed over, because at the beginning of the story, Tyray was promised Lark to pay her pack, he is worried about his brother Warren in Prison, and his dad is very unsettled. At the end of the story, Tyray fixed all of his problems and went with his intermediate family went to see his brother. The theme of the book is treat people how you want to be treated. The author's purpose is first person. The author's purpose is to entertain.

[Jordy Fweps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Promises to keep is a book about a boy named Tyray who gets into too much trouble. His dad is very strict on him because he doesn't want him to end up like his older brother. But this anger just causes him to retaliate even more. But eventually Tyray develops feelings for a girl that causes him to change his ways to make her happy. To do so he has to make a lot of promises.

[Maata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wonder why nobody likes Tyray Hobbs?
Once a feared bully he has become an outcast.At his school Blueford high hes peers taunt him for how he treated them.When he is at home his parents punish him for the trouble he caused. Tyray is unable to escape his reputation and his past. Now that connection is threatened and tyray faces his toughest decision yet.

[Mason Clodfelter · Rating 5 out of 5]

the book was great because of the number of conflicts that Tyray had to face, his dad, making friends, feeling the emotions of other people around him, and trying not to hurt others and instead helping them.

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyray a kid at bluford has a reputation of being a bully but has to deal with consequences at home he does something gets him in huge trouble along with that he is following his big brothers path in life.

[Spairo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book personally, I finished this a couple years ago. It’s beautifully written making you really connect to the characters in the book. You can feel the realness of ir all, definitely a good read. Might read it again 😜

[Kenneth BLANCK · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this books!

[Troy Fanton]

2 Copies

[Alethea B.H. Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series changed my life in middle school and high school. It made me feel and even cry. A must read. Should even be a tv series. Each book is awesome.

[Kristin Koski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific redemption story. I was worried I wouldn't like the main character at first, but everyone's choices are written with strong explanations and justifications.

[Sanai · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was awesome

[Juston · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Opinion
The book in some places were interesting and then some areas weren’t so great. I loved the plot and how it progressed but It didn’t keep me awake the entire time.

My feelings and why
The book made me feel intimidated, A weird word for it but I couldn’t think of any other words, because the Author book gets into detail of what was almost a killing and or suicide that went through the main characters and one of the other characters.

Synopsis
Tyray has become an outcast, a bully who he sometimes fears himself. At Bluford High, his students taunt him for how he treated them. At home, his parents punish him for the trouble he’s caused. Tyray is Unable to escape his reputation and his past, he is desperate. But when an unlikely friendship develops. That connection is threatened, and Tyray faces his toughest decision yet. What will he do next.

My encouragement to read
I would encourage people to read this book definitely because it shows teens what can happen if you choose to be a bully and what you’ll do to keep your repetition. To show how intense things can get if make a mistake, it only takes one and your left there alone because everyone is scared of you. It persuades people not to become what Tyray went through, especially when it matters most to you or a loved one.

My quarterly reading work reflection
I did a lot of reading this year so far, more than I would have ever done in my entire lifetime to be honest. I am understanding how to annotate better and making my reading progress go by smoother. I am not the best reader but i’m glad i’m am getting better because I got a whole lot more of reading to do later on in the year. The story “Promises to keep” to me was relatable because I was bullied, but when I got tired of it I took it into my own hands and fought him to get him to stop. And it did. And so when I found my choice book, the title when I first saw it appealed to me. So when I read it, and found out it was about a high school students I really liked it because it was high school, so when I read the events that happened in the story I could relate to them.

[Elijah Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

With the reputation the Bluford Series has with me I was a little disappointed with the final book. There wasn't as much tension and heart-pounding action as I've experienced in some of the previous installments, but there was definitely emotion. I felt like Promises to Keep was really basic. Not much depth, just a good story. As of my completing it, I have completed The Bluford Series. I didn't get as much depth out of the series as I expected I would because of my introduction to it about a decade ago. However, I still love the series, and I connect with a few of the characters. That is a key to the Bluford Series that ranks it as one of the better and more enjoyed series I have read, and it has become part of my collection.

[Erick fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a really good book alot of emotion and feelings in it talks about somethings people go through now everyday the pain and the struggle of life how hard it is for you when the people you love dont understand you or listen to you and hear you out sit and listen to you . but instead they treat you bad yell at you instead of taking you in they arms and holding you and being there for you and all the pain with you not let you go through it alone show you love. The end of the book he started understanding the people that came to his life that wanna be there for him and the way certain things happen to him in his life all for things in the end to turn out right gets his family back they go see his brother every Sunday together as a family.

[Skai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was excellent I know I had my share of bullies and learned that bullies only picked to my themselves feel better because of what they were going through they only pick at you when it's a crowd around to laugh at their jokes. I kind of felt sorry for Tyray because I felt that he learned from his mistakes of being a bully, and he didn't want to be that big bully anymore. Plus he got bullied too by the kids and realized that those jokes they made were hurtful. I really liked that he changed and that Bones was there for him to the whole thing because if it wasn't for him, I think Tyray would've gotten into trouble because he let his anger get the best of him.

[☠︎︎༒︎✞︎ ѕℓιм ☠︎︎༒︎✞︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book was actually good, I'm glad that Bones was actually there for Tyray through the whole thing because he definitely would've gotten himself into something and regretted it. I listened to this book on the website where it's located in the audiobook section since I didn't get the book yet. I'm glad that I could finally listen/read the book. I'm still going to get all the books to this series soon. I'm also glad Tyray learned from his mistakes after what happened when he use to bullied kids and gotten into that fight with the new student and the gun.

[Ebony Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The school bully turns into an outcast and is ignored by who he thought were his friends. When Tyray Hobbs discovers his incarcerated brother's secret, has the person he bullied take up for him, and has guilt for stealing money from the only girl who cared, who does he have to turn to. Personally, I recommend a lot of high school teens read this it's a "hard to put down" book, I feel like it relates to this generation's way off thinking about life in the streets and going down the wrong road. This is in my top #10 by the Bluford Series. If I had $20.00 I would definitely buy this book.

[Kha-Vinh Tran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was good because it was written by the same author that wrote the last book I read, The Bully. I thought the author's writing was detailed. Something I liked about this book was that it made you feel for the characters. Something I wish was different about the book was that it was longer. This book reminded me of the book The Bully because it was written by the same author. I would recommend this book because I liked it but I recommend to read The Gun first because that is the continuation of The Bully. I made the mistake of reading Promises to keep first.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tyray grows and changes so much in this book. I wish I could meet him in real life to encourage and support him. He's gone from being a character I hated, to being someone I root for!