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Tyrell
An astonishing new voice in teen literature, writing what is sure to be one of the most talked-about debuts of the year.
Tyrell is a young African-American teen who can't get a break. He's living (for now) with his spaced-out mother and little brother in a homeless shelter. His father's in jail. His girlfriend supports him, but he doesn't feel good enough for her - and seems to be always on the verge of doing the wrong thing around her. There's another girl at the homeless shelter who is also after him, although the desires there are complicated. Tyrell feels he needs to score some money to make things better. Will he end up following in his father's footsteps?
Tyrell is a young African-American teen who can't get a break. He's living (for now) with his spaced-out mother and little brother in a homeless shelter. His father's in jail. His girlfriend supports him, but he doesn't feel good enough for her - and seems to be always on the verge of doing the wrong thing around her. There's another girl at the homeless shelter who is also after him, although the desires there are complicated. Tyrell feels he needs to score some money to make things better. Will he end up following in his father's footsteps?
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First published October 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 805 reviews
December 9, 2008
So I'm a white middle class liberal. I'm supposed to like Tyrell, right? You know, because it gives me perspective and awarness of what it's like to be black and poor. And I'm now supposed to say things like, "I know how hard they have it. I need to do something to help them." But saying "they" and "them" would make me racist. And to be honest, isn't the whole book about Tyrell working his ass off to help himself to pull himself out of the situation he's in? He may be poor, but he's working really hard to fix that. Sure he could use a hand now and then, but he's alright. And as far as him being black. Well, I don't think that's of much importance. You know except for giving me awareness of what it's like to, you know, be black and/or poor. Just kidding.
What I really like about Tyrell is how much Coe Booth understands teenagers. Unlike Push founding editor, David Levithan, Booth understands that teens today are deep, they deal with things the best they know how with only a few years life experience, and they are faced with more complex issues than their parents were. Her characters aren't one note, they aren't stereotypes, they are multi-faceted. We the reader understand why Tyrell makes the choices he does, even when we may not agree with them, because we are let into his inner thoughts. We watch as he puts these thoughts together. And they make sense. Even Jasmine, Novisha, Tyrell's mom, Tyrell's dad all get fleshed out. So what we're left with is a complete picture of a week in the life of Tyrell, a teenager who's going through some tough times. We're not left with a story about a poor, black kid living in some roach infested hotel that white liberals should feel sorry for. Because that would just trivalize an outstanding novel.
I think it's infuriating that a book of this caliber, from the issues it deals with to it's complete characters to it's phenomenal writing is just chalked up as being "A novel about street life as seen through the eyes of a fifteen-year-old, homeless, African American boy growing up in the Bronx." It's more than that. It's a great American novel, seen through the eyes of a real American, dealing with the same things other great American novels deal with. Love, lust, anger, disappointment, hardship.
Ok. I'm ranting a bit. But really, this is a terrific novel. Terrific. And about so much more than street life through the eyes of a homeless, African American boy.
Give it a chance. Please. It really is that amazing.
What I really like about Tyrell is how much Coe Booth understands teenagers. Unlike Push founding editor, David Levithan, Booth understands that teens today are deep, they deal with things the best they know how with only a few years life experience, and they are faced with more complex issues than their parents were. Her characters aren't one note, they aren't stereotypes, they are multi-faceted. We the reader understand why Tyrell makes the choices he does, even when we may not agree with them, because we are let into his inner thoughts. We watch as he puts these thoughts together. And they make sense. Even Jasmine, Novisha, Tyrell's mom, Tyrell's dad all get fleshed out. So what we're left with is a complete picture of a week in the life of Tyrell, a teenager who's going through some tough times. We're not left with a story about a poor, black kid living in some roach infested hotel that white liberals should feel sorry for. Because that would just trivalize an outstanding novel.
I think it's infuriating that a book of this caliber, from the issues it deals with to it's complete characters to it's phenomenal writing is just chalked up as being "A novel about street life as seen through the eyes of a fifteen-year-old, homeless, African American boy growing up in the Bronx." It's more than that. It's a great American novel, seen through the eyes of a real American, dealing with the same things other great American novels deal with. Love, lust, anger, disappointment, hardship.
Ok. I'm ranting a bit. But really, this is a terrific novel. Terrific. And about so much more than street life through the eyes of a homeless, African American boy.
Give it a chance. Please. It really is that amazing.
September 10, 2019
Rating : A solid 3.5
Written from the first-person POV of its protagonist, Booth’s novel tells the story of Tyrell Green, a 15-year-old boy from the NYC (housing) “projects” who is trying to get together enough money to allow him, his mom, and brother to move into a new place after the three were evicted from their apartment for defaulting on the rent. Tyrell has already been taken into foster care (with his brother) once, when his mother was regularly leaving the then younger boys unattended. He doesn’t want to go through that again, as he’s certain he and his brother will be split up.
The family’s current troubles began when “Pops”, Tyrell’s dad, landed in jail for the third time. A DJ with sophisticated sound equipment, he’d recently been making his living by holding popular “parties” in buildings that weren’t otherwise used at night. (A pal of his regularly helped out by disabling security systems.) Along with the paying “guests” who attended these events, there were drug peddlers and hookers. Pops has been convicted for pimping girls, violating parole, and a few other things to boot. Later, Tyrell will identify his own biggest mistake as “looking up to my pops so much . . . yeah, he cool and everything, but he be messing up so much that sometimes I wish I ain’t even care ‘bout the man . . . he knew he was gonna get hisself locked up again, but he ain’t did nothin’ to make sure we was gonna be a’ight while he gone. And now, ‘cause of him, I gotta be the man. I gotta make the money to take care of my moms and brother. I gotta put my freedom on the line.”
Tyrell’s mother is useless as a parent. Social services isn’t eager to assist her, as she committed social security/welfare fraud a few years back. The authorities have only treated her leniently because of her “retarded” eight-year-old son, Troy. (Tyrell suspects his mom paid an unscrupulous doctor to do the paperwork that would allow her to collect a government handout for the boy. As far as Tyrell’s concerned, there’s nothing wrong with his little brother that a bit of stability and some decent parenting couldn’t fix.) “Moms” is used to being “taken care of” by her husband—even if it means a smack or two when she whines too much. To Tyrell’s immense frustration and anger, she is directionless without a man to order her around, and she makes no effort to find a job. Tyrell tries to step in to fill the void left by his father. He instructs his mother as to when to do the laundry, contact teachers, and social workers. He also scolds her for not minding her young son and for taking off to have fun. She wouldn’t mind seeing her older son sell pot to bring in some easy money for the family—something that Tyrell is resisting. He is determined to avoid making his father’s mistakes.
For now, courtesy of New York City’s Emergency Assistance Unit, the family is staying in the squalid, roach-infested Bennett Motel. It’s the dead of winter and good shelters are in short supply. Tyrell becomes friends with Jasmine, an attractive, formerly “wild” Latino girl his own age, who is also staying at the motel. Even though her life is also in chaos, Jasmine continues to attend school. It’s an alternative-education storefront operation, as the girl was kicked out of her two previous high schools for behaviour. She’d like to see Tyrell back in school—he’s been out for several weeks—but she supports him in his scheme to make money: a cleaner version of his dad’s warehouse parties.
Although Tyrell is powerfully attracted to Jasmine, he is determined to stay faithful to his 14-year-old girlfriend, Novisha, who attends a Catholic high school and seems to be toeing the religious line as to how far she’ll go with her boyfriend. Novisha does volunteer work with the elderly, and she plans to attend college. Tyrell has to take long train rides from “the Bennett” to his home turf, the Bronx, to see this girl, and he’s troubled by signs that she’s growing apart from him. Novisha’s ashamed that he is not in school, and, having watched her mom refuse to let go of her unreliable husband (Novisha’s dad), the girl rejects the idea of “being taken care of” by a man. However, this is the code Tyrell lives by: a man shows love by providing materially for and protecting his girl.
Grittily realistic with language and sexual content that make it best suited to mature teenagers, Tyrell is an exploration of generational family dysfunction, family loyalty, and a young African American youth’s understanding of masculinity. It presents the reader with a sympathetic—rough but vulnerable—protagonist who’s facing a world of challenges. He’s a kid with a warm heart and a sense of right and wrong. He’s got so many things stacked against him, you wonder how he keeps going. One doesn’t often see circumstances like his depicted in young adult literature. Although it has dated slightly since its publication in 2006, I’m not surprised that this novel by Coe Booth (a trained social worker who is herself from the Bronx) won the Los Angeles Time’s Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction in 2007. Booth’s characters, especially her protagonist, are well drawn. The reader cares for Tyrell and wants to see if he will succeed. Booth has apparently written a second book about Tyrell and his neighbourhood. I’d be interested in checking it out.
Written from the first-person POV of its protagonist, Booth’s novel tells the story of Tyrell Green, a 15-year-old boy from the NYC (housing) “projects” who is trying to get together enough money to allow him, his mom, and brother to move into a new place after the three were evicted from their apartment for defaulting on the rent. Tyrell has already been taken into foster care (with his brother) once, when his mother was regularly leaving the then younger boys unattended. He doesn’t want to go through that again, as he’s certain he and his brother will be split up.
The family’s current troubles began when “Pops”, Tyrell’s dad, landed in jail for the third time. A DJ with sophisticated sound equipment, he’d recently been making his living by holding popular “parties” in buildings that weren’t otherwise used at night. (A pal of his regularly helped out by disabling security systems.) Along with the paying “guests” who attended these events, there were drug peddlers and hookers. Pops has been convicted for pimping girls, violating parole, and a few other things to boot. Later, Tyrell will identify his own biggest mistake as “looking up to my pops so much . . . yeah, he cool and everything, but he be messing up so much that sometimes I wish I ain’t even care ‘bout the man . . . he knew he was gonna get hisself locked up again, but he ain’t did nothin’ to make sure we was gonna be a’ight while he gone. And now, ‘cause of him, I gotta be the man. I gotta make the money to take care of my moms and brother. I gotta put my freedom on the line.”
Tyrell’s mother is useless as a parent. Social services isn’t eager to assist her, as she committed social security/welfare fraud a few years back. The authorities have only treated her leniently because of her “retarded” eight-year-old son, Troy. (Tyrell suspects his mom paid an unscrupulous doctor to do the paperwork that would allow her to collect a government handout for the boy. As far as Tyrell’s concerned, there’s nothing wrong with his little brother that a bit of stability and some decent parenting couldn’t fix.) “Moms” is used to being “taken care of” by her husband—even if it means a smack or two when she whines too much. To Tyrell’s immense frustration and anger, she is directionless without a man to order her around, and she makes no effort to find a job. Tyrell tries to step in to fill the void left by his father. He instructs his mother as to when to do the laundry, contact teachers, and social workers. He also scolds her for not minding her young son and for taking off to have fun. She wouldn’t mind seeing her older son sell pot to bring in some easy money for the family—something that Tyrell is resisting. He is determined to avoid making his father’s mistakes.
For now, courtesy of New York City’s Emergency Assistance Unit, the family is staying in the squalid, roach-infested Bennett Motel. It’s the dead of winter and good shelters are in short supply. Tyrell becomes friends with Jasmine, an attractive, formerly “wild” Latino girl his own age, who is also staying at the motel. Even though her life is also in chaos, Jasmine continues to attend school. It’s an alternative-education storefront operation, as the girl was kicked out of her two previous high schools for behaviour. She’d like to see Tyrell back in school—he’s been out for several weeks—but she supports him in his scheme to make money: a cleaner version of his dad’s warehouse parties.
Although Tyrell is powerfully attracted to Jasmine, he is determined to stay faithful to his 14-year-old girlfriend, Novisha, who attends a Catholic high school and seems to be toeing the religious line as to how far she’ll go with her boyfriend. Novisha does volunteer work with the elderly, and she plans to attend college. Tyrell has to take long train rides from “the Bennett” to his home turf, the Bronx, to see this girl, and he’s troubled by signs that she’s growing apart from him. Novisha’s ashamed that he is not in school, and, having watched her mom refuse to let go of her unreliable husband (Novisha’s dad), the girl rejects the idea of “being taken care of” by a man. However, this is the code Tyrell lives by: a man shows love by providing materially for and protecting his girl.
Grittily realistic with language and sexual content that make it best suited to mature teenagers, Tyrell is an exploration of generational family dysfunction, family loyalty, and a young African American youth’s understanding of masculinity. It presents the reader with a sympathetic—rough but vulnerable—protagonist who’s facing a world of challenges. He’s a kid with a warm heart and a sense of right and wrong. He’s got so many things stacked against him, you wonder how he keeps going. One doesn’t often see circumstances like his depicted in young adult literature. Although it has dated slightly since its publication in 2006, I’m not surprised that this novel by Coe Booth (a trained social worker who is herself from the Bronx) won the Los Angeles Time’s Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction in 2007. Booth’s characters, especially her protagonist, are well drawn. The reader cares for Tyrell and wants to see if he will succeed. Booth has apparently written a second book about Tyrell and his neighbourhood. I’d be interested in checking it out.
October 31, 2008
Megan Williams
10/30/2008
Independent Reading Project
For my Independent Reading Project I did the book “Tyrell”, Coe Booth. This book takes places in the South Bronx, New York. Tyrell is an urban teenager and his family is falling apart. Recently his father went to jail, leaving him, his mother, and little brother to manage. As time went on Tyrell mother couldn’t make it. They were force out of their current apartment in to shelters. For the last couple of months Tyrell and his family had been going to shelters all over the Bronx. Tyrell later drop out of school, and try to be the man of the family, but it didn’t work. His mother wasn’t making it any better; she came to point where she wanted Tyrell to sell drugs just to put food on the table. With that being the last option Tyrell didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to end up like his father in jail he wanted to be better than that. Tyrell father wasn’t the best example but he wanted the best for his children. With all this negative act surrounding Tyrell what was he going to do, be out on the streets a make drug money, or be a real man and make clean money.
This book is good because it open you eyes to the urban life of some teenager’s life. Not many people know what they go threw, in many people eyes young teenager’s seem as through they don’t care about nothing, but with Tyrell it’s a different story. Tyrell is someone who wants to make a difference; he wants to se an example not only for himself but for his little brother. This book shows you to make a better judgment. When it seems hope is all gone, there’s always a light at the end, and it brings you happiness. The kind of people I think would read this book would be mostly teenagers. In today’s society, that’s what most teenagers is face with this decision to sell drugs just to have money in their pocket. Not only would teenagers be interested but I also think adults would love the way Coe Booth is so real with the characters in the book. Each character in the book someone can relate to, that’s why it’s so real to many readers. When I first read this book I couldn’t put it down from the moment I pick it up I didn’t put it down I was hook since day one. I was so intense to Tyrell I wanted to know what decision he was going to make and how would it affect it life and family.
Tyrell is a powerful book. It’s a life lesson book you can learn so much from it.I recommend it to everyone young and old. Take a walk with this young man who is stuck in a world of confusion. See where his life would take him, see if he can overcome this tough situation and be a better man
-Megan Williams
10/30/2008
Independent Reading Project
For my Independent Reading Project I did the book “Tyrell”, Coe Booth. This book takes places in the South Bronx, New York. Tyrell is an urban teenager and his family is falling apart. Recently his father went to jail, leaving him, his mother, and little brother to manage. As time went on Tyrell mother couldn’t make it. They were force out of their current apartment in to shelters. For the last couple of months Tyrell and his family had been going to shelters all over the Bronx. Tyrell later drop out of school, and try to be the man of the family, but it didn’t work. His mother wasn’t making it any better; she came to point where she wanted Tyrell to sell drugs just to put food on the table. With that being the last option Tyrell didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to end up like his father in jail he wanted to be better than that. Tyrell father wasn’t the best example but he wanted the best for his children. With all this negative act surrounding Tyrell what was he going to do, be out on the streets a make drug money, or be a real man and make clean money.
This book is good because it open you eyes to the urban life of some teenager’s life. Not many people know what they go threw, in many people eyes young teenager’s seem as through they don’t care about nothing, but with Tyrell it’s a different story. Tyrell is someone who wants to make a difference; he wants to se an example not only for himself but for his little brother. This book shows you to make a better judgment. When it seems hope is all gone, there’s always a light at the end, and it brings you happiness. The kind of people I think would read this book would be mostly teenagers. In today’s society, that’s what most teenagers is face with this decision to sell drugs just to have money in their pocket. Not only would teenagers be interested but I also think adults would love the way Coe Booth is so real with the characters in the book. Each character in the book someone can relate to, that’s why it’s so real to many readers. When I first read this book I couldn’t put it down from the moment I pick it up I didn’t put it down I was hook since day one. I was so intense to Tyrell I wanted to know what decision he was going to make and how would it affect it life and family.
Tyrell is a powerful book. It’s a life lesson book you can learn so much from it.I recommend it to everyone young and old. Take a walk with this young man who is stuck in a world of confusion. See where his life would take him, see if he can overcome this tough situation and be a better man
-Megan Williams
June 7, 2011
Tyrell is heavy on plot but not much else. Coe Booth sets up several potential themes but lets each one fizzle. There is no redemption for the characters, no catharsis for the readers. A lot of good has been said about this novel--that it is highly engaging, especially for reluctant readers, and that it is highly authentic--but I'm surprised it hasn't received more criticism for its presentation of young manhood (similar to the criticism the Twilight series gets for its presentation of young womanhood) and for its lack of resolution.
Booth said in an interview that Tyrell was written, in one sense, to explore how teenage males must decide what it means to be a man, but I find her presentation of this journey pretty troubling. Sure, the book is pretty darn realistic (her use of Tyrell's spoken and narrative voice is solid), yet it only acts as a mirror to the very basic (and incredibly patriarchal) concepts of manhood. Tyrell Green is only 15 but he is expected (by his irresponsible mother and an unforgiving world) to act way beyond that. He is highly aware of how others view his masculinity and repeatedly resorts to violence (even against the girlfriend he loves). Yet Booth offers NO ONE or NO THING to counter this view of masculinity. No one challenges Tyrell or offers him a way out of the standard patriarchal narrative. That is, except Booth herself, who gives him a little victory near the end of the book with the help of his father's DJ equipment. So while she gives us some thin hope that Tyrell will be able to make it on his own, she gives us none that he will (despite his best wishes) turn out much differently than his father.
One final word about Tyrell's mother: I felt like she was supposed to be villain of the book, yet she comes off so despicable that she doesn't even qualify as a villian--just a despicable character. Like the film Precious (as opposed to the book Push it is based on), Tyrell ends up demonizing the mother, not the system that keeps her down.
If I worked a little bit, I could probably analyze the exaggerated use of cockroach descriptions in this book, but I've already said enough for now (about a book I didn't even like).
Booth said in an interview that Tyrell was written, in one sense, to explore how teenage males must decide what it means to be a man, but I find her presentation of this journey pretty troubling. Sure, the book is pretty darn realistic (her use of Tyrell's spoken and narrative voice is solid), yet it only acts as a mirror to the very basic (and incredibly patriarchal) concepts of manhood. Tyrell Green is only 15 but he is expected (by his irresponsible mother and an unforgiving world) to act way beyond that. He is highly aware of how others view his masculinity and repeatedly resorts to violence (even against the girlfriend he loves). Yet Booth offers NO ONE or NO THING to counter this view of masculinity. No one challenges Tyrell or offers him a way out of the standard patriarchal narrative. That is, except Booth herself, who gives him a little victory near the end of the book with the help of his father's DJ equipment. So while she gives us some thin hope that Tyrell will be able to make it on his own, she gives us none that he will (despite his best wishes) turn out much differently than his father.
One final word about Tyrell's mother: I felt like she was supposed to be villain of the book, yet she comes off so despicable that she doesn't even qualify as a villian--just a despicable character. Like the film Precious (as opposed to the book Push it is based on), Tyrell ends up demonizing the mother, not the system that keeps her down.
If I worked a little bit, I could probably analyze the exaggerated use of cockroach descriptions in this book, but I've already said enough for now (about a book I didn't even like).
November 21, 2013
I want to punch Tyrell's mother in the face.
December 27, 2007
In sharp contrast to Walter Dean Myers's novels, Booth's novel is laced with the language, actions, and reactions of inner-city life of the South Bronx. The novel is loaded with street slang and profanity, drugs and alcohol, blowjobs and prostitutes, as well as families wrecked by selfish parents. Through it all, Tyrell's trying — as Pony Boy did in The Outsiders forty year ago — to stay gold. The book starts with Tyrell, his little brother, and his ineffectual mother shipped off to a roach-infested (and Booth isn't shy with the description) motel as temporary shelter. His Dad's in prison, his friends from the projects are ganged up, and he's dropped out of school. The weight of the world is on his shoulders as his mother harangues him to do something to support the family, even if it means selling drugs. He's got a girl (Novisha) he loves, but there are complications, as she wants to remain a virgin; he's got another girl he's sleeping with, but she's just a distraction. Tyrell thinks he's found a legitimate way to earn money to escape, but the strings attached might just pull him down. Booth's language and vision reflect an ugly life where silver linings are just as often filled with lead.
December 11, 2017
I picked this book up because it seemed like time to find out what all my students love about it, and I totally get it. The voice of Tyrell is the voice of real kids I see every day. The book has tons of action and so much tension, and the plot moves fast. Tyrell is so easy to like despite the fact that he often makes choices that made me want to cringe. I feel like his mistakes are so believable for a kid in his tough situation and his motivation is completely clear, and that made disliking him completely impossible. He's a kid who's trying hard against all odds to stay on the straight(-ish) and sort-of narrow, but he has zero role models and no one he can fully trust, and I couldn't put this book down until I found out whether all the risks he couldn't seem to avoid taking were going to keep his head above water for another day or whether they would land him in jail where everyone expected him to be. Booth doesn't try to make us feel sorry for Tyrell (although I do admit to feeling sorry for his baby brother Troy), but rather shows us his hustle and his heart, even when his mind (and his body) lead him in all the wrong directions.
Language-wise, this book is not for the faint of heart and it certainly isn't appropriate for all kids. It's chock full of cussing, sex, and drugs. I sometimes think other YA books that are supposed to be more "street" by famous authors like Myers or Reynolds speak in a voice that's meant to be easy on my white adult ears and maybe make it onto the reading lists of progressive urban teachers, but not so Booth. I must admit to being a smidge shocked every now and again just by the matter-of-fact tone in which sex and drugs are described, but in truth nothing happens in this book (sexuality-wise) that doesn't happen in Twilight or any John Green book (well, kind of almost nothing), but Booth just tells us about it in the words of a horny teenage boy instead of putting a filmy glow on it so we adults can feel ok about our kids reading it.
I can honestly say I have never read a book like this before, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Language-wise, this book is not for the faint of heart and it certainly isn't appropriate for all kids. It's chock full of cussing, sex, and drugs. I sometimes think other YA books that are supposed to be more "street" by famous authors like Myers or Reynolds speak in a voice that's meant to be easy on my white adult ears and maybe make it onto the reading lists of progressive urban teachers, but not so Booth. I must admit to being a smidge shocked every now and again just by the matter-of-fact tone in which sex and drugs are described, but in truth nothing happens in this book (sexuality-wise) that doesn't happen in Twilight or any John Green book (well, kind of almost nothing), but Booth just tells us about it in the words of a horny teenage boy instead of putting a filmy glow on it so we adults can feel ok about our kids reading it.
I can honestly say I have never read a book like this before, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
April 29, 2010
omg!now i am finally finished reading this book.It was so good.I loved reading this books mostly out of all of the books I read.I would definetly recommend this book.
October 24, 2014
Tyrell by Coe Booth is now one of my favorite books. When i started reading the book i noticed that his language is like a modern language of teenagers these days cursing,etc. The first day i started reading i got up to page 100 because i just couldn't stop reading! It just made me want to keep on until i finished the book. This book is about Tyrell who has been kicked out of his house by the landlord & was sent to "Bernett" a motel they send people without homes Its not even a shelter they just got stuck there extra days because of a storm. He really doesn't enjoy being there because theirs rats, roaches,and other things and the place is all worn out. He just cant wait ti get money to take his mother and brother (Troy)out of there and into a real apartment without nobody help because now hes the man in the family since his dad is locked up. Again.He has a girlfriend named Novisha who is a catholic & he loves, but during the time hes in Benett he meets a girl who likes him named Jasmin who has a goddess body and likes him. There are so many attention grabbing things that happen that wont let you stop reading. Your going to have to read it to find out. :D
December 12, 2014
I really liked this book because Tyrell is complex, a blend of good and bad qualities, and you can see through his eyes how his environment and circumstances shape the way he is. I enjoyed the dialogue and the love triangle between Tyrell, Novisha, and Jasmine--can't wait to read Bronxwood!
September 24, 2024
Protagonist has a cool name. Very relatable
May 13, 2011
This books is about a boy name Tyrell that goes through hard times with his family in the Bronx. Tyrell's father is in jail so it is just him his mother and his little brother. Since Tyrell's mother wasn't working when his father wasn't in jail, she was not supporting the family, the father was. So when he went to jail she could not support the family because she did not have a job and she could not find a job because she was a crackhead.
October 31, 2008
Last year a student asked me to recommend a book to him that was "real" and "like me." After some discussion, I recommended "Tyrell" by Coe Booth. I hadn't read the book, but had read several strong reviews on it. A few days later he came back and asked for me - he would only talk to me because "you gave me a good book." He said "I gotta a friend in the library now." He told me that it was the first book that he had ever read cover to cover and that the book had changed his life. He is reading like crazy now - and recommending books to his buddies. He even wrote me a poem on reading which I have framed and on my desk. Also, he visits me almost every day just to say "hi!"
Coe Booth's new book, "Kendra," just came out, so I bought a copy just for this student. I told him that because I was letting him read it first, that he had to write a book review for me and tell me whether or not I should read it (he did read it and gave the book five out of five stars). I decided that I had better sit down and read "Tyrell" quick before I have to read "Kendra."
The book is definitely "real." The author nails the voice of the main character, "Tyrell." The language is raw (more profanity than any young adult book I've read), and there is casual drug and alcohol use, sex, and illegal activity. The book, and my experiences with it, make the case for the importance of having a wide range of literature in a library to meet the needs of the entire community that uses that library. This book has gotten many students to read because they actually see themselves reflected in the book - it is "real" to them. It isn't pretty. It is raw and gritty - but the lives of many of our students are raw and gritty. Rather than deny that these types of situations exist, students need to see how others deal with like situations. They can do this through literature. The main character, Tyrell, and other characters make good efforts to do the "right" thing in the book, despite odds that are overwhelmingly against them. Understanding why school may not be of primary importance to some of these students is a place for us to start in trying to meet their needs and heighten their chances of being successful in school!
Coe Booth's new book, "Kendra," just came out, so I bought a copy just for this student. I told him that because I was letting him read it first, that he had to write a book review for me and tell me whether or not I should read it (he did read it and gave the book five out of five stars). I decided that I had better sit down and read "Tyrell" quick before I have to read "Kendra."
The book is definitely "real." The author nails the voice of the main character, "Tyrell." The language is raw (more profanity than any young adult book I've read), and there is casual drug and alcohol use, sex, and illegal activity. The book, and my experiences with it, make the case for the importance of having a wide range of literature in a library to meet the needs of the entire community that uses that library. This book has gotten many students to read because they actually see themselves reflected in the book - it is "real" to them. It isn't pretty. It is raw and gritty - but the lives of many of our students are raw and gritty. Rather than deny that these types of situations exist, students need to see how others deal with like situations. They can do this through literature. The main character, Tyrell, and other characters make good efforts to do the "right" thing in the book, despite odds that are overwhelmingly against them. Understanding why school may not be of primary importance to some of these students is a place for us to start in trying to meet their needs and heighten their chances of being successful in school!
September 19, 2012
This was the first book I read with my group. I wish it were not! There are several reasons for this. There was little to no character development throughout the book, which I wouldn't mind, except that the entire book was written in "slang" in point of view of the protagonist. I felt that even the setting was lacking in strength of description and hindered the book plot development in my opinion. The characters is the fiction were more or less worse in morality than that of Tyrell's, with the exception being his litter brother Troy who's in grade school. As it turns out Ty's girlfriend of several months has been lying to him about her virginity (shocker, right?). It gets better. He has been cheating on her with some girl who's living down the hall from his room. He's a total hypocrite for getting mad at her. I don't even think he felt any remorse for what he did with Jasmine. Like I said before, little to no character development in this book.
The author wrote this book in the shoes of Tyrell, a teenage kid living in the Bronx. This point of view (as I predicted from the back of the book) would contain the language spoken by a black kid in the ghetto. What I did not anticipate was the excessiveness of the speech in the book, making it totally redundant to me. It's wasn't just when he was talking to other people in the same situation as him, but also to teachers, people he didn't know, and he even thought in it. This made the book give off and ignorant view upon itself.
I would recommend this book for people who are a fan of extremely one point perspective view protagonist. Not that I would highly recommend it, but two of my group buddies did. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I don’t think the major theme of the book had any relevance to anyone in our school (struggling in the Bronx) but some side themes did. Like dealing with a relationship and handling with difficulties at home. Those themes could relate with a lot of young adults who are living anywhere. That’s where I would draw the line with the relevance of the book, with anyone else I know.
Overall, “Tyrell” disappointed me and that’s why I rated it one star.
The author wrote this book in the shoes of Tyrell, a teenage kid living in the Bronx. This point of view (as I predicted from the back of the book) would contain the language spoken by a black kid in the ghetto. What I did not anticipate was the excessiveness of the speech in the book, making it totally redundant to me. It's wasn't just when he was talking to other people in the same situation as him, but also to teachers, people he didn't know, and he even thought in it. This made the book give off and ignorant view upon itself.
I would recommend this book for people who are a fan of extremely one point perspective view protagonist. Not that I would highly recommend it, but two of my group buddies did. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I don’t think the major theme of the book had any relevance to anyone in our school (struggling in the Bronx) but some side themes did. Like dealing with a relationship and handling with difficulties at home. Those themes could relate with a lot of young adults who are living anywhere. That’s where I would draw the line with the relevance of the book, with anyone else I know.
Overall, “Tyrell” disappointed me and that’s why I rated it one star.
January 11, 2010
From the first page this book grabbed my attention; I liked how the book related to real life situations that happen today. Parents aren't playing their full part and taking responsibilities for their family. Tyrell's mother was irresponsible and inconsiderate; she depended on her husband to provide,care and cater to her every needs when he got locked up she turned to the next man in her life. Which was her son Tyrell she to go out and start selling drugs, basically putting her son at risk just to make a few dollars. I wonder if he started selling and he got caught what would she do, would she try to get him out or would she just keep going on with her buisness and turn to Troy to provide. This situation reminded me of the movie ATL when the little brother started selling drugs, the older brother didn't want him to but the uncle which whom they were living with wanted him to continue because a few extra dollars wouldn't hurt. I want to know why his mother is the way she is, was she waited on hand in foot when she was younger? Or was she put through the same situation when she was younger? Either way i don't understand how she can be so irresponsible and inconsiderate about her family. She left Troy alone and he got taken; Tyrell got fed up and walked away; who could blame him. His mother clearly wasn't fit to be an independent role. I rate this book as 4 star and I would reccomend this book to the youth.
January 16, 2009
An amazing debut by Coe Booth. She has created what seems to me a protagonist (Tyrell) with street cred, sensitivity, and major cools. He's also a terrific big brother, a budding entrepreneur, and in a committed relationship with his girlfriend, Novisha. All of which diesn't take into account the fact that he's homeless and forced, at age 16, to assume the head of household duties while his father is in jail and his mother has issues with responsibility, welfare fraud, and holding down a job. She's a difficult parent who, in fact, would rather have her son deal weed than work less lucrative--but more legal--positions. But Tyrell doesn't want to sell drugs.
Tyrell tells his own story of the week or so of a huge NYC snowstorm. His family is snowed into a decrepit motel where social services have dumped them and many others. His dad penned up until August, he decides to get his pops' DJ gear out of storage and put on the party of the year. Things get complicated. Read this if you've ever wondered about the life of urban youth.
Tyrell tells his own story of the week or so of a huge NYC snowstorm. His family is snowed into a decrepit motel where social services have dumped them and many others. His dad penned up until August, he decides to get his pops' DJ gear out of storage and put on the party of the year. Things get complicated. Read this if you've ever wondered about the life of urban youth.
October 29, 2019
This book was crazy, plain and simple. It had a lot going on and the plot was just insane. It's about a 15-year old kid named Tyrell and his whole mess of a life. His dad's in jail, like always, his little 7-year old brother, Troy, has to be taken care of, and his mess of a mother can't support or take care of the family for crap with her husband in jail. They live in a homeless shelter and they really need to get out of there. Tyrell's relationship with girls is complicated throughout the story, with his girlfriend Novisha and then with another girl he meets at the shelters they're moving in and out of. Tyrell has to make money to get his family out of the situation with his dad locked up. How will Tyrell get his family out of their situation with all the things going on in his life? This book can be a great read for anyone looking for something different or diverse. It really shows a different perspective not many people can relate to. I give it 5/5 stars.
April 23, 2014
Tyrell is very troubled teen. For example Tyrell lives in a shelter and Tyrell and his mother don't get along. Also he is trying to make money for his family to leave the shelter. Moreover he also has girl troubles he's dealing with but first he likes a girl named Novisha and they are going out but then thing get very complicated between them. However then things get even weirder. He meets a girl named Jasmine and they start messing around while Tyrell is going out with Novisha. Furthermore he tries to make money but by throwing parties like his father; however, he's missing something. He needs back up because he's not trying to get locked up like his pops. Finally in the end of the book this is what happens... but for you to know what happens, read this book.
March 21, 2008
This book may look really intresting but it even looks it. This book changed my perspective on life. Also it may just have the back of a boy's head but look's can be deceving. This book is just like real life in the Projects. Tyrell is a boy trying to take care of his mom and brother Trey. Trey is in special edd and he needs help and his mom does not take good care of him. Tyrell also has a girlfriend and he is trying to keep her and not loose her, but theris this other girl that likes him and is vary pretty but he cant loose his current girlfriend. If this sounds intresing to you. You should read it.
April 26, 2019
I think this book should be required reading for everyone. This is a perspective that we as Americans and definitely white privileged Americans should read. I loved Tyrell and am so happy this is a trilogy.
June 29, 2023
Tyrell is a great character. This book is a wonderfully fully fleshed out portrait of a teen in a crummy situation full of family failings, poverty, and relationship complexities. Just excellent.
February 3, 2017
Tyrell's father is in prison...again. Tyrell is doing his best to be the man of the family. At home he's working to keep his mother from completely falling apart, he has dropped out of school and is finding small ways to make a little money to keep them fed. All the while he is dreaming of the day when his girlfriend, Novisha, has finished high school and they can get married and move away together. When Tyrell and his family get placed in an especially rough hotel for a weekend Tyrell is forced to step up to make sure his family stays together. To do this, Tyrell has to come to terms with what risks he is willing to take.
Mature themes and language fill this realistic, and somewhat bleak, story. The writing style is casual and it was written in dialect. I really appreciate this book for being representative of poverty and the African American experience. I think it is important to illuminate to a younger audience how fighting to keep your family fed and in a house can get you entrenched in debt and in trouble with the law. This can either help to make an audience more empathetic to the struggles of their fellow man or allows less fortunate readers to see a comrade in Tyrell. Tyrell's character development was really well flushed out. His struggles with the difficulties of his relationship with both Novisha and Jasmine does help to illuminate him; but, in some ways, Novisha and Jasmine seem a little two dimensional.
Mature themes and language fill this realistic, and somewhat bleak, story. The writing style is casual and it was written in dialect. I really appreciate this book for being representative of poverty and the African American experience. I think it is important to illuminate to a younger audience how fighting to keep your family fed and in a house can get you entrenched in debt and in trouble with the law. This can either help to make an audience more empathetic to the struggles of their fellow man or allows less fortunate readers to see a comrade in Tyrell. Tyrell's character development was really well flushed out. His struggles with the difficulties of his relationship with both Novisha and Jasmine does help to illuminate him; but, in some ways, Novisha and Jasmine seem a little two dimensional.
August 20, 2023
This book has been quietly reaching readers in my HS for fifteen years. Although today's readers are in a different place from Tyrell (kids don't burn CDs and DVDs to make money, pre-paid minutes on flip phones are anachronistic) the struggles of 15 year-olds remain evergreen.
With short chapters and clear problems, this book remains compelling and readable. Booth has done impressive work giving Tyrell a distinct, authentic voice as a complex young man. There is language, sexuality and drug/alcohol use that will make this a no-go for some, fine for others.
With short chapters and clear problems, this book remains compelling and readable. Booth has done impressive work giving Tyrell a distinct, authentic voice as a complex young man. There is language, sexuality and drug/alcohol use that will make this a no-go for some, fine for others.
May 16, 2024
I liked the way his struggle was conveyed. It was very intriguing to look into the eyes of a struggling young black man. However, I didn’t feel as sad as I thought I would because I couldn’t connect to Tyrell for some reason. I thought connecting to him would be easy since we had grown up in similar areas but I just couldn’t. Other than that, I thought it was great.
November 4, 2019
This book is about a young fifteen year old boy who is currently going through some hard times with his family and living conditions, He’s trying his best to keep food in his little brother mouth and making money to finally get his family out of the shelter. This book is an inspiration to young kids who are going through some similar situations like the fifteen year old and shows how even the hardest life obstacles can be faced without guidance. I recommend this book to drama and non-fictional lovers.
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March 10, 2017Tyrell is 14. Broke, homeless, with a mom who refuses to take care of his little brother and acts like the world owes her a living, Tyrell is under so much pressure, sometimes he feels like he's gonna break for sure.
Tyrell's father is in jail again, his mom thinks the world owes her a living, and his girlfriend Novisha wants more than he can give. Tyrell, his mom and his little brother Troy got kicked outta their apartment because his mom refused to look for a job, and they couldn't pay the rent. All she wants to do is party with her friends and rag on Tyrell all the time, blaming him for all their troubles, when it's a clear as a freshly cleaned that it's really her fault. Now they've stayed in the shelter as long as they can, and they're gonna have to live in the Bennett Motel, the worst roach infested motel in the worst part of the Bronx. Tyrell's worried about Troy, who's only seven, and their mom ignores him most of the time, letting him eat whatever he wants and leaving him to stay alone with the roaches, even though he's only seven.. Basically tyrell just has to overcome to provide for his family.
Tyrell's father is in jail again, his mom thinks the world owes her a living, and his girlfriend Novisha wants more than he can give. Tyrell, his mom and his little brother Troy got kicked outta their apartment because his mom refused to look for a job, and they couldn't pay the rent. All she wants to do is party with her friends and rag on Tyrell all the time, blaming him for all their troubles, when it's a clear as a freshly cleaned that it's really her fault. Now they've stayed in the shelter as long as they can, and they're gonna have to live in the Bennett Motel, the worst roach infested motel in the worst part of the Bronx. Tyrell's worried about Troy, who's only seven, and their mom ignores him most of the time, letting him eat whatever he wants and leaving him to stay alone with the roaches, even though he's only seven.. Basically tyrell just has to overcome to provide for his family.
March 11, 2017
Tyrell's father is in jail; he's living in a shelter with his mom and brother; he's dating a good Catholic girl whose mother cooks for him; he's dropped out of school; he's a budding DJ, and he's trying to figure out how to be with raw expression my students will love (but their parents won't ).
January 24, 2013
This book was one of the best books I read this year so far. It comes with different varieties such as comedy, love, and suspense. I would recommend this book to a friend who is maybe going the the same things tyrell was going though and maybe once they read it it can give them some advice. This book is mainly about a boy that grows up not having the best life. He understands now that he is older he does more grown man stuff and helps out his mother to take care of his little brother since there father is locked up.
A lot of children today are having to take care of them selves and family members to help them get through this life. Single parents having to take care of their children are having their older child take care of them to the best they can. “I ain't gonna lie. I like having my girl take care of me this way. I can't wait 'til she finish high school and we can live together somewhere on our own. I'm support her while she in college, pay all the bills and shit, and she can take care of me like this everyday. Man, that's the way I wanna be living.”(Coe Booth). This book is also a good book to recommend to a friend because if you having relationship problems this book tells about how tyrell and his girlfriend are in the beginning and then towards the end things get difficult and goes down hill. The book Tyrell would not be a recommended book for younger children under age fourteen.
I loved this book when I read it because it really showed me how helpful I should be to my family and get them through the hard times. What Tyrell was going through people around the world are having the same problems.
“I gotta say, it feel good coming back home to the projects. Where I belong.”(Coe Booth). Its nothing like home and family there all you got you everyone should cherish their family once their gone their gone for good. Tyrell loved his father, mother and little brother but once his dad got locked up he was to take care of his mom and little brother and be there for his girlfriend. They grew up in the projects of Bronx new york. There's a lot of responsibilities having to be done and Tyrell mom thinks he should do everything and she says that she does everything for them but she lies about everything and that's how they got put back in to foster care.“Nigga couldn't tell the truth if there was a gun to his head.”(Coe Booth).
A lot of children today are having to take care of them selves and family members to help them get through this life. Single parents having to take care of their children are having their older child take care of them to the best they can. “I ain't gonna lie. I like having my girl take care of me this way. I can't wait 'til she finish high school and we can live together somewhere on our own. I'm support her while she in college, pay all the bills and shit, and she can take care of me like this everyday. Man, that's the way I wanna be living.”(Coe Booth). This book is also a good book to recommend to a friend because if you having relationship problems this book tells about how tyrell and his girlfriend are in the beginning and then towards the end things get difficult and goes down hill. The book Tyrell would not be a recommended book for younger children under age fourteen.
I loved this book when I read it because it really showed me how helpful I should be to my family and get them through the hard times. What Tyrell was going through people around the world are having the same problems.
“I gotta say, it feel good coming back home to the projects. Where I belong.”(Coe Booth). Its nothing like home and family there all you got you everyone should cherish their family once their gone their gone for good. Tyrell loved his father, mother and little brother but once his dad got locked up he was to take care of his mom and little brother and be there for his girlfriend. They grew up in the projects of Bronx new york. There's a lot of responsibilities having to be done and Tyrell mom thinks he should do everything and she says that she does everything for them but she lies about everything and that's how they got put back in to foster care.“Nigga couldn't tell the truth if there was a gun to his head.”(Coe Booth).
November 2, 2015
The book I just got reading is Tyrell written by Coe booth. The book used language of a young boy that was brought up in the ghetto with nothing. He lived off assistants from the government such as shelters, food stamps, etc. . The language was very hard to understand at times because when your reading a book you expect the grammar to be perfect and the structure of the sentence to make since. But in this book she talks exactly like a young man would in Tyrell's situation and lifestyle. So you get a overall feel on what it was like if I were him in this story.
“I ain't gonna lie. I like having my girl take care of me this way. I can't wait 'til she finish high school and we can live together somewhere on our own. I'ma support her while she in college, pay all the bills and shit, and she can take care of me like this everyday. Man, that's the way I wanna be living.” This is Tyrell's dream scenario, because he doesn't have that because his dad's not around and his mom isn't doing that much to take care of him. He's tired of being poor and not being able to have anything. The language of the book gives you a great glimpse inside of life of someone from the ghetto or that doesn't really talk that proper as one would expect. In the book the way she uses Tyrell to speak, u see the corrections and automatically you feel like correcting it because u know what sounds right and better; but you can't do that because it mess up the complete feel on the book and the effect she wanted to have on you. I would recommend this to anybody that loves novels because this a great book that would give you a good glimpse realism
“I ain't gonna lie. I like having my girl take care of me this way. I can't wait 'til she finish high school and we can live together somewhere on our own. I'ma support her while she in college, pay all the bills and shit, and she can take care of me like this everyday. Man, that's the way I wanna be living.” This is Tyrell's dream scenario, because he doesn't have that because his dad's not around and his mom isn't doing that much to take care of him. He's tired of being poor and not being able to have anything. The language of the book gives you a great glimpse inside of life of someone from the ghetto or that doesn't really talk that proper as one would expect. In the book the way she uses Tyrell to speak, u see the corrections and automatically you feel like correcting it because u know what sounds right and better; but you can't do that because it mess up the complete feel on the book and the effect she wanted to have on you. I would recommend this to anybody that loves novels because this a great book that would give you a good glimpse realism
June 6, 2008
As a Young Adult librarian, I inwardly (barely) frown upon any teenager's craving for the so-called street/hip-hop/urban fiction that has become a force to be reckoned with in the literary world. These books glorify an opportunisitic, materialistic, sexist, violent, and sometimes criminal world that teens live or wish to live. Lest you think me some suburb-rised cultural elitest, let me set you straight. I'm straight up 'hood born and 'hood raised. I've seen some of these stories close up in real life and there's nothing good about them, so I'm baffled by the embrace of them.
Tyrell, Coe Booth's debut novel, is urban/street/ghetto fiction taken to a higher level. It exposes the ugly side of project-life, hustling, and using sex as a tool. The protagonist, 15-year-old Tyrell, is trying to keep his family and life together as he is trying to escape homelessness. But he is constantly angered and frustrated by a trifling mom, an incarcerated dad, a mistrustful girlfriend, and a needy female pal. Yet, by the end of the story, Tyrell finds light at the end of the tunnel.
The ending doesn't pretend that the rest of Tyrell's life (or his little brother's, mother's, father's or friends') won't be a hard struggle, but it does give hope that Tyrell won't succumb to the vices (emotional and physical) that traps everyone around him. Tyrell is both sad and uplifting without being preachy. It is the perfect realistic fiction for today's teens.
Tyrell, Coe Booth's debut novel, is urban/street/ghetto fiction taken to a higher level. It exposes the ugly side of project-life, hustling, and using sex as a tool. The protagonist, 15-year-old Tyrell, is trying to keep his family and life together as he is trying to escape homelessness. But he is constantly angered and frustrated by a trifling mom, an incarcerated dad, a mistrustful girlfriend, and a needy female pal. Yet, by the end of the story, Tyrell finds light at the end of the tunnel.
The ending doesn't pretend that the rest of Tyrell's life (or his little brother's, mother's, father's or friends') won't be a hard struggle, but it does give hope that Tyrell won't succumb to the vices (emotional and physical) that traps everyone around him. Tyrell is both sad and uplifting without being preachy. It is the perfect realistic fiction for today's teens.
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