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Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty
In August of 1994, 11-year-old Robert “Yummy” Sandifer—nicknamed for his love of sweets—fired a gun at a group of rival gangmembers, accidentally killing a neighborhood girl, Shavon Dean. Police searched Chicago’s southside for three days before finding Yummy dead in a railway tunnel, killed by members of the drug gang he’d sought to impress. The story made such an impact that Yummy appeared on the cover of TIME magazine, drawing national attention to the problems of inner city youth in America.
YUMMY: THE LAST DAYS OF A SOUTHSIDE SHORTY relives the confusion of these traumatic days from the point of view of Roger, a neighborhood boy who struggles to understand the senseless violence swirling through the streets around him. Awakened by the tragedy, Roger seeks out answers to difficult questions—Was Yummy a killer or a victim? Was he responsible for his actions or are others to blame?
YUMMY: THE LAST DAYS OF A SOUTHSIDE SHORTY relives the confusion of these traumatic days from the point of view of Roger, a neighborhood boy who struggles to understand the senseless violence swirling through the streets around him. Awakened by the tragedy, Roger seeks out answers to difficult questions—Was Yummy a killer or a victim? Was he responsible for his actions or are others to blame?
100 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2010
190 people are currently reading
6034 people want to read
About the author
G. Neri
24 books342 followersG. Neri is the Coretta Scott King honor-winning author of Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty and the recipient of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award for his free-verse novella, Chess Rumble. His books have been translated into multiple languages in over 25 countries. They include the novels Tru & Nelle, A Christmas Tale, Ghetto Cowboy, Knockout Games, Surf Mules, and two free-verse picture book bios, When Paul Met Artie and Hello, I'm Johnny Cash. In 2017, he was awarded a National Science Foundation grant that sent him to Antarctica.
Prior to becoming a writer, Neri was a filmmaker, an animator/illustrator, a digital media producer, and a founding member of The Truth anti-smoking campaign. Neri currently writes full-time and lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with his wife and daughter. You can find him online at www.gneri.com.
Prior to becoming a writer, Neri was a filmmaker, an animator/illustrator, a digital media producer, and a founding member of The Truth anti-smoking campaign. Neri currently writes full-time and lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with his wife and daughter. You can find him online at www.gneri.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,042 reviews
February 8, 2015
This graphic novel was based on the true story of Robert Sandifer aka Yummy (nicknamed for his love of candy bars and cookies) He was 11 years old.
Told from the point of view of a neighborhood boy this book was heartbreaking. It made it even worse because I knew it was a true story.
Yummy wanted to belong, his dad was in prison and his mom in and out of jail for drugs and prostitution. She lost custody of her kids and Yummy's grandmother was raising him. Along with most of the rest of her grandchildren. Yummy slipped out a whole lot and wanted to be in the local gang. They took him in because at 11 he wouldn't be charged as a felon for his crimes.
One day Yummy pulls his gun on a rival gang, but one of the neighborhood girls is killed instead. She wasn't doing anything wrong. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
This book doesn't take sides. Yummy's bad is shown along with his good. Then the victim Shavon is treated with respect also.
I had never heard of this book before now, it's a powerful one. The black and white artwork makes the story come alive and the words break you as you know what's coming but hope to somehow make it change.
Told from the point of view of a neighborhood boy this book was heartbreaking. It made it even worse because I knew it was a true story.
Yummy wanted to belong, his dad was in prison and his mom in and out of jail for drugs and prostitution. She lost custody of her kids and Yummy's grandmother was raising him. Along with most of the rest of her grandchildren. Yummy slipped out a whole lot and wanted to be in the local gang. They took him in because at 11 he wouldn't be charged as a felon for his crimes.
One day Yummy pulls his gun on a rival gang, but one of the neighborhood girls is killed instead. She wasn't doing anything wrong. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
This book doesn't take sides. Yummy's bad is shown along with his good. Then the victim Shavon is treated with respect also.
I had never heard of this book before now, it's a powerful one. The black and white artwork makes the story come alive and the words break you as you know what's coming but hope to somehow make it change.
July 6, 2010
“Sometimes stories get to you; this one left my stomach in knots. After three days of reporting, I still couldn't decide which was more appalling: the child's life or the child's death." – John Hull, TIME Magazine, Sept. 1994. When true stories get turned into graphic novels for kids, they tend to take place in the distant past. Books like James Sturm’s Satchel Paige Striking Out Jim Crow, for example. Contemporary stories, or tales that have taken place in the last 20 years, are few and far between. Picking up Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by Greg Neri, I hoped against hope that the book in my hands would be appropriate for middle grade readers. I love comics for kids, but there are really only so many tales involving kids finding magical distant lands that you can read before you want to pluck out your own eyeballs. Yummy in contrast was something entirely new. Gritty, real, willing to ask tough questions, and willing to trust that young readers will be able to reach their own conclusions. The central question is this: Can a child murderer be both victim and bully all at the same time? Don’t look for easy answers here. Neri’s not handing them out.
The real world facts are available. Here's what we know: That Robert “Yummy” Sandifer was eleven years old in 1994 when he went on the run after accidentally killing a neighbor girl. Gang violence was at its peak in the Roseland area of Chicago, and in this book a fictional neighborhood boy watches what happens to Yummy and to his own brother, both members of the same gang. The book asks hard questions as we watch Yummy’s life and strange toughness, even as his story turns tragic. An author’s note and bibliography appear at the end.
Author Greg Neri first stepped onto the children’s literary scene a couple years ago when he wrote Chess Rumble with illustrations by Jesse Joshua Watson. After that he went YA with Surf Mules, only coming back to the world of middle grade fiction with the publication of Yummy. And it is middle grade, by the way. I can already tell that the age range is going to be a big question with a lot of people. As it happens, Mr. Neri originally wrote Yummy’s story as a film script, but held off on making it into a movie because he knew that the content would earn him an R rating. And an R rating would keep the kids who most needed to hear this story from seeing it. So a middle grade graphic novel it became instead. The gun violence (or really any violence) that’s in this book is always “off-screen” so to speak. And no one could read this book cover to cover and claim that it praises gangs or gang violence in any way, shape, or manner. Most importantly, this is a story that needs to be told and it needs to be told to kids. Hand it to teens all you want (this would make a fantastic reluctant reader pick), but remember that there’s going to be nine and ten-year-olds out there as well who are ready for what Mr. Neri has to say.
You can have the nicest written graphic novel in the world, but unless you have a worthy artist to pair with the text, it’s not worth much to anyone. Enter Randy DuBurke. DuBurke has done some children’s books before, as it happens, but nothing so gritty. A couple years ago he won the John Steptoe Award for best new talent for The Moon Ring. Until now he’s never really delved deeply into the graphic possibilities behind children’s comics. Aside from the odd Malcolm X biography his comic book work has usually been relegated to the D.C. and Marvel side of things. Now he’s taken Neri’s tale and created a book that feels both realistic and as beautifully stylized as any old noir. Playing not just with expressions and characters but with light and shadow as well, it’s DuBurke’s choices that lift this book up and make it far more compelling than it would be merely on its own.
First and foremost, watch what DuBurke does with our narrator. He’s fictional, of course. A composite of the children that would have lived through that time period. So it was interesting to note that at the start, when Neri is talking about what Chicago is known for, DuBurke places the narrator in with the famous characters. He’s on the court with the Bulls, or arresting Al Capone, or singing a tune or two with Muddy Waters. So basically right at the beginning DuBurke is making it clear to the reader that this kid, like all kids, has a connection and a part to play in the history of his city. As for Yummy himself, there is one image of him that appears on everything from the cover of this book to just about the last page; his mug shot.
Then there’s DuBurke’s use of light. In a two-panel section we see Yummy next to a tall tough looking dude. The text mentions that Yummy was just four feet tall, “and maybe 60 pounds heavy.” In the first panel he’s looking up at the tall guy, eyes wide. The second panel, however, the shadows have darkened around his eyes, and his mouth is set. He’s a whole different person. Now look at the end of the book. The harsh light of the streetlamps throws everyone’s faces into white and black. Eyes get hidden, bodies get eaten up in the shadows of leaves. It’s fantastic. The whole book is a series of variegated contrasts, all black and white. That’s particularly ironic when you read the text and realize that the storyline is anything but black and white. This is a book written in shades of gray.
Such shades of gray affect all aspects of the storytelling. You read enough books like this and you begin to feel like they all hit the same beats. So when Neri writes that “Everyone had an opinion: The news guys, the politicians, the police, the lawyers, and the professors,” I expected to see a bunch of white people giving the same old, same old about gangs and violence. Instead, Neri chooses to show sympathetic professionals who may not quite get it, but aren’t pitted against Yummy either. As one man says, “This young kid fell through the cracks. If this child was protected five years ago, you save two people. You save the young woman who was killed and you save the young offender.” This was not what I expected to hear. Refreshing doesn’t even begin to describe it for me.
I felt some similarities in this book to The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon, particularly in terms of a younger brother seeing his older sibling making potentially dangerous choices outside the home. Still and all, Monster by Walter Dean Myers is probably the closest equivalent to Yummy at this time. But Monster was a study in unreliable narration and new style of prose, more than anything else. Yummy looks a little deeper what makes a human being “good” or “bad”. Is it how they’re raised? Or how they live? The choices they make? As our hero says, “I tried to figure out who the real Yummy was. The one who stole my lunch money? Or the one who smiled when I shared my candy with him? I wondered if I grew up like him, would I have turned out the same?” That’s a question any kid reading this book might ask themselves too. We have so few serious graphic novel fiction titles asking kids tough questions like this. I mean, walk over to a graphic novel section of any library or bookstore and find me the contemporary realistic fiction. It’s there, but hardly any of those books feature black characters, and the ones that do are historical. I guess Yummy is historical too, but at this point in time no kid will notice. What they’ll find instead is a book that asks tough questions and comes to the conclusion that there aren’t any easy answers. Believe me, you’ve nothing like this in your collection. Better get it while you can.
For ages 10 and up.
The real world facts are available. Here's what we know: That Robert “Yummy” Sandifer was eleven years old in 1994 when he went on the run after accidentally killing a neighbor girl. Gang violence was at its peak in the Roseland area of Chicago, and in this book a fictional neighborhood boy watches what happens to Yummy and to his own brother, both members of the same gang. The book asks hard questions as we watch Yummy’s life and strange toughness, even as his story turns tragic. An author’s note and bibliography appear at the end.
Author Greg Neri first stepped onto the children’s literary scene a couple years ago when he wrote Chess Rumble with illustrations by Jesse Joshua Watson. After that he went YA with Surf Mules, only coming back to the world of middle grade fiction with the publication of Yummy. And it is middle grade, by the way. I can already tell that the age range is going to be a big question with a lot of people. As it happens, Mr. Neri originally wrote Yummy’s story as a film script, but held off on making it into a movie because he knew that the content would earn him an R rating. And an R rating would keep the kids who most needed to hear this story from seeing it. So a middle grade graphic novel it became instead. The gun violence (or really any violence) that’s in this book is always “off-screen” so to speak. And no one could read this book cover to cover and claim that it praises gangs or gang violence in any way, shape, or manner. Most importantly, this is a story that needs to be told and it needs to be told to kids. Hand it to teens all you want (this would make a fantastic reluctant reader pick), but remember that there’s going to be nine and ten-year-olds out there as well who are ready for what Mr. Neri has to say.
You can have the nicest written graphic novel in the world, but unless you have a worthy artist to pair with the text, it’s not worth much to anyone. Enter Randy DuBurke. DuBurke has done some children’s books before, as it happens, but nothing so gritty. A couple years ago he won the John Steptoe Award for best new talent for The Moon Ring. Until now he’s never really delved deeply into the graphic possibilities behind children’s comics. Aside from the odd Malcolm X biography his comic book work has usually been relegated to the D.C. and Marvel side of things. Now he’s taken Neri’s tale and created a book that feels both realistic and as beautifully stylized as any old noir. Playing not just with expressions and characters but with light and shadow as well, it’s DuBurke’s choices that lift this book up and make it far more compelling than it would be merely on its own.
First and foremost, watch what DuBurke does with our narrator. He’s fictional, of course. A composite of the children that would have lived through that time period. So it was interesting to note that at the start, when Neri is talking about what Chicago is known for, DuBurke places the narrator in with the famous characters. He’s on the court with the Bulls, or arresting Al Capone, or singing a tune or two with Muddy Waters. So basically right at the beginning DuBurke is making it clear to the reader that this kid, like all kids, has a connection and a part to play in the history of his city. As for Yummy himself, there is one image of him that appears on everything from the cover of this book to just about the last page; his mug shot.
Then there’s DuBurke’s use of light. In a two-panel section we see Yummy next to a tall tough looking dude. The text mentions that Yummy was just four feet tall, “and maybe 60 pounds heavy.” In the first panel he’s looking up at the tall guy, eyes wide. The second panel, however, the shadows have darkened around his eyes, and his mouth is set. He’s a whole different person. Now look at the end of the book. The harsh light of the streetlamps throws everyone’s faces into white and black. Eyes get hidden, bodies get eaten up in the shadows of leaves. It’s fantastic. The whole book is a series of variegated contrasts, all black and white. That’s particularly ironic when you read the text and realize that the storyline is anything but black and white. This is a book written in shades of gray.
Such shades of gray affect all aspects of the storytelling. You read enough books like this and you begin to feel like they all hit the same beats. So when Neri writes that “Everyone had an opinion: The news guys, the politicians, the police, the lawyers, and the professors,” I expected to see a bunch of white people giving the same old, same old about gangs and violence. Instead, Neri chooses to show sympathetic professionals who may not quite get it, but aren’t pitted against Yummy either. As one man says, “This young kid fell through the cracks. If this child was protected five years ago, you save two people. You save the young woman who was killed and you save the young offender.” This was not what I expected to hear. Refreshing doesn’t even begin to describe it for me.
I felt some similarities in this book to The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon, particularly in terms of a younger brother seeing his older sibling making potentially dangerous choices outside the home. Still and all, Monster by Walter Dean Myers is probably the closest equivalent to Yummy at this time. But Monster was a study in unreliable narration and new style of prose, more than anything else. Yummy looks a little deeper what makes a human being “good” or “bad”. Is it how they’re raised? Or how they live? The choices they make? As our hero says, “I tried to figure out who the real Yummy was. The one who stole my lunch money? Or the one who smiled when I shared my candy with him? I wondered if I grew up like him, would I have turned out the same?” That’s a question any kid reading this book might ask themselves too. We have so few serious graphic novel fiction titles asking kids tough questions like this. I mean, walk over to a graphic novel section of any library or bookstore and find me the contemporary realistic fiction. It’s there, but hardly any of those books feature black characters, and the ones that do are historical. I guess Yummy is historical too, but at this point in time no kid will notice. What they’ll find instead is a book that asks tough questions and comes to the conclusion that there aren’t any easy answers. Believe me, you’ve nothing like this in your collection. Better get it while you can.
For ages 10 and up.
July 11, 2016
This is the Wikipedia biography of Robert “Yummy” Sandifer, a “shorty” member of the Gangster Disciples gang in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood who in 1994, at the age of 11, ordered to take a hit for his gang, fired into a crowd in his neighborhood and killed 14 year old neighbor Shavon Dean. With already many gang initiation felonies under his tiny belt, he himself was killed by his gang—too much bad publicity. He made the cover of Time magazine, became an international symbol of gang violence at the time, though things are worse in Chicago now than they were then.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_...
G. Neri is from LA, not Chicago, but he followed the story as we all did, sadly, wringing our hands as helplessly then as we do now re: Minneapolis, Baton Rouge, Dallas, this week’s gun violence tragedies. His story is a kind of simple elegy, an inquiry into the whys and wherefores, and in his fiction he creates a range of answers from the neighborhood, primarily. Neri doesn't romanticize the kid or try to explain his crimes away. He does his research, he listens, and respectfully tells his tale through the voice of a fictional neighborhood kid who is not in a gang (though his own brother is in the same gang).
Yummy is reminiscent of Our America by LeAlan Jones, David Isay and Lloyd Newman, and Alex Kotlowitz’s There Are No Children here, both also set in Chicago, tales of kids growing up in "bad" neighborhoods. The artwork of Randy DuBurke is pretty strong in also telling the simple and hopelessly complex tale. But without economic justice, without jobs, there are many more stories like Yummy's told in Chicago's newspapers, and will be told in the future.
Why “Yummy”? Little Robert was a killer, but he was also just a kid that liked candy, so the nickname related to that. He committed a number of felonies, but he also was allowed to carry his teddy bear to juvenile detention when he went there.
I know, it makes no sense. It didn’t then, it doesn’t now.
One reporter's view might just sum it up: I don't know what is worse, his life or his death?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_...
G. Neri is from LA, not Chicago, but he followed the story as we all did, sadly, wringing our hands as helplessly then as we do now re: Minneapolis, Baton Rouge, Dallas, this week’s gun violence tragedies. His story is a kind of simple elegy, an inquiry into the whys and wherefores, and in his fiction he creates a range of answers from the neighborhood, primarily. Neri doesn't romanticize the kid or try to explain his crimes away. He does his research, he listens, and respectfully tells his tale through the voice of a fictional neighborhood kid who is not in a gang (though his own brother is in the same gang).
Yummy is reminiscent of Our America by LeAlan Jones, David Isay and Lloyd Newman, and Alex Kotlowitz’s There Are No Children here, both also set in Chicago, tales of kids growing up in "bad" neighborhoods. The artwork of Randy DuBurke is pretty strong in also telling the simple and hopelessly complex tale. But without economic justice, without jobs, there are many more stories like Yummy's told in Chicago's newspapers, and will be told in the future.
Why “Yummy”? Little Robert was a killer, but he was also just a kid that liked candy, so the nickname related to that. He committed a number of felonies, but he also was allowed to carry his teddy bear to juvenile detention when he went there.
I know, it makes no sense. It didn’t then, it doesn’t now.
One reporter's view might just sum it up: I don't know what is worse, his life or his death?
July 1, 2011
The cheapest rents that I had in Philly were in some really gang-infested neighborhoods. It's hard to explain this to people in a place like Columbus...that in Philly, if you're freshly out of college and you work in nonprofit, education, or the arts, you probably live in a poor neighborhood of Latinos, blacks, Vietnamese, or Cambodians (or choose another ethnic ghetto). Though the gangs don't bother you (usually...some people get mugged, or have houses or cars burglarized) their violence is omnipresent. The week before we moved to Ohio, there was a double homicide on our block. Two teenage boys...each killed by the posse of the other. They were babies, and their families were crestfallen. The older gang members who had initiated them into that life and subsequently condemned them to death looked on. An old man on the block washed the blood from the sidewalk with a rubber pail. I don't think I'll ever again see something so tragic. My point is this: Yummy's story is, in certain neighborhoods, sadly commonplace. Even living in one of the most murderous cities in the country, I was nearly desensitized to it. The best writing is that which reminds us that even common acts of violence are each as tragic as the next, that they happen to real people, and that every person involved is a victim.
October 8, 2017
This was definitely an interesting graphic novel. I didn't realize that it was based on a true story and it's sad but with everything that we having going on related to guns and violence I would definitely say that this book is important. The only bad thing about it is the fact that I wanted more information from the story. It was a good start but it definitely could have been a little longer.
August 19, 2010
This graphic novel tells the true story of Robert “Yummy” Sandifer. In 1994, Yummy, called that because of his sweet tooth, fired a gun into a crowd of rival gang members. He ended up killing a bystander, a teen girl. Yummy was just 11 years old when this happened. The story is told from the point of view of Roger, another boy who knew Yummy from school and the neighborhood. Roger tries to make sense of Yummy and how he became a gang member and killer. This is made even more tangible to Roger because his own brother is in the same gang as Yummy. Throughout this book, deep questions are asked and explored.
Neri’s text creates a great platform to understand the gang wars of the 1990s and the dynamic of southside Chicago. Though the bulk of the book is from Roger’s point of view, the reader also gets to see what Yummy is going through as he hides from police and is eventually killed by his own gang. There is a real restraint in the writing that allows the drama of the tale itself to take center stage.
DuBurke’s illustrations done in black and white are a study in light and dark. Faces change as the light changes on them, becoming sinister and strange. The images are dynamic and underline the youth of Yummy and the transition from bully to killer.
A beautifully crafted graphic novel dealing in brutal subjects, this book is an important exploration of gang warfare. It is also an even more important look at childhood. Appropriate for ages 12-14.
Neri’s text creates a great platform to understand the gang wars of the 1990s and the dynamic of southside Chicago. Though the bulk of the book is from Roger’s point of view, the reader also gets to see what Yummy is going through as he hides from police and is eventually killed by his own gang. There is a real restraint in the writing that allows the drama of the tale itself to take center stage.
DuBurke’s illustrations done in black and white are a study in light and dark. Faces change as the light changes on them, becoming sinister and strange. The images are dynamic and underline the youth of Yummy and the transition from bully to killer.
A beautifully crafted graphic novel dealing in brutal subjects, this book is an important exploration of gang warfare. It is also an even more important look at childhood. Appropriate for ages 12-14.
March 9, 2017
It is very ironic that the illustrations for this true crime story in a graphic novel format are black and white because there is nothing black and white about Yummy's, an 11-year-old child murderer's, story: G. Neri doesn't take sides and he certainly does not hand out easy answers as he leaves it up to the reader to decide whether Yummy was a villain or a victim, or both.
But although Yummy tells an important and heartbreaking cautionary tale about child abuse, neglect and gang violence, it offers little more than what I gathered from the original cover story published in the September 19, 1994 edition of Time Magazine. It is not necessarily a bad thing, as this graphic novel is definitely more accessible and attractive to younger readers than a magazine article, but I personally hoped for something extra.
Also, although DuBurke expertly manipulates light and shadow to convey complex emotions in his illustrations for Yummy, occasionally I was frustrated with his artwork because it was hard to decipher what is going on or who is who. But I am also not a big fan of black and white illustrations in graphic novels in general, so please don't take my word for granted :)
But although Yummy tells an important and heartbreaking cautionary tale about child abuse, neglect and gang violence, it offers little more than what I gathered from the original cover story published in the September 19, 1994 edition of Time Magazine. It is not necessarily a bad thing, as this graphic novel is definitely more accessible and attractive to younger readers than a magazine article, but I personally hoped for something extra.
Also, although DuBurke expertly manipulates light and shadow to convey complex emotions in his illustrations for Yummy, occasionally I was frustrated with his artwork because it was hard to decipher what is going on or who is who. But I am also not a big fan of black and white illustrations in graphic novels in general, so please don't take my word for granted :)
September 1, 2017
4.25 An interesting and tragic story. I enjoyed how the author tried to show many different sides of an event that was so polarizing. I wish it had been a little more in depth and slightly more raw, but based on the intended audience it is certainly understandable that it was pretty basic.
October 22, 2019
dope & powerful visual <3 rest in power Yummy!
December 28, 2019
Yummy is true dystopia. It is the tragedy of an eleven-year-old kid caught up in the height of gang violence in 1994 in Chicago. The black-and-white art is mostly very effective, although it lead to some odd effects that occasionally stopped me cold. Neri tells the story through a peer of Yummy's, which enables him to collect the opinions of all sorts of people. I particularly like that Neri didn't slight Yummy's victim, Shavon Dean. Mostly I love that Neri showed how Yummy was both a victim and a bully, a kid with a teddy bear and a repeat felon. It's easy to pretend that real people are either good or bad, and Neri took the time to show both sides, and the confusion that elicits in the people who knew Yummy.
Library copy.
Library copy.
February 8, 2015
If you know of a reluctant reader, hand them this book.
Nicely weaved with powerful illustrations and dialogue, you get to know the story of Yummy, a sweet 11 year old boy at grandma's house but a cold-blooded Black Disciple on the streets. This is based on a true story, told from the perspective of Roger.
After shooting and killing 14 year old Shavon, Yummy is on the run to escape from the cops but to also escape from the guilt that has built up. As Roger retells the story, the readers are built up to the point where Yummy too, must face his consequences.
This book works well to engage older reluctant readers because of the type of story and because it can easily be bridged into discussion about equality, social justice and history.
Nicely weaved with powerful illustrations and dialogue, you get to know the story of Yummy, a sweet 11 year old boy at grandma's house but a cold-blooded Black Disciple on the streets. This is based on a true story, told from the perspective of Roger.
After shooting and killing 14 year old Shavon, Yummy is on the run to escape from the cops but to also escape from the guilt that has built up. As Roger retells the story, the readers are built up to the point where Yummy too, must face his consequences.
This book works well to engage older reluctant readers because of the type of story and because it can easily be bridged into discussion about equality, social justice and history.
May 18, 2023
For week towards the end of my student teaching, a copy of this stared right at me as I hid in the library grading my last round of literary analysis essays.
Yummy is set in the 1990's of Chicago's South Side. The novel attempts to track down the violence that occurred resulting in the death of Yummy. Roger, one of the local neighborhood kids begins to ask the questions surrounding the events. Was Yummy a killer or just another kid who got caught up with senseless, dangerous violence?
Yummy is set in the 1990's of Chicago's South Side. The novel attempts to track down the violence that occurred resulting in the death of Yummy. Roger, one of the local neighborhood kids begins to ask the questions surrounding the events. Was Yummy a killer or just another kid who got caught up with senseless, dangerous violence?
January 9, 2022
What a gut-wrenching graphic novel; from the haunting black and white illustrations to the horrific subject matter to the fact that Yummy was only a fifth-grader when all of this occurred made this out to be a melancholic yet gripping story from beginning to end. It saddens me deeply to remember that this story does not exist in a vacuum, but that it’s a true story that left an entire community grieving. I think that the black and white art style worked perfectly for this story, not only due to the historical lens it places onto the setting but because it harshly outlines the pure anger, fear, and sadness of all the characters. My only issue with this book is how the author chose to tie the themes of the story together. At the end of the book, the fictitious main character Roger says that although the answers as to what lead Yummy’s life down the path it went are complicated, as long as the community tries to stick together then things might be okay. I acknowledge that this is a middle grade novel and these topics can be tricky to discuss with children, but to completely disregard the effect redlining and systemic racism has on Black communities and the children living in them is not the best way to tackle this subject matter. If the power of family and community is supposedly the driving force away from these systems of corruption, how are children like Yummy who have no support system at home supposed to progress through society? Other than that, this was an incredibly visceral depiction of a historic American tragedy.
May 30, 2023
This graphic novel was loaned to me by a colleague of mine at Mather High School. The book has won the Coretta Scott King Book Award for Author Honor (2011) and was nominated for the Rhode Island Teen Book Award (2012) and the James Cook Book Award (2011).
In Chicago in 1994, 11-year-old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer attempts to prove himself to the Black Disciples - a notorious, violent Chicago gang - by executing a rival gang member. Instead, Yummy ends up murdering 14-year-old Shavon Dean, an innocent bystander, right outside her home. Immediately after Shavon's death, the police begin a manhunt for Yummy. As all this is happening, young Roger - our fictitious narrator - begins following the stories about Yummy closely, trying to figure out what went wrong in Yummy's life and why he ended up on a path of crime and violence.
This graphic novel is based in part on the real-life tragedy of Shavon Dean and Robert “Yummy” Sandifer that took place during the summer of 1994 in Chicago. While the circumstances surrounding, and the aftermath of, the shooting are true, the narrator - Roger - and his family have been made up as a way to guide the reader through the story. Author G. Neri also invents aspects of Yummy, such as his thoughts, feelings, and whereabouts as the entire city is on the lookout for him. Although part of the story is based on actual events, I felt that fictional parts made it a better candidate for historical fiction than historical nonfiction.
This book really hits all the points for historical fiction as outlined by Children’s Books in Children’s Hands. It is well written, the setting is brought to life in several ways (mostly visual), the characters and conflicts are authentic and plausible, and the themes of the story (the need for transformative and social justice; understanding that people are an accumulation of thoughts and actions and shouldn’t be stereotyped into any one category; grappling with compassion for those who commit heinous acts) are relevant for readers today. This is a hard hitting, eye opening story that dives into the unsavory realities of what some urban youth experience and asks “how did we get here?”.
The art style of Randy DuBurke adds to the gritty reality of the narrative. DuBurke uses only black and white illustrations to bring the story to life, giving the whole graphic novel a noir mystery feeling. But the stark black and white illustrations also underscore the seriousness of the subject matter. If color was added to the pages, I think the overall style would lack the visual impact it has. I also think the lack of color makes Chicago feel like an uncaring beast looming in the background - always poised to swallow up its weakest and most unwanted citizens.
Based on the grim nature of the subject matter, and the thematically heavy lifting the book asks of the reader, I think this graphic novel may be best suited for readers 6th or 7th grade and up. This is a haunting story - one that had me grappling with my own sense of morality after I finished reading. I think Yummy can also act as a mirror and a window. Our students may not have first (or even second) hand knowledge of gangland violence, but they likely know what it’s like to feel prejudged, or what it’s like to feel like they’re the target of authority figures. As a window, I think the book does a good job of displaying the unfortunate reality that some young students do get caught up in gang culture, and that they are often the victims themselves. I think the book has a lot to teach those unfamiliar with gangs and gang violence about the way our own culture enables the kind of exploitation that could lead someone like Yummy to a life of criminal activity.
In Chicago in 1994, 11-year-old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer attempts to prove himself to the Black Disciples - a notorious, violent Chicago gang - by executing a rival gang member. Instead, Yummy ends up murdering 14-year-old Shavon Dean, an innocent bystander, right outside her home. Immediately after Shavon's death, the police begin a manhunt for Yummy. As all this is happening, young Roger - our fictitious narrator - begins following the stories about Yummy closely, trying to figure out what went wrong in Yummy's life and why he ended up on a path of crime and violence.
This graphic novel is based in part on the real-life tragedy of Shavon Dean and Robert “Yummy” Sandifer that took place during the summer of 1994 in Chicago. While the circumstances surrounding, and the aftermath of, the shooting are true, the narrator - Roger - and his family have been made up as a way to guide the reader through the story. Author G. Neri also invents aspects of Yummy, such as his thoughts, feelings, and whereabouts as the entire city is on the lookout for him. Although part of the story is based on actual events, I felt that fictional parts made it a better candidate for historical fiction than historical nonfiction.
This book really hits all the points for historical fiction as outlined by Children’s Books in Children’s Hands. It is well written, the setting is brought to life in several ways (mostly visual), the characters and conflicts are authentic and plausible, and the themes of the story (the need for transformative and social justice; understanding that people are an accumulation of thoughts and actions and shouldn’t be stereotyped into any one category; grappling with compassion for those who commit heinous acts) are relevant for readers today. This is a hard hitting, eye opening story that dives into the unsavory realities of what some urban youth experience and asks “how did we get here?”.
The art style of Randy DuBurke adds to the gritty reality of the narrative. DuBurke uses only black and white illustrations to bring the story to life, giving the whole graphic novel a noir mystery feeling. But the stark black and white illustrations also underscore the seriousness of the subject matter. If color was added to the pages, I think the overall style would lack the visual impact it has. I also think the lack of color makes Chicago feel like an uncaring beast looming in the background - always poised to swallow up its weakest and most unwanted citizens.
Based on the grim nature of the subject matter, and the thematically heavy lifting the book asks of the reader, I think this graphic novel may be best suited for readers 6th or 7th grade and up. This is a haunting story - one that had me grappling with my own sense of morality after I finished reading. I think Yummy can also act as a mirror and a window. Our students may not have first (or even second) hand knowledge of gangland violence, but they likely know what it’s like to feel prejudged, or what it’s like to feel like they’re the target of authority figures. As a window, I think the book does a good job of displaying the unfortunate reality that some young students do get caught up in gang culture, and that they are often the victims themselves. I think the book has a lot to teach those unfamiliar with gangs and gang violence about the way our own culture enables the kind of exploitation that could lead someone like Yummy to a life of criminal activity.
December 9, 2017
Gut-wrenching!!! I hear statistics about gun related deaths and gang violence in Chicago all the time. This story gave those statistics a face and made it all more real to me. I wish the author had included even more detail. My students are DEVOURING this book. I have 3 copies in my classroom library and can’t keep any of them on the shelf.
August 18, 2018
I read this one in one sitting. The story is gripping and real. I can see why it is a favorite of so many of my students.
February 13, 2019
Yummy is a great book for fans of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. It shined a light on so many of the same issues, but in graphic novel format. This was also based on a true story. Yummy's story was presented so well that I wanted to learn more. I was impressed that even the president commented on it. Honestly, I want to learn more about the gang problem in Chicago in general and how people think that it can be fixed. A really good book is one that makes you want to learn more!
April 10, 2022
"I know he had a teddy bear 'cause I seen him carry it around sometimes. How could a kid so sweet be so nasty too?"
I had never heard of this story or this graphic novel until my friend Allie handed me this book and said she thought I would like it. Granted, this event happened in 1994 so I was six at the time. I am so thankful for authors like G. Neri who take stories like Yummy's, research them, and then tell the story that so many others have overlooked or attempted to silence. I appreciate being exposed to stories like this that prove that extreme poverty and systemic racism are to blame for the loss of another young Black life.
This graphic novel comes in just under 100 pages and I found my biggest complaint with this book was the length. I wanted the story to be a bit longer, particularly in the exposition. I felt like the story jumped into the action a little too quickly which may leave some young readers confused or with holes in their knowledge of the situation. Chicago in the 1990s is different from today and I think a bit more historical knowledge would help today's young readers better understand the world Yummy lived in. Despite this, I am glad Yummy's story is presented in graphic novel form so more people can know his story and mourn the loss of another victim of gun violence in this country. This is a graphic novel I am glad to put on the shelves of my classroom library.
TW: gun violence, death (including death of a child), grief, child abuse, abandonment, blood, addiction
I had never heard of this story or this graphic novel until my friend Allie handed me this book and said she thought I would like it. Granted, this event happened in 1994 so I was six at the time. I am so thankful for authors like G. Neri who take stories like Yummy's, research them, and then tell the story that so many others have overlooked or attempted to silence. I appreciate being exposed to stories like this that prove that extreme poverty and systemic racism are to blame for the loss of another young Black life.
This graphic novel comes in just under 100 pages and I found my biggest complaint with this book was the length. I wanted the story to be a bit longer, particularly in the exposition. I felt like the story jumped into the action a little too quickly which may leave some young readers confused or with holes in their knowledge of the situation. Chicago in the 1990s is different from today and I think a bit more historical knowledge would help today's young readers better understand the world Yummy lived in. Despite this, I am glad Yummy's story is presented in graphic novel form so more people can know his story and mourn the loss of another victim of gun violence in this country. This is a graphic novel I am glad to put on the shelves of my classroom library.
TW: gun violence, death (including death of a child), grief, child abuse, abandonment, blood, addiction
March 1, 2017
Yummy is a book told about an 11 year old who has been caught up in mischief his entire life and decides to join a gang. The name of the gang he joined was the Black Disciples. This gang uses young boys to do their dirty work so none of the higher ups can get in trouble. The book is told by a different 11 year old boy, Roger, who has gone to the same school as Yummy. Throughout the book Roger is trying to figure out whether Yummy is a kid who was destined to get caught up in gang related activity or if he put himself into the situation. The thing I really liked about this book was how G. Neri illustrates Yummy on the run and how scared Yummy really is. My favorite character in this book would have to be Roger because he is still to young and innocent to understand how the world is. My least favorite thing about this book is the ending because there was a huge difference between Yummy leaving and Roger's brother leaving. In real life the outcomes would most likely be the same. The type of reader I would suggest this book to would be one that likes action or mystery. I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars because there are some holes that should be filled.
June 12, 2011
My first graphic novel! It's not a genre I would get into like some others but I did enjoy this. I think if I read books of this kind on a more regular basis it would start to irk me. I do think it's a great thing for the younger generation. I don't see myself reading too many more in the future.
This is a very, very fast read. I finished it in one - short - sitting. I had never heard of Yummy before seeing this book. If I did hear about it on the news or some such place I'd since forgotten. When I started the book I groaned to myself. I thought, 'Oh no, now I get to read how the author tried to make me feel like a monster for not feeling bad for this kid who murdered a young girl. Yippee.'
Well, I feel kind of bad for Yummy. Do not get me wrong, I feel much, much, much more sympathy for Shavon and her family. I haven't done any checking but if this book is to be believed Yummy lived in a two parent home and, even at that tender age, was old enough to make certain decisions for himself. One of those is not to murder people.
Now, I am able to feel certain ways for children who are forced to grow up dealing with the sorts of things children shouldn't have to deal with. Be it poverty in general, gang activity, abuse of any sort, etc. but we all make our own decisions in the end. No matter the age, no matter the circumstance.
I think Neri did an outstanding job because if nothing else, this will get the attention of kids. Everything else is a bonus - they're what matter. I've added this to my saved email list of books I want to get for Julia when she's a little older. Hopefully this is stocked in every library there is - I believe it should be available to every child who wants to read it.
I'm going to do some research on Yummy. I'd like to know more about his older brother if possible, among other things. Did his brother stay in? Get out? When? Were is Yummy now? Tried as an adult? Tried as a child? What, if anything, did his parents do to try to prevent this? Where is Shavon's family now? Did they forgive Yummy?
I have so many questions and I'd have liked a little note at the end maybe answering some of them? The ending isn't an abrupt, in your face so you stop to think kind of ending. It's graphic version of the *almost* happily-ever-after ending. So I think a note like this would have been more than okay.
This is a very, very fast read. I finished it in one - short - sitting. I had never heard of Yummy before seeing this book. If I did hear about it on the news or some such place I'd since forgotten. When I started the book I groaned to myself. I thought, 'Oh no, now I get to read how the author tried to make me feel like a monster for not feeling bad for this kid who murdered a young girl. Yippee.'
Well, I feel kind of bad for Yummy. Do not get me wrong, I feel much, much, much more sympathy for Shavon and her family. I haven't done any checking but if this book is to be believed Yummy lived in a two parent home and, even at that tender age, was old enough to make certain decisions for himself. One of those is not to murder people.
Now, I am able to feel certain ways for children who are forced to grow up dealing with the sorts of things children shouldn't have to deal with. Be it poverty in general, gang activity, abuse of any sort, etc. but we all make our own decisions in the end. No matter the age, no matter the circumstance.
I think Neri did an outstanding job because if nothing else, this will get the attention of kids. Everything else is a bonus - they're what matter. I've added this to my saved email list of books I want to get for Julia when she's a little older. Hopefully this is stocked in every library there is - I believe it should be available to every child who wants to read it.
I'm going to do some research on Yummy. I'd like to know more about his older brother if possible, among other things. Did his brother stay in? Get out? When? Were is Yummy now? Tried as an adult? Tried as a child? What, if anything, did his parents do to try to prevent this? Where is Shavon's family now? Did they forgive Yummy?
I have so many questions and I'd have liked a little note at the end maybe answering some of them? The ending isn't an abrupt, in your face so you stop to think kind of ending. It's graphic version of the *almost* happily-ever-after ending. So I think a note like this would have been more than okay.
September 24, 2017
I re-read this banned book for the September twitter chat with #YearofYA and it was even more powerful with Yummy's no win situation of a life of violence, gang wars, family dysfunction and urban decay.
G. Neri's graphic novel is a winner. He takes the true story of 11 year old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer's shooting of an innocent 14 year old girl, Shavon Dean, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and crafts a gripping tale from the point of view of a boy, Roger, who knew both kids, lived in the same neighborhood, and had a brother in the same gang as Yummy. Roger is an onlooker, part of a close knit family (yet his brother is in the Black Disciple gang too)who went to school with Yummy and Shavon. His story catches the horror of gang life, a forgotten child, Yummy, who suffered at the hands of everyone he knew. Reluctant readers, those who love urban fiction, and all readers should digest this graphic novel. It covers a bleak time in 1994, in a broken down, neighborhood more like a war zone, where no one is safe. You, as the reader, will feel for the 2 sides of Yummy, and be chagrined at the horror of two YOUNG lives lost, for all the wrong reasons.
G. Neri's graphic novel is a winner. He takes the true story of 11 year old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer's shooting of an innocent 14 year old girl, Shavon Dean, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and crafts a gripping tale from the point of view of a boy, Roger, who knew both kids, lived in the same neighborhood, and had a brother in the same gang as Yummy. Roger is an onlooker, part of a close knit family (yet his brother is in the Black Disciple gang too)who went to school with Yummy and Shavon. His story catches the horror of gang life, a forgotten child, Yummy, who suffered at the hands of everyone he knew. Reluctant readers, those who love urban fiction, and all readers should digest this graphic novel. It covers a bleak time in 1994, in a broken down, neighborhood more like a war zone, where no one is safe. You, as the reader, will feel for the 2 sides of Yummy, and be chagrined at the horror of two YOUNG lives lost, for all the wrong reasons.
September 14, 2015
Neri and DeBurke did a great job putting together a story that honors the lives of two young people who died tragically. They also encourage their readers, younger and older, to ask themselves difficult and meaningful questions about cycles of poverty and violence that are much larger than Yummy and Shavon and their neighborhood in Chicago. The art is great, there is a respectfulness, I think, in the way the story is narrated. I may write more, still thinking about the book, but that's all for now.
October 8, 2015
It was a very good book to me because its to teach young people that being in a gang is not that important . And just because everything is bad at home doesnt mean it has to be bad for you . Try to make your life better , so you can show your parents that . GO TO SCHOOL !! gangs are not that important anymore . and Yummy just ruined his whole life killing a 14 year old girl . When he could have just being playing with some school boys on the block
July 5, 2018
Yummy grew up on the south side of Chicago. His daddy was in prison and his mother was often arrested for drug possession and prostitution. Yummy was eventually sent to live with his grandma who was already raising as many as 20 of her grandchildren on any given day.
A look into Yummy’s life tells a tale of an 11-year old who lived hard and died young and who might have had a chance if he was afforded a different environment.
A look into Yummy’s life tells a tale of an 11-year old who lived hard and died young and who might have had a chance if he was afforded a different environment.
November 5, 2014
comix, for young people. will easily make grownups cry .
about growing up on the mean sts. of chicago, violence, trying to understand folks and their situations.
a ferguson mo learning mom net. i bet even ferguson cops could read this
about growing up on the mean sts. of chicago, violence, trying to understand folks and their situations.
a ferguson mo learning mom net. i bet even ferguson cops could read this
May 9, 2016
Don't let the spare number of pages in this graphic novel fool you into thinking it's an easy read. It is intense and incredibly tragic.
October 14, 2015
A sad story about a kid on the south side of Chicago. Who accidentally shot a little girl when trying to kill a rival. Who was on the run. He at the end got shot by his own gang.
July 26, 2017
This brought back a lot of memories. This is story that captured the city as I was just starting 6th grade. The same age as Yummy.
June 10, 2017
This 94-page graphic novel will resonate with me always and while I do feel I have given spoilers in this review it is a true story, on the cover of Time magazine and powerful enough that you will still get so much from reading it than my skimmed over description of facts..anyways yea so I was appalled and heartbroken reading about this eleven year old gang member and killer whose entire tragedy of a life made him both a bully and a victim blurring the lines defining both. Through an outside character you meet Robert Sandifer or Yummy as he was called because he loved sweets, cookies especially and learn and try to understand what changed a small young guy that loves treats into such a terror? I really don’t know what was more horrifying to read and think about-- his abusive past and childhood, his nightmarish present running from the cops or the bleak future his case helps illuminate for the youth in Chicago. So Yummy has been in and out of the system both as a victim and a product of his environment for his whole young life. Through the scars he shows our fictional main character Roger gained by enduring child abuse from his mother along with his need for acceptance and security led him right to the streets and a gang called the Black Disciples who encouraged and assigned him to accumulate his own numerous felonies in between. Another tragic circumstance of his actions were group home/juvenile placements he would run away from only to return to the only home he ever knew, his grandmother who had almost nineteen kids in her care at one time. Often neglected and left alone Yummy craved to be tighter with his crew and one night while showing off fired at an enemy on the street but missed to kill an innocent bystander fourteen year old girl. This novel recreates Yummy’s time on the streets as he goes on the run in a citywide manhunt for him that lasted three days evading the cops and his own guilt for killing a girl he knew…Yummy’s time on the street does come to an end though but its neither happy or hopeful as members of the Black Disciples who were worried about their image and the attention being brought on them by Yummy send two brothers to end his life execution style underneath a railroad tunnel. The levels of sadness, neglect and anger emerge from his haunting beautiful eyes telling a story all need to hear and to read before judging others for actions beyond their control..So powerful, Recommended.
January 19, 2018
G. Neri tells the heartbreaking story of young Yummy through honest and thought-provoking words and illustrations. His wide-range of characters featured throughout represent the opinions of community members, classmates, teachers, politicians, Yummy’s family, etc. in regards to Yummy’s life and death. These opinions aid in helping the reader piece together the story and make their own judgement of Yummy.
I have found reading graphic novels a bit tricky to read, but this novel has easy-to-follow panels that are enhanced by frequent narrative boxes. The narrative boxes are a great propellor for the story since Roger, the narrator is not a removed-third party, but rather a child who lived in Yummy’s neighborhood. Both the reader and Roger work together to make sense of Yummy’s story. The lack of color in the illustrations throughout the book create a sinister, yet factual tone.
This book was a window into a different world. While I rarely feel any fear walking around my town, businesses in Yummy’s neighborhood closed before sundown because customers didn’t dare risk the danger of leaving their homes after dark. Their lives were controlled by gang violence. Unfortunately, these stories are often the only ones told of such areas. When Yummy died, his photo was on the cover of “Time”. Roger’s father was angry and said, “This is the only way someone from our neighborhood is ever gonna be on the cover of ‘Time’”. This speaks to the single story that is told through the media of certain areas of America. The reporting of these stories neglects to mention the positive work and experiences occurring in these communities. Neri brings attention to this problem, but does not feature any of these stories in this book.
In the author’s note, Neri quotes a reporter who said, “Sometimes stories get to you.” This story of the 11-year-old gang member, who loved his teddy bear, his Granny, and candy, will get to you. It’s a story that is impossible to forget and leaves you wondering what you can do to help young people in this world.
I have found reading graphic novels a bit tricky to read, but this novel has easy-to-follow panels that are enhanced by frequent narrative boxes. The narrative boxes are a great propellor for the story since Roger, the narrator is not a removed-third party, but rather a child who lived in Yummy’s neighborhood. Both the reader and Roger work together to make sense of Yummy’s story. The lack of color in the illustrations throughout the book create a sinister, yet factual tone.
This book was a window into a different world. While I rarely feel any fear walking around my town, businesses in Yummy’s neighborhood closed before sundown because customers didn’t dare risk the danger of leaving their homes after dark. Their lives were controlled by gang violence. Unfortunately, these stories are often the only ones told of such areas. When Yummy died, his photo was on the cover of “Time”. Roger’s father was angry and said, “This is the only way someone from our neighborhood is ever gonna be on the cover of ‘Time’”. This speaks to the single story that is told through the media of certain areas of America. The reporting of these stories neglects to mention the positive work and experiences occurring in these communities. Neri brings attention to this problem, but does not feature any of these stories in this book.
In the author’s note, Neri quotes a reporter who said, “Sometimes stories get to you.” This story of the 11-year-old gang member, who loved his teddy bear, his Granny, and candy, will get to you. It’s a story that is impossible to forget and leaves you wondering what you can do to help young people in this world.
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