“It took me a few chapters to get into the book, and mostly, to get over the "oudatedness," although the tech references are only a few years old. In the story, published just a few years ago, Romiette and Julio communicate via email, their friend has a car phone, & the other characters just aren't that into communicating online. However, today, students chat online via AIM or MySpace, no one has a car phone, and even most of the least-advantaged 16 & 17-year-olds have cheap cell phones. However, once I got to know the characters better, I empathized with them and could overlook the references to car phones and the fact that not everyone had cell phones! If Sharon Draper were to update this book with a second version, the story itself would definitely speak to today's students. But I know that it's still a popular story anyway, because the copies on my library's shelf were either missing (stolen) or completely tattered! I also liked that the story wasn't easily resolved, but was an interesting read that would hold the attention of non-readers -- sort of a two-in-one! I met Ms. Draper at an author talk recently, and the former teacher is adament about helping current teachers connect students with her books. This is why she includes study questions and activity ideas at the back of her books, which she does for "Romiette & Julio." While some of the novel's resolution is a bit contrite, the gang/kidnapping plot is believable enough for readers to want to know what happens.”
MsWrobel wrote this review Saturday, May 3 2008.
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