Blood Is Thicker

Bluford High #8

by Paul Langan, D.M. Blackwell

This sequel to Until We Meet Again follows the story of Hakeem Randall after his move to Detroit. Far from Bluford High, Hakeem quickly finds himself in a world of trouble, and his family is at the center of it. To complicate matters, a new girl hopes to make him forget Darcy forever.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Drama, Fiction, School, African American, Childrens

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

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

[Shawtylowelch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book talks about Hakeem moving away to Detroit. When Hakeem moves to Detroit he breaks up with his girlfriend Darcy. This book is about Hakeem and his cousin Savon having problems. Hakeem thinks that Savon is some kind of gang. Savon's parents also think that something is going on with Savon. Hakeem wants to find out what is going on with Savon so he tries to talk with him, but Savon is always gettig mad at Hakeem. While Hakeem is in Detroit he also mee...more Book Report
This book talks about Hakeem moving away to Detroit. When Hakeem moves to Detroit he breaks up with his girlfriend Darcy. This book is about Hakeem and his cousin Savon having problems. Hakeem thinks that Savon is some kind of gang. Savon's parents also think that something is going on with Savon. Hakeem wants to find out what is going on with Savon so he tries to talk with him, but Savon is always gettig mad at Hakeem. While Hakeem is in Detroit he also meets Anika, Hakeem thinks he likes Anika more than Darcy. Hakeem decides to find o$t what is going on with Savon. One night Hakeem follows Savon because their has stores robed and Hakeem thinks that Savon and his friends are the ones Robing the stores because Hakeem has found money and shoes in Savon's room and he doesn't know where it is coming from. When Hakeem follows Savon he finds out that Savon is a rapper and that's were the money is coming from.
I really enjoy reading this book. I finished this book in 2 days. I think the author made the book really intresting throughout the story that it never seem boring. I am now reading the book Until we meet again which talks about Darcy and how she feel when she has to break up with her boyfriend Hakeem. It also talks about some problems Darcy has and one of thoose problems is about Hakkem moving away. I would reccomend this book to everyone....less

[Joceline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have just read the first chapter of the book and I have already the desire to know the end of the story. +

[money swagg]

i just got finish reading blood is thicker. and it was a great book.it was about a boy who name is hakeem.and his parents had to move to detroit from california.so hakeem had live there with his aunt and uncle and there son savon .so there had been problem in the neighborhood.so hakeem thought it was savon but because savon had been leave the house late at night hakeem was thinking it was him so.then one night hakeem had sneak out the house we savon had so hakeem follow him and.savon had went to this club and turn to found out that it was not savon do the crime he was sneaking out because he was a up coming rapper

[Blakelynnorwood611 Norwood]

What kept me reading this book was how the detail was that the author put into every page. It felt like I was actually inside of the book. The way the author wrote kept me interested the whole time I was reading. Also I could relate with the character’s with the problems the dealt with throughout the book. The book was very dramatic; every page had a new twist to it. I thought that it was interesting to keep reading it never got boring. My favorite line from the book came from the dad at the beginning with the where getting ready to move away. The son was saying bye to his friends and the dad was watching. The dad said “I wish I didn’t have to do this to you. I’m sorry”. This line shows you that the dad didn’t want this for his kids. Also it shows the bond the dad has with his son. I was not able to predict the ending of the book. The book had many twist in it what you thought was going to happen was the total opposite of what really happen. What emotion did I feel when I was reading the book was positive and negative. It also was kind of fun to read it kept me engaged the whole time I was reading. I would recommend this book to anyone that is older than 13 it isn’t just for kids. I think adults could get into this book and the series. It gives you a new outlook on people and how you think about them. The portion of the book that captivated me was close to the end. When one of the main characters was doing the the opposite of what you thought they were doing. You might have a negative outlook on some of the characters but it will change throughout the book.

[Kaylin Colombani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book because It was talking about 3 people and what happen In there life The reason I like this book because It was talking about 2 boys and one of the boys wanted to make the other boy go out with Dracy but she did want to so that was when she said you just messed up are friend ship really bad and it took me a long time to be hakens friend. But after all of that she said you know something i really do like him you were right but i just did want to say anything because i was scared that he was going to tell the hole school about it that was why i did say anything to you or him about it because the really reason was I was scared that you guys were going to tell everybody in the school. But i think now I am ready to tell him that i like him. The other kid said why did you think i was going to tell the hole school that you like me and the turht is i will not tell anybody that you like me but the really truth from me to I really do like you to. I love the ending of the book because they got togehter and they lived happy.

[Lynnika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a boy that has moved with his dad to go live with his cousins. So far he likes it their when he meets a girl that likes him. But little you know, the girl is his cousins girlfriend. He is very over protective of her too.


THIS BOOK IS THE BEST!!!! I wonder why I love this book so much? The people in this book, I can relate to the people he has to do things he dont want to do but, he does it. In my point of view, I understand what he is going through.

[Jocelyn]

that u need to control anger and to tell what ever u see cause u never know

[VANCE!!!!!!! Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Response: I think it was an interesting book to read. At the beginning of the book Hakeem and his family move to Detroit because of his dad's cancer. I think it was a jerk move to be mean like Savon was to Hakeem cause he was in a time of need, Hakeem didn't move there because he wanted to. Hakeem was so sad that he lost Darcy. I thought it was going to take him longer to find another girl, but as soon as he met Anika, Darcy was set in his past.

Plot: The book starts out with Hakeem and his family are moving to Detroit. Hakeem has to leave Darcy and he is really sad about it. So they fly to Detroit and when they get there Hakeem and Savon are unpacking the luggage from the car. In the story right when Savon saw Hakeem, Savon was mean to him. When Savon and Hakeem get in the house Savon whines about Hakeem taking his room and leaves. So the rest of the family have dinner and the parents have a conversation about how they wish Savon was more like Hakeem. Hakeem doesn’t like that they think of him as an angel so he gets mad and goes upstairs to get his journal, then he grabs his guitar and goes to the back porch. Hakeem plays his guitar to relieve stress so he starts playing and that is when he meets Anika. She says how good he sounded and then her grandma calls her back. So Hakeem goes back inside and goes to bed. In the night, Hakeem wakes up and it was Savon and he was climbing in the window. Hakeem was wondering what Savon was doing all night. So a couple of nights later Hakeem follows Savon to his secret destination that Hakeem is curious about, Hakeem thinks he is a robber. When they get to where Savon is going it turns out that he is a rapper and performs at a nearby club at night. Before this Hakeem learns that his father's Cancer is gone so they can go home soon. When Hakeem and Savon get home Savon's dad threatens to kick Savon out of the house, but Hakeem and the rest of the family stop him from doing that. And at the end of the story Hakeem and Savon start getting along and Hakeem gets to move back home and see Darcy and the rest of his old friends that he was missing.

Characterization: Hakeem is a high school boy who has to be strong for his family but doesn’t want to be. Savon is a misunderstood teenager who isn’t actually doing anything wrong, but because his dad thinks it ain't worth his time he gets yelled at. Savon’s dad is a hard working man who lives at work and he is hard on his kids cause he thinks it is good for them. Hakeem’s dad is a thoughtful man because of the cancer journey that he has been on.

Impacts of Setting: The book takes place right after school gets out in the summer. I think that is the most significant thing about the story because that is when most high school students go out and have fun. But because Hakeem’s dad had cancer Hakeem can’t be a little immature teenager, he has to be the man of the house.

Thematic Connection: The theme is just as the title says, the theme is blood is thicker. In the book, they get mad at each other, but in the end the whole family is there for each other to stop Savon’s dad from kicking him out. And when Hakeem’s family has to move so that their finances could hold up their dads medical costs without having to lose their house or have the stress of other bills.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to boys and girls in high school. People who have to be strong for their families, but they don’t really want to may also like this book. It would be a good book for them to connect with and really get into.

[Dan Tews · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Blood Is Thicker” is about a boy named Hakeem from California, who had to move to Detroit, Texas because his dad got a severe case of cancer. When the family had to move they could not afford to take all of their things with them. Hakeem left all of his friends back in California, including his girlfriend. When Hakeem got to Detroit, Texas he did not have any friends. The only people he knew where his aunt, uncle and his cousin Savon. Hakeem and Savon did not get along very well, because Hakeem was a better kid than he was, grades wise. Later on when Hakeem was playing his guitar, when a girl started talking to him. She was his next door neighbor, her name was Anika. She was the first person to talk to Hakeem and one of the only people to talk to Hakeem during this whole book. Hakeem and Savon get into a fight at the house, because of how Savon was treating Hakeem. There was also a few robberies on main street and the only store to not be robbed was Savon’s dad’s store. Hakeem suspects that Savon is in on the robberies of those stores. Hakeem tries to talk to Savon about it, but Savon gets upset with Hakeem and a fight breaks out between the two of them.


Hakeem is a 16 year old boy that has had a rough time, because his dad is really sick and no one knows if he is going to survive. Hakeem is a hard working kid that had no choice but to leave all of his friends back in California. He gets good grades in school, he likes to help his uncle at his uncle’s furniture store, and he loves to play his guitar. He loves to play guitar because it helps him relieve all of his stresses. When he was younger he had a speech problem, when he sings it seems to not affect him.


The setting of the book starts off in a small town in California. It is summer break from school, he comes home one day from his girlfriend’s house, when he gets the news from his mom and dad that they are moving to Detroit, with his aunt and uncle. When they get to Detroit they get to Hakeem’s aunt and uncle’s house in a small neighborhood, that has a lot of houses with boarded up windows and doors. The neighborhood looks like the ghetto, and the people that live there look like gang members and look like bad people.


The theme of the story is that no matter how bad things may seem, they will get better even when you think that they will not. I think the author is trying to say that some people have a rough life but what this boy has gone through is very rough, and if you think you have it bad, there is always someone out there that is going through worse than what you are going through.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about small town kids going through hard times. This book is an easy read that can be read with in a weekend. This book would be a great book to read during school for a class project, or for just something to do on a boring weekend.

[Gυαdαℓυρє · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Report
This book talks about Hakeem moving away to Detroit. When Hakeem moves to Detroit he breaks up with his girlfriend Darcy. This book is about Hakeem and his cousin Savon having problems. Hakeem thinks that Savon is some kind of gang. Savon's parents also think that something is going on with Savon. Hakeem wants to find out what is going on with Savon so he tries to talk with him, but Savon is always gettig mad at Hakeem. While Hakeem is in Detroit he also meets Anika, Hakeem thinks he likes Anika more than Darcy. Hakeem decides to find o$t what is going on with Savon. One night Hakeem follows Savon because their has stores robed and Hakeem thinks that Savon and his friends are the ones Robing the stores because Hakeem has found money and shoes in Savon's room and he doesn't know where it is coming from. When Hakeem follows Savon he finds out that Savon is a rapper and that's were the money is coming from.
I really enjoy reading this book. I finished this book in 2 days. I think the author made the book really intresting throughout the story that it never seem boring. I am now reading the book Until we meet again which talks about Darcy and how she feel when she has to break up with her boyfriend Hakeem. It also talks about some problems Darcy has and one of thoose problems is about Hakkem moving away. I would reccomend this book to everyone.

[Maria Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Just Finished Reading Blood Is Thicker By Paul Langan. Hakeem Doesn't Know If He Can Take It Anymore. First, He Finds Out His Dad Is Sick And His Parents Can No Longer To Pay Rent. Then He Realizes He Has To Leave All His Friends At Bluford High, And Has To Move In With His Uncle In Detroit. I Got Really Into The Book When Hakeem Moved In With His Uncle In Detroit Because It's Basically A New Life For Him Especially Since He Had To Share A Room With His Cousin Savon Since They Had Gotten Really Distant Throughout The Years. I Would Recommend This Book To Anybody That Likes Books That Shows Some Of The Problems That We Have Today Or Just Simply Someone That Likes To See What Other Teens Have To Go Through On A Daily Basis.

[Caleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

React
The part i think was really good is Hakeem's father victory over cancer and he and his cousin Savon got along when he knew he wasn't a criminal when he was just misunderstood because i was totally convinced that Savon was a criminal and had a terrible attitude toward his family when Hakeem discovered silver chains, new rap DVD's and loads of cash, but he was just misunderstood and felt neglected by his father and he thought about how Hakeem's a perfect student. And another good thing is Hakeem made a new friend named Anika but the realy sad part is she had to put into foster care because her grandma was sick had to go to a nursing home but she sent a letter in Hakeem's diary when he left it before he left to the store to help uncle James with the furniture and the letter said she's going to California untli she gets grabbed by the state and the shocking and exciting part was when Savon and Hakeem fought each other when Hakeem was furious, then after that Uncle James threaten him to move then he didn't gladly because Hakeem and Savon had a serious talk about what's going on in there life.

[Alejandro72 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about a boy named Hakeem who has moved to Detroit because the economy was getting bad and Hakeem's dad could get a better job over at Detroit. He then has to leave his girlfriend Darcy. When he was on his way to Detroit he was remember about his cousin Savon, who was his also his bestfriend back then when he lived in Detroit. Savon back then was so called thick. Now his parents and uncles say he's buff and stronger now. When they get to there uncle's house in Detroit, Hakeem finds out that he has to sleep in Savon's room which he doesnt really like. When he first goes into his room he sees cd's and expensive stuff in his room. THe room was a mess, with two beds and a desk in there. To Hakeem, Savon doesn't really like him. Savon always with his friends hanging out and talking. Hakeem then turned out to work with his unlce at a store that sells furniture and other house stuff. Before Hakeem started working he had maeet a girl named Anika who he starts to like. She noticed him when he was playing His guitar to let his feelings out. They started a friendly bond.

When Hakeem was eating dinner with the family, Savon got home and started walking to his room with a bag full of stuff. Hakeem had thought he was a thief because of all the expensive stuff he had seen all over his room. When Savon was out stores would be robbed so thats what Hakeem thought. He even caught Savon sneak back in his room from the outside into his room window. When Hakeem was finished eating he went to Savon to confront him for once. He told him he knew how he was getting his money and stuff. Savon got mad and started a big argument that his uncles and parents heard from the first floor. They then ended up fighting fist to fist which then Hakeems uncle comes in and starts yelling at Savon. He said that blood is thicker than water and that they are family so they shouldnt be fighting like that.

When Hakeem was playing his guitar Savon came and started to tease him a little about him playing the guitar, then Savon's friends start coming up the road which then Savon goes to. Hakeem over heard them talking about sneaking out around midnight to go do something, and that they hope they get there before the cops shows up. Hakeem got even more suspicous. When he was playing the guitar Anika showed up again to talk to Hakeem. They then started talking and then Hakeem went to Anika's house to teach her how to play the guitar.

When Hakeem got back to the house he noticed that he had left his notebook that had his songs and personal stuff that had happened in his life. He decided to get it back tomorrow so he ate dinner and went to sleep. He was then woken up of noises that Savon was making. Savon was coming in from the window and then putting stuff in his drawer and then going to sleep. When he went back to work his uncle was told that another store had been robbed. Hakeem had a thought that Savon had something to do with the robbery.

The next day he went to Anika's house to pick up his notebook that he thought he had left. No one answered so he went inside because it was a little opened. He went inside and saw old photos and went upstairs and found a notebook that talked about her grandma being put in a place for old retired people. Then that Anika would have to be put in a foster home. It said that she has moved to Los Angeles to escape that. Hakeem then left, went home, and ate.

Hakeem was asleep when he heard Savon going out the window and leaving. Hakeem wanted to get down to this and got up and followed Savon. They started going somewhere far from the house. They ended up at a club. Hakeem was able to get in and saw Savon on stage rapping. He then found out that he's been making his money by rapping. Hakeem went to the bathroom and started being picked by some boy and wouldn't let him leave. Hakeem was in trouble intil Savon found him and got him out and back to the house. They talked on the way and Hakeem started saying sorry for thinking he was a thief. When they got home they saw that everyone was up freaking out that Hakeem and Savon weren't in bed. Savon got yelled at the most and was on the line to getting kicked out of the house. Savon then the next day made a deal with his dad, which was also one of the times they finally talked, and said that if he worked at the store that his parents would have to see him rapping at the forth of July party at the club. Hakeem then got a call about Darcy and how she needed to see him very badly. Savon had the money for the ticket to the plane and Hakeem took it and promised to pay him back. Hakeen went to Los Angeles and spent some time there and came back. When he came back he got a package from Anika with a note and some other stuff in it. He read it over and over and then finally threw it away and went on with his life.

[Evelyn Arias · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like bluford series book , blood is thicker is probably one of my favorite books from the bluford series. I would recommend this book for anyone, especially since they are short books but very interesting to read. It will get you into reading so i recommend it .

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

So The book i’m going to talk about is the same book i read last time it’s called blood is thicker. If you already know the book and read it. you maybe know the whole ropes what i mean is you know whats going on in this book. So Blood is thick is maybe if i remeber is the 8th book of the blueford serious.so the book is about 2 kids and thier cousins but the main character is Hakeen and his dad has cancer so him and his famliy go detriot to stay with Hakeen’s cousin Savon. So him and Hakeen haven't seen each other for 7 or 10 years. so pretty much Savon change like a lot like he’s strong and not fat anymore.


So the author who wrote the book is named by Paul Langan and D.M blackwell they the book. So these 2 are not the creators of the blue ford serious. There like others who wrote the blue ford serious but he wrote this book. so what Paul wanted to make in this book is a story about family and helping and supporting and getting deep into the action of the book. so yeah he wrote this book.


So now i going to talk about my claim. So my claim is that the author is uses dialogue, revealing actions and readers know more than the character to show the characters motivation. So thats my claim i had 2 claims so i decided to stick these claim together and make on together. The reason why the author is focusing and using dialogue is because he wants you to keep reading the book and also making it interesting for you to read and more stuff. and the reason why he’s revealing actions is to still get you into the action of the book and keep going but these actions are little and they make you read the book more so yeah. So thats all about my claim theres more but i decided to go to one claim and make it kinda short.


Ok so now i’m going to review the book. Blood is thicker reads like a movie in my opinion. The author was consecrated on the characters more than their action also the dialogue is interesting. The most important thing is the ending the ending is one of my favorite because when the book ended i was like in the theater just by reading a book and also it make me think that there will be a sequal be it’s not but hope they did because of the letter of the ending just kill it all i was like wow. I got to say Blood is thicker is a really good book like for reals. This book is worth your money and time also every time when you read you want to keep going because it’s so intertrising and i like those kind of books because they keep you entertain and it’s not that boring at all. so thats my review of Blood is thicker.

So now i’m going to end it right now and when i mean that i mean that i’m done writing this. So Blood is Thicker is down right a really great book. this book is cool and more. this doesn't even need that fantasy stuff you know no it focus on real stuff that people have to deal with. The writing and the dialogue are the best and they keep going. One thing i really hope is that if there was a second or a sequel about this book because the characters and the ending make you want to find more in the book. So it’s a really good book. So thats my conclusion about Blood is Thicker.

[Shahaad · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book "Blood is thicker" By Paul Langan is a great addition to the Bluford series as a whole. It introduces new strong characters, has great story telling and gives the series a new look.

"Blood Is Thicker" is about one of the main characters of the series (Hakeem) leaving Bluford high after his family makes the decision to move because they can't afford his fathers medical bills and to pay their house bills, so ultimately they decide to move to Detroit. In Detroit they move in with their cousins. But there's one in peticular Hakeem's worried about, Savon. Him and Savon haven't seen eachother for ten years. Once they finally arrive and everybody reunites Hakeem realizes something super different about Savon, he notices that he's changed no longer a chubby innocent kid but a fit teen that could possibly be into the street life. Will Hakeem be able to save him before he is engulfed into that life or is he too late to stop him?

So right off the bat I gotta say that I really loved how this book used it's title. I feel like the author (Paul Langan) really did great adding the theme that "Blood is thicker than water" to the book. I love this because it really accentuates the relationship that Hakeem and Savon has/ had and how no matter what, even if he is getting into that "Street life" that at the end of the day they're still blood (Family) and Blood will always be thicker than water. No matter how many "friends" he's made or respect he's gained on the street Savon and Hakeem still used to be super close , so Hakeem wants to save an old cousin. I also like How the author (Paul Langan) takes risks in this installment of the series. He does this by one doing the unexpected by not only giving Hakeem's father cancer but breaking Hakeem and Darcy up because both have been a pivotal part of the Bluford series and Hakeems story ark and by stripping that away gives the chance for the reader to experiment with a new formula. Two he does this by making a book that doesn't even take place in Bluford high but Detroit. With all new charcters themes and setting. My third and final thing that I like about this book is how the author utilizes Savon's ex (Anika). I like how the author does this because he uses her as some what of a tool for Hakeem and the reader to fill us in on the ten years that have been misplaced. She does this by explaining what he's been into, how he's been acting and it all just further expands Hakeems mission for this book, to save his cousin from "getting himself killed."

In short I really liked this book and I have nothing bad to say about it. The book handles all their characters to their full extent and in my opinion this is the best installment yet. It does so great at world building and setting up new story arcs, that a newcomer who's never read the Bluford series can read this and still enjoy it. So in closing this book was great and I really enjoyed it, I recommend it to old comers and newcomers to the Bluford Series or anyone that just loves emotion fueled books.

[Logan Kicherer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal response
This book started out kind of boring. There was not much happening other than two families moved in with each other. Then later in the book, the boy got a job and makes a friend. It took a little bite for the book to really get started and bring in other characters. I kind of thought this book was going to have a little bit more to it, like fighting or some action, but it really did not. All around it was a pretty good book.

Plot
This book started in California where Hakeem grew up, but then had to move to Detroit, Michigan. Hakeem had to move to Michigan, because his dad got injured on the job. He could not work anymore, so they did not have a lot of money. Hakeem was not very excited to move there, because he was going to miss his best friend. Hakeem’s family moved in with his cousins. When he first got there, Hakeem and his cousin did not get along. Hakeem earned a job at his uncle's store. He was actually excited until he realized that work was a lot harder than he thought. Hakeem did have one good thing happen to him when he got there. He met a girl. She was able to keep Hakeem occupied and kept his minds off of things.

Characterization
Hakeem- Hakeem was the main character. He became the man of the house after his dad got in a accident and could not work. Hakeem was also very kind and looking for to help people out.

Charline - Charline is Hakeem’s sister. She loves Hakeem to death. She also has a twin sister name Charmaine.

Charmaine- Charmaine and Charlines are twin sisters. They are almost exactly the same. They go everywhere together and just adore Hakeem.

Savon- Savon is Hakeems cousins. Hakeem and Savon did not get along. Since the day Hakeem got there, Savon thought he was trying to steal his family, his house, and his job.

Impact of Setting
This book took place in Detroit, Michigan where Hakeem and his family had just moved. This book took place in modern day, because there was a lot of robing and gangs. They had to move because of finance issues. The impact of all this was, Hakeem had to leave all of his friends behind. He and his family moved in with his cousins. The house was already too small for one family and with two families it got a lot tighter. A plus to all of this, was that Hakeem got a job. This not only helped his family with finance problems, but showed him how to take responsibility for things.

Recommendation
I would recommend this book to both boys and girls from seventh grade and up. This book doesn't have a lot of action so if the reader likes action books, I would not recommend this book. This book is not very big but the wording is strong. If people are just looking for a good book with a good story line, this is a good book. I rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars.

[Issac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read “Blood is Thicker”, and I thought that it was fantastic. Some parts of it I can really relate to the way Hakeem and Savon used music to get away from everything in their lives. As if the stress and commotion with Hakeem and his family moving in from California. I feel like the author did a great job on really getting in depth on the events of the story. Though there are a lot of small events, the author really goes into them with detail.

Some major events that had taken place were when they first moved to Detroit. Hakeem had to leave all of his friends from Bluford to go live in Detroit. They family had to move because the father had cancer, and they could not afford to stay where they were at. Once they got to Detroit it wasn't what Hakeem expected. Savon especially because he wasn't how he used to be when they were kids. Hakeem’s uncle owned a furniture store that Hakeem started to work at. Hakeem seemed more responsible than Savon and the whole family always said that they wish Savon was like Hakeem. Savon hated when they said that, it seemed that he even hated Hakeem for it. After Hakeem tried to find out more about why Savon was always out of the house late at night. He thought it had something to do with the robberies downtown. But, it turned out Savon is just a rapper. All pf that money and new stuff that he had was from rapping late at night. I would also like this review if I was the 11th grade English teacher.

Anika is a girl that Hakeem grew to like. He tries to replace Darcy, his ex girlfriend from back home. Savon, Hakeem’s cousin, was chubby as a kid but lost weight and got into weightlifting and is ripped. He has really changed because he’s into these gangs and has that street/gangster attitude. Hakeem’s father had really bad cancer and that is why they had to move to Detroit.

The setting of this story took place mostly in Detroit where Hakeem and his family had to move to. Some of the story also took place at Hakeem's Unlces furniture store. Also at Anika's Grandmother's home. They did live in California. The time of this story is modern day.

This book was really good in my opinion. It drug me in like the usual Paul Langan books. They good into great detail with the small things and I can relate to a lot of things in this book. I really recommend for people to read these books, even if they hate reading because it really does pull you in. I'm looking forward to read more books from Paul Langan.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood is thicker by Paul Langan is a good book. If u guess by looking at the title blood is thicker you could probably think it has something to do with family, and it does this book is about Family trying hard to make it through some bad that has occurred. This book is set around Hakeem and his family and the issues they are having. The main characters in this book are: Hakeem, his dad, Savon (that’s a new one for you Savon is Hakeem’s cousin), Anika (another unexpected person Anika is someone that Hakeem meets on his journey that he is taking in this book). Those are basically all the characters.


Hakeem’s father isn’t doing very well his father has cancer and is starting to fall weak. He gets weaker and weaker everyday so his parents decide to move into the house with their brother (Hakeem’s uncle (you will also meet Anika and Savon while he’s there). When he moves there he leaves Darcy and his friends (Tarah, Cooper, etc.) which is hard on himself. When he gets there it doesn’t get any better he meets his cousin Savon who teases him for being a goody goody boy, because his parents don’t look up to him as a good boy due to the bad music and sneaking in and out of the house and other stuff that he does. Savon isn’t a bad person he just believes in a dream that his father and mother don’t approve of and he is tired of his parents telling him how much of a good student Hakeem is (therefore he gives Hakeem a hard time). If that isn’t enough drama and thinking for happen he meets this girl named Anika. While hes’ talking to Anika sparks begin to fly and things begin to happen. WAIT WAIT WAIT well what happens to Darcy… soon he begins to think about that and everything starts catching up to him .What is he going to do. If that’s not enough Cooper calls and tells him about Darcy’s grandmother passing away .Well now what is he going to do? He can go with Anika and forget about Darcy, he can comfort Darcy in her time of need, or he can snap from all the confusion and drama. Which will he do…. You will have to read to the end to find out what happens, but trust me when you find out it will be worth the suspense and worth the wait. Maybe I can give you a hint... in the end something violent and sweet will occur and when it does you will love the ending and want to move on to the next book.

[Aaron_ebert · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Blood is Thicker" by Paul Langan is a book about a young man named Hakeem who is riddled with family issues. Hakeem's father has recently been diagnosed with cancer and has been undergoing treatments for several months. The family could no longer pay their bills and were forced to move to Detroit to live with Hakeem's Uncle James. Hakeem and his cousin Savon used to have a good relationship when they were younger, but since the move to Detroit, Savon has been giving Hakeem the cold shoulder. Savon feels Uncle James compares him to Hakeem and it causes Savon to feel a hatred toward Hakeem. A breakout of burglaries in the neighborhood causes Hakeem to worry about Savon. He's been noticing Savon sneak out of the house every night and and he always seems to have new things. One night Hakeem decided to follow Savon to "the club". He found Savon rapping and realized he was very good. When he went to congratulate Savon, he got surrounded by a gang. Savon walked into the bathroom just n time to rescue Hakeem from the gang.

Hakeem is a strong young man who does everything he can to help his family through hard times. Even though he's struggling in life, he never shows it. Savon is a very angry young man who is constantly judged by his father and doesn't necessarily make wrong decisions, but doesn't do as he's told. Anika is Savon's neighbor's granddaughter and is about the same age as the two boys. She can't stand living with her grandmother because she is forced to take care of her. She ends up moving to California to live with her uncle. Hakeem's father is a man who can't work due to his cancer.

The story takes place mostly in Detroit. The places that are most frequently mentioned are the laundromat, Hakeem's uncle's house, his uncle's business, Anika's house and "the club".

What I got out of this book is "don't judge a book by it's cover". I feel the way Savon was treated wasn't fair. We should get to know people before placing judgement.

I would recommend this book to teenagers and young adults. I feel this book could relieve people of some stress because some teenagers go though things like this everyday, and it shows someone who overcame it.

[Ihoodpr · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book report is on the book Blood is thicker, by Paul Langan.
the book was established in 2004 by townsend press,its a book based on Family Troubles.
This Book Has 256 Padges,and may take a little to as much as 2 Days to Fully read it.
Some Of The Main Characters Are Hakeen,Savan,Hakeedms Dad,Hakeems Mom,Savons Mom ,And Dad,And Anika.
The Settings are Hakeems Old House In Cali,Blueford High,Haakeems Uncles house,and Job,Laundrymat,And Night Club(where Savon Was Rapping).

Setting Is At Hakeems Ucles House.
Hakeem Is The Good Guy,And Some Choices He Had To Make Was To Break Up With His Girl Friend,And Decline His Friends "Coop" Offer To Stay With Him.
One Major Conflict In The Story Is That Hakeem ,And His Cuzin Savon Were Best Of Friends Some Where Along The Line They Broke Apart ,And Now That Him ,And Hakeem Are United Savon Is Actn Like A real Jerk To Hakeem ,And Hakeem Wants To Kno Why
The Bad Guy In The Story Is Savon.
The Other Characters In The Story Are Savons ANd Hakeems Parents And Savans Friends.

The Themes Presented In The Book Are Happy,Sad,lost,and Betrial.
The messages the aurthor is trying to bring is that family is more important then anything in the world.
The characters help give the message bye showin how they lost touch but began to become close again when they realize how important they are
The discions i disagree with are Savons,he chooses to be with his boys instead of family.i dissagree beacuse friends only last but so long..family last forever
the characters action better help us understand the story by goin into dialog tellin us how they really feel and givin us that 1st person view of things.

What i Like about the book is that its the truth and give's a real powerful and true meaning of the topic
What i didnt like about the book was THAT IT WAS TOO SHORT

I recomend That EVERYONE reads this book itll teach you allot and help you learn why you should love family.

[Shiane Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Is Thicker !
The Bluford Series are very good books and today I am going to be telling you about Blood Is Thicker . Now Blood Is Thicker is a very deep book you can end up crying or laughing .There are a lot of characters , themes , conflicts , climaxes , symbols , metaphors , and similies .

You might know the character Hakeem Randall From the book Lost And Found and that's another Bluford Series Book . Hakeem is a very smart boy and he is Darcy's boyfriend this story takes place in Detroit at his uncle's house.Now you know every story have a conflict in this book the conflict is Hakeem have to leave his girlfriend Darcy and his friends to go live in Detroit . Because his dad is sick and his parents can no longer afford their home Anymore .The climax in this story is when Hakeem didn't shoot his cousin Hakeem was going to shoot Savon because he kept picking with him.Themes are very important in a book Blood Is Thicker theme is you should never give up on your family.Hakeem was going to go back to Bluford but , him and Savon talked about there issues and they became the best of friends again.

In this essay that I did on Blood Is Thicker I did it different because I put a symbol in it the symbol of this book is a heart . I chose a heart because its a lot of love if you read the book than you would know why I chose a heart.There are also a lot of Metaphors and Similies In this book.A similie in this book is "The tears in her eyes were like daggers slicing deep into her heart"A metaphor in this book is " similes turn to frowns ".

Clearly I have read a lot of Bluford Series because I be so into them they are wonderful books.I can't stress enough how much I live these books I can't stress enough about how much I think you should read the whole series . I can promise you your going to like them it's going to make you start doing essays on them too .

[Regino Leon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood is Thicker
In the beginning Hakeem is breaking up with Darcey and is heading to Detroit because his father who couldn't pay the bills with his cancer. They moved in with his uncle James and his cousin Savon. He hated the place and he wasn't on good terms with his cousin Savon. Savon would tease him a lot which made Hakeem wonder why he hated him. Then he over heard about Savons plans on Friday but couldn't hear what they were doing on Friday. The next morning Hakeem was then put to work at his uncle's store. Later went outside to play his guitar in frustration when a beautiful girl starts talking to him. Her name was Anika and she was very flirty with him. The next day a store near his uncles was robbed. He was worried because it sounded kinda like Savon was doing it. After all every time he sneaks out a store is robbed. Eventually Hakeem follows Savon at night and when he does he discovers Savon is actually a rapper. When Hakeem is leaving he heads to the bathroom when he is jumped by freshman looking kids. Before he was about to get beat but then he was saved by Savon who then took him home.

Characterization
Hakeem the main character is a tall kindhearted teenage guy who plays the guitar very well. Darcey was Hakeems ex girlfriend that he loved very much, but had to break up because of the move. Anika is a slim and well fit girl who has all the guys wanting her. Savon is Hakeem’s more built but not taller cousin who date Anika before, and said she is bad news. uncle James who is Savons dad let Hakeem and his family stay at there house in Detroit.


The time of the book was probably during the 1990’s and up because of some of the old school stuff in it. Place of the book is in Detroit and in California in Bluford High School.

I would recommend this book to people that like mysteries and a little bit of drama.

[Jennifer Veliz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book called blood is thicker. Is a story about a boy named Hakeem who finds out that his dad is sick of cancer and they can't afford their home because his dad can't work so much anymore. Then he gets the news that he has to leave his friends and girlfriend at Bluford High and he has to go live at Detroit with his family. He has a cousin there called Savon and they used to get along pretty good when they were young but once he got there, he knew it had all changed. His cousin seemed to hate him because he was always been compared to Hakeem by his dad. Everything was going bad when Hakeem got there but then he met a girl and not everything was bad anymore. Hakeem had to share a room with his cousin and he noticed Savon would snick out at night. Hakeem knew many stores had been robbed except for the one that his uncle owned so he was suspicious about his cousin and how he was getting a lot of money without even working at his own dad's store. Hakeem thinking his cousin was going to rob a stored one night,he followed him but he finds out his cousin was not doing anything bad. Turns out Savon was singing rap at a club where he earned a lot of money but he had to sing behind his dad's back because his dad would not listen to him. At the end everything between savon and his dad got better. And Hakeems goes back to Bluford with the money Savon Let Hakeem Borrowed, Because his ex-girlfriend's grandmother died and he wanted to be there for her.
I personally like this book because it is something that could actually happen in real life and it really got my attention. It is a book full of love, tension and mysterious chapters. I recommend this book to people that like reading real life stories about teenagers who start their life bad and end up having success.

[John Jorgensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was good. The way the author told the story, he did a good job getting the point across to the reader. (me)


Plot: Hakeem and his family are unsure what to do when Hakeem’s father gets ill. After his father makes the decision to move to Detroit, to live with Uncle James, the family has to say goodbye to all their friends. Hakeem says goodbye to his girlfriend and all of his friends. After moving to Detroit with Uncle James, Hakeem starts hanging out with his cousin, Savon. Going through a lot of struggles in his life, and at school, Hakeem realizes that even though he and his cousin don’t have the same bond that they used to, they are still family, and nothing can break that.


Characters: Hakeem is a teenage boy whose father is ill. Hakeem’s father is an older man who becomes ill and wants to make sure his family is taken care of. Savon is Hakeem’s cousin, who doesn’t really get along with Hakeem.


Setting and impact: the setting took place in Detroit, Michigan during the 1990’s. During this time period is a good estimation of the time of the story, because there were a lot of families living in poverty. Detroit is well known for good and bad parts of the city.
In this book, the author

Thematic connection: In this book, the main message is the importance of family. Even if one doesn’t get along with family members, family is still close and one should try their best to get along with their family.

Who and why: I would recommend this book to a high schooler who is into the Paul Langan series, male or female, would like this book. These people would really like to read this book, because the theme of the story falls into place with the other Paul Langan books.

[Norberto Leyva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hakeem Randall moves to Detroit because his father is sick and they need to live with family to afford. When they get there, Hakeem meets his cousin, Savon who has changed physically since the last time they saw each other. Savon attitude seems to change as well. Hakeem notices he leaves a lot and returns with money and jewelry. Hakeem plays the guitar and meets a beautiful girl. Savon is jealous by the relationship. Hakeem believes Savon is responsible for a break in near his father’s business. Hakeem is suspicious of Savon behavior and they end up fighting. Due to Savon suspicion Hakeem follows his cousin to a club and discovers Savon is actually a rapper and that’s why Savon was coming home with money.

Hakeem Randall is in high school and has family problems that force him and his family to move. Savon is also in high school and has changed physically and personally since the last time they saw each other as kids.

The setting takes place in Detroit and around his house. This story doesn’t specify a time, but it appears to take place in present time.

A primary theme is to not judge others by what you think you know about them. Appearance vs. reality is important because it reminds the reader to get the full facts before jumping to a conclusion.

I would recommend this book to mostly high school students due to the language that is used. Both boys and girls would enjoy this story.

[Aliyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

in this book Hakeem go threw alot like moving from his home town Califonia to Dretroit because his dad had cancer but they moved out there because, his dad could not afford the house that they used to live in. Hakeem is mad at the fact he head to leave his friends, his school, and most of all his girlfriend he dated for six months, he also broke up with her so they didnt have to have a long distance relationship. Hakeem thought once he moved to Detroit it would at least be a litle good being that his favorite cousin Savon lived out there. but the only thing was he had not seen Savon and years and knew they had lost there touch. when he did arrive Sacon did not seem to excited to see Hakeem it was like he wanted Hakeem to back home. but the only reason Savon didnt want Hakeem around was for the simple fact he knew everybody always said he should be more like Hakeem which got on his last nerve. although moving to Detroit wasnt the best thing in Hakeems eyes he started to hang out with the girl dhat lived next door. he liked her but could not stand the fact that his cousin Savon dated her to. but everything turned out fine when Hakeems dad wetnto the doctor and they found he was gonna be alright. and although Hakeem did have connections with the girl next door he knew there was noe girl fir him but Darcy.

[Michelle Stimpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

My students have been enjoying the Bluford Series books that I keep in my classroom for years. Students get hooked and read book after book after book. I've never been much interested in them, but when I assigned this one as an independent read, I thought I'd better read it, too. I was pleasantly surprised by it.

I'm eternally grateful for this series for turning so many of my students on to reading!

[Nico Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of drama an intense scenes. This book has interested me because of the struggle that Hakeem Randall had to go threw. The boy was told that his father is sick. Which they his dad couldn't work no more and they could no longer afford to pay there bills and that he has to make the best of it. so he had to move away from their parents house and move in with his uncle in Detroit Michigan. There the things that we're bad went out to be the worst to him. He was told that he had to share a room with his unpleasant cousin. His name is savon, was not the best of all cousin to Hakeem. They were like the best friends back when they were smaller. Hakeem liked playing the guitar,and singing but Hakeem had stuttering problems,he doesn't stutter when he sings. They didn't get along because hakeem always thought Savon was a follower and he always did everything wrong.

[Maycee Wilson]

I read Blood Is Thicker by Paul Langan. I liked this book because I never really got bored reading it I always wanted to keep reading. The main characters are Hakeem, his two little sisters, his parents, and Savon & his parents. The main conflict was that Hakeems dad had almost gotten cancer so they lost a lot of money. When they lost all that money they had to mover from California to Detroit with there cousins. Hakeem and his family haven't seen his cousins sine he was little. So when Hakeem got there him and his cousin didn't get a long and his cousin (Savon) didn't really get along with his parents either. Savons parents got along with Hakeem and Savon started getting jealous and that mad him even more mad. I would recommend this book to basically anybody because this cold be a true story & could've really happened.