Miracle's Boys

by Jacqueline Woodson

From a three-time Newbery Honor author, a novel that was awarded the 2001 Coretta Scott King award and the Los Angeles Times Book PrizeFor Lafayette and his brothers, the challenges of growing up in New York City are compounded by the facts that they've lost their parents and it's up to eldest brother Ty'ree to support the boys, and middle brother Charlie has just returned home from a correctional facility.

Lafayette loves his brothers and would do anything if they could face the world as a team. But even though Ty'ree cares, he's just so busy with work and responsibility. And Charlie's changed so much that his former affection for his little brother has turned to open hostility.

Now, as Lafayette approaches 13, he needs the guidance and answers only his brothers can give him. The events of one dramatic weekend force the boys to make the choice to be there for each other--to really see each other--or to give in to the pain and problems of every day.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, African American, Middle Grade, Audiobook, Teen

176 pages, Paperback

First published April 24, 2000

About the author

I used to say I’d be a teacher or a lawyer or a hairdresser when I grew up but even as I said these things, I knew what made me happiest was writing.

I wrote on everything and everywhere. I remember my uncle catching me writing my name in graffiti on the side of a building. (It was not pretty for me when my mother found out.) I wrote on paper bags and my shoes and denim binders. I chalked stories across sidewalks and penciled tiny tales in notebook margins. I loved and still love watching words flower into sentences and sentences blossom into stories.

I also told a lot of stories as a child. Not “Once upon a time” stories but basically, outright lies. I loved lying and getting away with it! There was something about telling the lie-story and seeing your friends’ eyes grow wide with wonder. Of course I got in trouble for lying but I didn’t stop until fifth grade.

That year, I wrote a story and my teacher said “This is really good.” Before that I had written a poem about Martin Luther King that was, I guess, so good no one believed I wrote it. After lots of brouhaha, it was believed finally that I had indeed penned the poem which went on to win me a Scrabble game and local acclaim. So by the time the story rolled around and the words “This is really good” came out of the otherwise down-turned lips of my fifth grade teacher, I was well on my way to understanding that a lie on the page was a whole different animal — one that won you prizes and got surly teachers to smile. A lie on the page meant lots of independent time to create your stories and the freedom to sit hunched over the pages of your notebook without people thinking you were strange.

Lots and lots of books later, I am still surprised when I walk into a bookstore and see my name on a book’s binder. Sometimes, when I’m sitting at my desk for long hours and nothing’s coming to me, I remember my fifth grade teacher, the way her eyes lit up when she said “This is really good.” The way, I — the skinny girl in the back of the classroom who was always getting into trouble for talking or missed homework assignments — sat up a little straighter, folded my hands on the desks, smiled and began to believe in me.

Reviews

[Shawna Finnigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW// mentions of death (including mothers, fathers, grandparents, dogs), grief, mention of gang violence

“She said that when her parents died, time didn’t stop the way people always say it does. She said it just became more precise — every minute, hour, day mattered that much more.”

miracle’s boys is a short novel following three brothers as they’re dealing with the after effects of their parent’s death and one of them being imprisoned. It lacks a strong plot and instead highlights the reality of how these challenging issues impact both the lives of each individual boy and their sibling relationships as a whole.

For such a short book, miracle’s boys really packs a punch. It covers so many intense topics in such relatable and heartfelt ways. I loved the raw look into how these issues impact people and I appreciated the inclusion of therapy in such a respectful way. I personally saw my PTSD represented in the way that Lafayette responds to his trauma, so to have that representation in a kid’s book will definitely go a long way in helping kids with trauma feel less alone.

[Mariah Roze · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good and the more recent book version of The Outsiders. I read this book with a lot of my male students and they loved it. The book takes place over 2 days.

This is the story of three remarkable young men; brothers who have only each other to rely on and who must decide whether they'll work with that or let it tear them apart.

The author is one of my favorite childhood books authors!

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackie Woodson is one of my all time favourite authors. I swear, her ability to write with such authenticity and emotion about real life leaves me breathless. I love that she writes about ordinary people in ordinary situations. I love that she shows such respect for the complexity of just getting through life and all of it’s high and low points. Her writing redefines what “interesting” means and makes us all feel interesting and worthy of having our stories told. Her characters are black and/or Latinx and I’m white yet no other author makes me feel so included and seen. While reading this book, I thought of my own grief and what I did to cope when my dad died. I thought about the aftermath of the loss and my family’s struggle to stay connected with each other so that none of us were lost. I thought of growing up poor and how hard my parents worked to keep a roof over ours heads and food on the table when my brothers and I were young. Nobody writes about the human experience quite like Ms. Woodson. Her books may be short but they’re powerful. If I ever wanted to be a writer, she’d be the author I’d try to emulate.

[MaRk Gorbea]

Wow is all I can say about the book miracle boys by Jacqueline Woodson thiS bOok was my favorite this year. Its a book most teens can relate to. And I know all teens will fall in love with it it shows how people change and how they act wen they with their friends I recomend this book to every single one!
Book Shout Out.!
One image or scene that stuck with me was when newcharlie was in the room acting like laffayette is invisable and not saying a word to him which means they have no emotion for him and his feelings.also and image that would stand out is when tyree and laffayette is talking about newcharlie changes in the living room.
Short retell:
This book is about a young men (New Charlie )who comes out of jail and is a completely changed person from before.He treats all of his family like they're invisable and they don't mean nothing to him its a great book that I would read 10 more times.We'll I've said to much stop being lazy and read it for yourself.!

My view of the world after reading this book:
I watch the way I act and I choose my friends very wisley now on and I also am very observent of my friends or family and how they act.

What I liked most:
I like how the author used real life Situations in this book
I also liked how newcharlie littles brother described with details how newcharlie was before he went to prison
I also liked how newcharlies little brother told the backround on his family.

creative response:
Dear NewCharlie,
why do you let your experence in jail taake over your life when you returned home i think you need to forget about the experence you had in jail and start brand new with life and take a new aproach in life and how you see it.i dont think you treated your brother Laffayette fairly i think you shouldve treated him like you did before you went to prison also i think you should stop hangin with aaron he is a bad influence on you and how you act towards everyone whos with you or around you. Also you should try your best to stay out of trouble try getting your life on the right track for your behalf and your friends and family behalfs

[Leslie Fitzpatrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does this remind anyone else of The Outsiders? Three brothers, no parents, dilemma on trying to join a gang, youngest brother is the narrator, LOVES one of the older brothers but is really fighting with the other one, they're poor, oldest brother is really smart but chose to stay with family instead of going to college... just me? Okay I love Ponyboy so that's probably why I saw all those connections. I also love Lafayette so that makes sense. This book had such a simple story line it was a little slow for me, so that's why I only gave 3 stars, but I'm sure if I read it again I would find some deeper meaning. There is a lot of beautiful language that really lets me visualize everything that's happening, and I loved the ending. One part that's not really major to the plot, but shows how Lafayette is dealing with his grief is the way he keeps "seeing" his mom and feeling her and talking to her throughout the story. It's like she's a ghost, but not in a creepy way at all, it was very sweet. I do need to end with a DEAD DOG WARNING, it's in here and it's important to developing Charlie's character so I can't tell you the page number so you can skip it. But there's another dog who is in trouble and gets saved so hopefully that will make up for the other one.

[Ashley Ruhl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woodson beautifully illustrates the complexity of family relationships and how the world is not definitively black or white. People are not all good or all bad, but circumstances may cause us to make choices that we may not otherwise make. I cried more than once as I was reading. There is redemption, but it is not without having to sit through tension and discomfort. Even more importantly, the redemption is not tied up with a pretty bow. It is more true to life, showing that change takes work. Change and forgiveness are painful and are not linear. I appreciated that Woodson allowed the characters to be both good and bad, kind and selfish, forgiving and angry. They are multidimensional, so they each have moments that resonate with our own human experience.

[Lonica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book would appeal to teens because it deals with issues that are wide-spread and common, no matter where you live. People have always dealt with racism, orphanage, family connections, etc. The reality of the book was appealing to me. So much so, that I was disappointed the book wasn’t longer. I wanted to know more about Laf, Charlie, and Ty’ree.

The book deals with the following developmental aspects: familial love and responsibility, growing up and being independent, forgiveness and repentance, overcoming emotional conflicts and memories.

I thought the characters were incredibly believable and realistic. I think that the author, Jacqueline Woodson, did a nice job of depicting the reality of their situation. The dialogue between the characters smacked of authenticity; I could visualize their life and their reality just by the way they spoke with one another. I could hear them speak with one another and they came to life for me. I was amazed at their “centeredness” and the smart decisions the boys made on their own, when placed in their situation, though. It certainly made me want to see them succeed later in life.

I think this book could easily be promoted alongside other books/stories on similar topics: West Side Story, Jellicoe Road, or The Outsiders. The message and moral of this story could cross over into many different races and groups of people. I would probably speak of this one in conjunction with other similar novels.

4Q, 4P, M/J/H

[Alexis Beulne]

How far would you go for your siblings if you will become orphan? That's what happened in the story, Miracle's Boys, a realistic fiction book, written by Jacqueline Woodson.
Ty'ree, Charlie and Lafayette are Miracle's sons; but he died, just before Lafayette was born, from hypothermia while he was trying to save a woman and her dog in a frozen lake, and their mother died two years ago too. So they are now alone. Ty'ree, the oldest, can't go to college because he haste work full-time to support his two little brothers. Charlie, the second son, just came back from jail, where he stayed two years. And Lafayette, who is twelve today, usually stays in the apartment asking questions, about his parents, to his self that he can't answer. But since Charlie came back from jail, he is a different boy, which worries his two brothers who want to talk to him about it. but their relations will never be the same after that.
In this story, we can see a family theme, with the three rot hers that help each other to live in a world they aren't use to. I really like the flowing quote, "I don't feel like nothing anymore." because that's what shows how Charlie has changed in jail.
I enjoyed reading this book, firstly, because the way the story is written is very interesting and original; all the flashbacks explain and complete the story that is happening now. And secondly, I like the relationship between the three brothers and how it is showed. To conclude, I would recommend this book to people who like family relations and problems, and a little bit of suspense.

[Mariem · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an amazing book by Jacqueline Woodson. This book is in Lafayette's perspective(one of the brothers). It's about his life after his Mom passed away and how his relationship with his brothers is continuing. Charlie is a very distant angry person toward him and Tyree is the brother he feels closest to. We learn more about how Lafayette blames himself over his mom's death and his father death as well. We also see how life was before their mother's death, and recently after her death. I liked this book because I got to read about how they're bond as brothers were very strong but the loss of their mother really impacted it and tore them apart. I recommend this book to 5th graders and beyond because it really teaches you how important family is and in middle school that is very important to know. As you can see, this was a beyond amazing book by Jacqueline Woodson.

[Jeimy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another realistic, and heartbreaking, work by Woodson. Narrated by Lafayette, we learn how his parents passed away, how his big brother set aside his path to study at MIT, and how his other brother seemed to lose his way.

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was sweet and touching, not to mention a very quick read. If you like brothers with a good helping of hurt-comfort, you will enjoy this book.

[Honore Frieh · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if your mother and your father were suddenly dead? This was the case for Miracle’s sons Ty’ree, Charlie and Lafayette in the book Miracle’s boys written by Jacqueline Woodson. Ty’ree is the oldest son, he has attained majority, he is the legal supervisor of his two brothers and has stopped going to college to take care of his brothers. He has a full-time job. Charlie is the second child, he is repeating his 9th grade and he is fifteen. He recently came back from Rahway home for boys after an armed robbery. Lafayette is the youngest child, he is in 7th grade. Both three are very sad of their parents death and especially of their mother’s death. They are poor and they live in New York City at the end of the 2ost century. Ty’ree has to keep the family together but trying to live without parents is hard. The father died of hypothermia by saving a women and a dog from drowning in a frozen lake. The diabetic mother because of an insulin deficiency. After coming back from Rahway, Charlie is not the same as before and he has become meaner. Lafayette has a lot of unanswered questions about his parent’s death and needs to see a psychologist to help him. One day while Ty’ree and Lafayette were trying to remember their mum, Charlie nicknamed Newcharlie by Lafayette, got beaten by a gang and is injured. The three boys have to stay united to find an issue to their misfortune. Themes in this story are solidarity inside a family, because the three brothers have to survive and stay together; and poorness they are poor and need money. I want to share a quote that is important: “I stared at the guy standing in front of me. It wasn’t Charlie. Charlie would never talk that way. This was somebody different. New. Newcharlie.” This quote is important because it shows that Charlie has completely changed after coming back from Rahway and that it hurts his brothers. I liked this book because it is a very realistic story. It shows the way some people are maybe living today without parents. It is also very sad and emotional. I didn’t like the fact that the story takes place over 2 days because we can’t imagine how the boys will survive at the end of the book and what will happen next. I would recommend this book to people who like sad and emotional stories.

[Aubrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Miracle's Boy's, the author talks about how important relationships are, and that it is crucial to have a good relationship with people. The three main characters Lafayette, the narrator, Charlie and Ty'ree, the oldest brothers. Because both of their parents have passed, the three of them try to find a way to live together, Ty'ree, the oldest, trie to make money for them and tries to get along with his brothers. Charlie was sent away to Rahway, a school for young "delinquents" because of his actions, but when he came back he was a whole new and bad person. At the beginning of the story, Charlie comes back from school. Lafayette seemed to notice that Charlie is meaner and distant. He doesn't want to talk to Lafayette, and he burned most of the pictures of his brothers, and his dead mama. After Charlie and his friends leave to go somewhere, Lafayette gets this unsettling feeling in his stomach that things will never go back to the way they were. Later, Ty'ree and Lafayette go to see a movie, they bond together and become closer, but also farther away from Charlie. After watching the movie about art, they walk home to see Charlie is back, but he is all beat up and in handcuffs. After clearing it up with the police, the three of them go inside, but something was off with Charlie. My favorite part was when it turns out he wasn't such a bad person after all. Charlie was scared, and thought, where he was going, was a party but was actually a gang meet up, and Charlie had gotten beat up by a couple of gang members. '' I thought it was just a party,' NewCharlie said " I didn't know Aaron was in no gang. I thought he was Lying. Then he showed me his colors. You had to fight somebody . . . I-I was-scared, T'". Charlie realized he didn't need to be big and bad to be cool, he just needed was his brothers and their love. At the end of the story, the three brothers become closer and listen to the old stories of their mama. I recommend this book to people who have to acclimate to a new family, this book shows the reader how sibling love can go a long way.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this oldie but goodie on our library shelf—who knew it was 20 years old wow..so I felt it had to be read during my Black History month reading selections as I try to read everything I have to someday recommend…So a Jacqueline Woodson that may be one of her most popular though I became a fan after Brown Girl Dreaming so I am interested in seeing what I missed all those years ago from her talent…Alright so this is the story of three brothers Tyree, Charlie or Newcharlie, and Lafayette-- how they are getting through life after the death of their mother and the last time they were together, church-going and loving….told in the first person of Lafayette the youngest he gives his views on life—

“Now I called him Newcharlie because Rahway hadn’t sent the guy I was just talking about home. This guy standing at the mirror moving his hair around his head was someone—something—different……He’d been away for more than two years, and the guy sleeping across from me was a stranger” (Pg. 4)

“If you ever had a brother who didn’t like you, then I don’t have to explain it….Newcharlie hated my guts ever since Mama died, and he wasn’t shy about letting anybody listening know it.” (Pg. 8)
As the story progresses the foreshadowing really makes you wonder about the death of the mother especially when you find out that the father died saving a woman and her dog in a freezing lake then dying of hypothermia.
Tyree the oldest brother now has sole custody over his younger brothers and has to put his own dreams of school on hold and confront his memories of both his parents leaving him in addition to comforting and raising his brothers..When Charlie gets in trouble and is sent to a boys home when their mother passes he carries around a lot of rage and resentment which all unfolds through this poignant tale of grief and how you cope with bad memories…This was a short and sad read that explores trauma, grief and getting over the hardest loss of both parents…sad but again and expected, very well written…

[Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

If anyone is going to read this book, please listen to the audiobook narrated by the wonderful Dulé Hill!! This felt almost like an inner-city version of The Outsiders. One of the greatest things about this book was the writing; the prose was simply lyrical! Jacqueline Woodson has such a way with words and the narration truly made it feel like sitting and having a coffee with our main character, Lafayette, telling a story.

Lafayette, has experienced the traumatic loss of his mother and has complicated dynamics with his older brother Ty'ree, who was unable to complete college due to becoming Lafayette's guardian, and their other brother Charlie, who was recently released from a correctional facility. We follow this small family trying to work together and also around each other and their unresolved issues. The book is supposed to take place over I believe just a weekend, but it also jumps back and forth from the present to the past. It could be hard to keep track of when we were hearing about something and how long ago it had happened. I really liked the characters, but the jumpiness of the narrative felt me from connecting with it more. I found it confusing to follow the sequencing of events and there were a few parts that felt repetitive. Overall, I can see where this would probably be more impactful for younger readers learning and processing these events for the first time, but I don't think this will be a story that stays with me long-term.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to watch the short-lived series "Miracle's Boys" on "The N," which is now TeenNick in the early 200os. I really liked the show, and it was just last week that I found out that the series was adapted from Jacqueline Woodson's novel of the same name. I immediately bought the novel, and began to read it. I remember little of the show as it completed its run in 2005. So reading the novel was good. I enjoyed reading this. Woodson's prose is so clear, the dialogue so crisp, and the characters pretty well-defined. Woodson deals with the hard topic of grief in this novel. Here we have three brothers who are living with the lost of both parents. Though the brothers deal with grief differently, the do begin to deal with their grief. This is an important note: Woodson offers her readers a counternarrative to the perception of black boys in society being "hard," and uninterested in a broad range of culture. Woodson pushes back on this, and offers an alternative narrative of black boys and their socialization. These boys cry; they slowly become honest about their feelings. It's alright for boys, especially black boys, to express their emotions in healthy ways, not conforming to violence and other destructive forms of dealing with grief and hurt. This is a fine piece for middle aged kids, and teens to read. It's definitely good for adults to read.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rather sweet story, considering the protagonist is an orphaned boy, being raised by a sibling who had to put aside an education at MIT and another who appears to be on his way back to juvie.

Woodson's protagonist is sweet, to say the least. He keeps the image of his dead mother near and talks with her to resolve problems. I rather liked these exchanges. I found them tender. However, her characters are placed in one horrible situation after another. This was a bit much for me. For such a small novel, there was a lot packed into it.

I found the ending of the story a bit too sudden and neat. As if all the middle child needed was to get beat up and then a loving discussion to turn him around. I suppose there are those cleansing moments in some people's lives. It has been my experience that change is a difficult and painful process. Rarely is it resolved in a day.

Regardless, I have suggested this book to a few of my students and they have reported that they WOULD recommend it. They said that the story was easy to follow and kept their attention. Many have asked if it is a true story.

While this was not a life changing book for me, it is a book that I will continue to recommend to students.

[Nina Bogaert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miracle's boys is a realistic fiction book written by Jacqueline Woodson.

What would you do if your mother and father were dead and that your older brother was your legal guardian?
This was the case of Lafayette in the story.
Ty'ree, Charlie and Lafayette are orphans who are facing poverty.
Ty'ree is the oldest, the one who is taking care of his brothers and the one who has a lot of responsabilities.
Charlie, the middle one, is also called NewCharlie because he changed since he came back from Rahway, a juvenile correctional center.
Lafayette, the youngest, is the main character.
The story is very emotional because it shows the relationship between three brothers who have to survive together.I liked it because it is easy to read and to understand and I think that this is a good book for teenagers because it shows how people can change and how life can change really quickly
I recommend this book if you like realistic and sad stories.

[Jong Yang · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is called Miracle's Boys. It's about 3 brothers named, Lafayette, Ty'ree, and Charlie. Charlie was the oldest out of the 3 brothers. Ty'ree was the second oldest and Lafayette was the youngest. Charlie was a naughty kid so he went to this place where bad kids go. This place was called Rahway. Ty'ree was a good and nice kid. Their mom's name is Miracle, and she died from diabetes. Lafayette found her dead and didn't know what to do. The boys were sad and didn't go out at all because their mom died. Their dad died saving this dog and this lady. This book was mostly about the past. When their mom was still alive, they miss her a lot. The brothers were interested in gangs, and I'm kinda interested in them too. But I wouldn't want to be in one, I just like to watch movies about gangs because it's interesting. In my opinion, I thought that this book was boring because it just talked about the past. But if you like to read about sad stuff then you should read this book!

[Mona Grant-Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ty'ree, Charlie, and Layfette are brothers. Their father died several years ago, saving a lady and her dog from drowning in an ice covered pond in Central Park. Now, their mother has died and each of them is dealing with that loss in their own way. Ty'ree, the oldest, was accepted and plans to attend MIT, but stays home and becomes the legal guardian of his brothers to keep them together. Charlie, the middle brother, leaves his mother with the memory of him being taken from home in handcuffs by the police. Layfette, the youngest, has the memory of trying to wake her from a sleep from which she will never awaken. With Charlie gone, Ty'ree and Layfette become closer. When Charlies returns from the detention center he is withdrawn and mean. Layfette calls him Newcharlie and wants his brother, Charlie, back. Woodson weaves a wonderful story of how the three cope and eventually find their way back to each other.

[Jasmin Pena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was in Lafayette's perspective. It's about his life after his Mom passed away and how his relationship with his brothers is continuing. Charlie is a very distant angry person toward him and Tyree is the brother he feels closer too. We learn more about how Lafayette blames himself over his moms death and how his father passed away. We also see how life was before her death, recently after her death and much time later. I liked this book because I got to read about how they're brotherly bond was very strong but the loss of their mother really impacted it and kind of tore them apart. But in the end they go through something that makes them stick together again which I liked but overall there wasn't really a story or a big problem or plot twists which is something I look for in a book which is why I gave it 4 stars.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good except that it was almost just like The Outsiders: three orphaned boys trying to make it through the straits of life. Ty'ree is the oldest and didn't get to go to college because he has to support the family, Charlie (called Newcharlie throughout most of the book) is the troubled kid who just came back from a stint in a juvenile detention center, and Lafayette is the youngest who is just trying to understand the dynamics of their new life.

I don't know if this is representative of Woodson's work, if her books on the whole are reminiscent of other works. It's a good story and a quick read, but it was too much like The Outsiders for me. And don't get me wrong: I love The Outsiders, but I didn't think that Woodson's mimic matched the brilliance of Hinton's novel.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story told through the words of Lafayette, the youngest of three brothers. Tyrese is the oldest who was given custody of the two younger brothers when their mother died of complications from diabetes. Their father died in a drowning accident. Charlie is the middle son (affectionately called Newcharlie by Lafayette) who has just been released from Rahway house (prison). The story tells the day to day struggles of the family and their grieving process. Lafayette thinks that he is responsible for his mother's death. He spends a lot of time talking to his mother and seeing her in visions and dreams. I guess the point Woodson was trying to make is that when a family feels that they have lost everything, they still have the love of each other.

[Joel Alfaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miracle's Boys is a book by Jacqueline Woodson about three brothers.The three main characters are Lafayette,Charlie and Ty'ree and they are living together because their parents died.The story deals with the return of Charlie who has been in a boy's home for two years after being arrested for theft.Ty'ree the oldest brother has been taking care of Lafayette after the sudden death of their mother.They both have to deal with the return of Charlie after two years away and learning to live together again and becoming a family.I recommend this book because it reminded me of my favorit book The Outsiders.How three brothers brothers have to learn to survive and stay together through the different struggles of life.

[Christine (christines_booked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, YA/Teen. Small but mighty novella! In just about 130 pages, 12 year old Lafayette reveals the heartbreaking story of how he and his two older brothers were orphaned, and how they are surviving. After the shocking and unexpected death of their mom, Milagro (Miracle), Laf's oldest brother Ty'ree gets custody of he and Charlie, giving up a scholarship to MIT in the process. Charlie is away at a home for boys serving time when their mom passes. Each of them is carrying the weight of the world on their backs with things unsaid. B to B to B (if you know, you know)- this is a book ultimately about brotherly love and the bond between family that cannot be broken, even by death. Just a beautifully told story.

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

After listening to her Brown Girls Dreaming, I knew that I wanted more from Jacqueline Woodson. That is how I found Miracle's Boys. Since my first experience with her was so enjoyable over audio, I decided to go the same route with this one as well and once again loved the experience. I went into it not knowing much about this book at all but I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed. Though it has a short timeline and the book itself is not very long either, it was still educational and eye-opening. She makes you feel the relationships of the characters and took my heart on a rollercoaster ride once again. I can't wait to get my hands on more of her work.

[Sana'I · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three brothers who went through struggles because of the death of their mother. Twelve year old Lafayette tells the story of what happens to him and his older brothers, fifteen year old Charlie and twenty-one year old Ty’ree, after Charlie comes home from a juvenile detention center where he has spent time for armed robbery. I recommend this book because it shows how three brothers go through up's and downs but still tries to stay strong.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, crying in public has become a regular occurrence for me. I think my literature prof wants me to be a social pariah... The Graveyard Book? A Monster Calls? Bridge to Terabithia??? All of these books are tear-inducing.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Such an emotional, impactful little book.

[SaraCat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very short novel and it is very specific and purposed focused in on a very specific time in the lives of 3 brothers. It is powerful and heartbreaking, but also heartfelt. It is a story of brotherhood - the family kind - and not giving up.

Warning: Deals with the processing of the death of one's parents.

[Rosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is a short and easy read, I really liked it, is a reality that happens in America every day, but there is hope, the loved the brothers had for each other made the difference, the sacrifices and the experiences that each one had growing up, made them.
I’m glad I read in the month of black history month, because it made sense .