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The Bridge
Thirteen-year-old Bilal Taimur was raised as a Muslim but is questioning his faith... as well as many other things that boys of his age often question. His middle-class parents were killed in a car wreck when he was ten, and he's been living with his devoutly Muslim grandfather in West Oakland, California, where he's learned the rules of inner city life... vastly different from life in the 'burbs. His best friend was murdered in a drive-by, and Bilal testified against the gang members, sending them to prison, and is now under a death sentence from the remainder of the gang. There is no witness protection for kids like Bilal, though a pair of good Oakland cops help him beyond the call of duty, and Bilal goes to live with his cousin - Quentin Tanner, also thirteen - in a small rural town in the Sacramento River Delta. Though less than two hours by bus from Oakland, it's like another planet to him, and again he must learn to adapt and make friends in a strange new environment. Meanwhile, the gang find out where he is, but it's also an alien environment for them, where friends are really friends to the end.
174 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2011
1 person is currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Jess Mowry
32 books21 followersWhy do I write?
"After almost forty years of working with kids and raising four of my own, along with a few strays -- none of whom are in prison or collecting Welfare -- not to mention over twenty years of writing books and stories for and about kids, I've found that it's a lot easier for people to be "pro-child" about some kids than it is for them to care about and champion "other" kids. Perhaps, like the animals in George Orwell's Animal Farm, some kids are more equal than others?
"Almost all my stories and books are for and about black kids, who are not always cute and cuddly. My characters often spit, sweat and swear, as well as occasionally smoke or drink. Just like their real-world counterparts, some are "overweight," may look "too black," or are otherwise unacceptable by superficial American values. Like on the real kids, they often live in dirty and violent environments, and are forced into sometimes unpleasant lifestyles.
"And virtually no one writes books or stories about them -- at least seldom in ways that don't exploit them, and/or don't glorify gangs, guns, drugs and violence. I've learned from experience that few publishers, including black ones, will publish positive books about these kids... books that don't portray them in stereotypical roles, and thus only reinforce the negative aspects of their lives.
"The result is that there very few positive books about these kids. This leaves them with no role models except stereotypes of gangsters, rappers or sports figures. Worse, virtually the only books that "white" (or more fortunate) children have to read about most black kids are also filled with these negative stereotypes. About the only exception are books in which black kids play a supporting role to a white hero.
"I have devoted my career, such as it is, to writing positive but realistic books and stories, not only for and about black kids, but also for "white" kids so they will understand that the negative stereotypes aren't true... that most black kids have other interests besides guns, gangs, drugs, violence, becoming rap stars, or playing basketball.
"When I first began writing I wanted to write many different kinds of books; adventure novels, magic, ghost stories. These were the kinds of books I grew up reading, though I often wondered why there were no black heroes, such as ship captains or airplane pilots... no black Indiana Joneses, Hardy Boys or Hobbits. But mainstream publishers only want the stereotypes: if not blatantly negative stereotypes, then only stereotypical positive images. Only what "good black kids" are "supposed" to do. What the mainstream white world expects them to dream about and aspire to be.
"I often write about violence because the U.S.A. is a violent country in a violent world and pretending it isn't doesn't help anyone. Most of my kids aren't angels, but they are being as good as they can be... which is a lot better than most people seem to think they are.
"To me, being pro-child includes all children, even kids whom it may be hard to like... especially kids who are hard to like."
"After almost forty years of working with kids and raising four of my own, along with a few strays -- none of whom are in prison or collecting Welfare -- not to mention over twenty years of writing books and stories for and about kids, I've found that it's a lot easier for people to be "pro-child" about some kids than it is for them to care about and champion "other" kids. Perhaps, like the animals in George Orwell's Animal Farm, some kids are more equal than others?
"Almost all my stories and books are for and about black kids, who are not always cute and cuddly. My characters often spit, sweat and swear, as well as occasionally smoke or drink. Just like their real-world counterparts, some are "overweight," may look "too black," or are otherwise unacceptable by superficial American values. Like on the real kids, they often live in dirty and violent environments, and are forced into sometimes unpleasant lifestyles.
"And virtually no one writes books or stories about them -- at least seldom in ways that don't exploit them, and/or don't glorify gangs, guns, drugs and violence. I've learned from experience that few publishers, including black ones, will publish positive books about these kids... books that don't portray them in stereotypical roles, and thus only reinforce the negative aspects of their lives.
"The result is that there very few positive books about these kids. This leaves them with no role models except stereotypes of gangsters, rappers or sports figures. Worse, virtually the only books that "white" (or more fortunate) children have to read about most black kids are also filled with these negative stereotypes. About the only exception are books in which black kids play a supporting role to a white hero.
"I have devoted my career, such as it is, to writing positive but realistic books and stories, not only for and about black kids, but also for "white" kids so they will understand that the negative stereotypes aren't true... that most black kids have other interests besides guns, gangs, drugs, violence, becoming rap stars, or playing basketball.
"When I first began writing I wanted to write many different kinds of books; adventure novels, magic, ghost stories. These were the kinds of books I grew up reading, though I often wondered why there were no black heroes, such as ship captains or airplane pilots... no black Indiana Joneses, Hardy Boys or Hobbits. But mainstream publishers only want the stereotypes: if not blatantly negative stereotypes, then only stereotypical positive images. Only what "good black kids" are "supposed" to do. What the mainstream white world expects them to dream about and aspire to be.
"I often write about violence because the U.S.A. is a violent country in a violent world and pretending it isn't doesn't help anyone. Most of my kids aren't angels, but they are being as good as they can be... which is a lot better than most people seem to think they are.
"To me, being pro-child includes all children, even kids whom it may be hard to like... especially kids who are hard to like."
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November 16, 2013
13-year-old Bilal was raised as a Muslim but is questioning his faith... as well as many other things that people of his age often question. Bilal's middle-class parents were killed in a car accident when he was 10, and he's been living with his devoutly Muslim grandfather in West Oakland, California, where he's learned the rules of innercity life... vastly different from life in the 'burbs. His best friend was murdered in a drive-by shooting and, partly prompted by his faith to do the right thing, Bilal testified against the gang members involved, sending them to prison. He is now under a death sentence from the remainder of the gang, who also want to kill his grandfather. There is no witness protection for kids like Bilal -- black, poor (and possibly) because he's Muslim -- though a biracial pair of Oakland cops help Bilal, both within and beyond the call of duty. For his own safety, Bilal's grandfather has to move, and Bilal is sent to live with two cousins in a small rural town in the Sacramento River Delta, an area of mostly farms and what some might call traditional American values. Though less than two hours by bus from Oakland, it's like another planet to Bilal, and again he must learn to adapt and make friends in a strange new environment while being the only black kid in town... and a Muslim on the under. Meanwhile, the gang is looking for him, and though thrown off his trail by the Oakland cops, eventually discover where he is. It's an alien environment for them, too, where the rules of thug life -- or monkey games -- don't apply as they try to hunt down their victim.
Displaying 1 of 1 review