Urban_Literature

=Urban Literature= by Salamah Mullen Are you looking for a book filled with plenty of drama? Then look no further than the genre urban literature. Urban literature is filled with memorable characters, authentic language, discusses the latest fashion and music trends and has loads of dramatic problems. The character’s attitude and personality may be similar to someone you know such as a close friend or adult. The problems are usually cautionary tales of how to deal with some of the issues teens go through. It is interesting to read how someone else handles a specific conflict. And of course there are always consequences if a character does the wrong thing. Never read a book all the way through? I bet you will read an urban lit novel from start to end. There is always plenty of action in this genre which makes you keep turning the pages. Some of the titles are actually part of a series so you have to read the next book to find out what happens to your favorite character. Go to your school or public library to find some of the great titles listed below.

__Joseph__ by Sheila P. Moses Fifteen-year-old Joseph Flood is a smart, talented young man who follows his drug and alcohol-addicted mother into homelessness because he feels that he must protect her from herself. Joseph worries that his new friends will discover he's homeless. He also fears that his drug- and alcohol-addicted mother will embarrass him--again. His father, serving in Iraq, wants custody so his son can live a stable life, but Joseph feels torn about abandoning his mother.

__You Don’t Even Know Me__ by Sharon G. Flake James writes in his diary about his twin brother’s terrible secret, while Taylor explains what it’s like to be a player with the ladies. In these and twenty-two other short stories and poems, readers plumb the inner lives of African American teenage boys.

__The Brothers Torres__ by Coert Voorhees Frankie Towers has always looked up to his older brother, Steve. And with good reason Steve is a popular senior who gets whatever he wants. Then Frankie gets into a fistfight with John Dalton longtime nemesis of Steve's, and the richest, preppiest kid in their New Mexican high school. After the fight, Steve takes Frankie under his wing, But after another incident with Dalton, Steve is bent on retaliating. Frankie starts to think that his brother is taking this respect thing too far. Soon he'll have to make a choice between respecting his brother and respecting himself.

4. __Street Love__ by Walter Dean Myers This story told in free verse is set against a background of street gangs and poverty in Harlem in which seventeen-year-old African American Damien takes a bold step to ensure that he and his new love will not be separated.

5. __D.I.V.A.S. Series__ by Victoria Christopher Murray They’re fifteen and they are fine and they want to be the hottest and hippest new girl group to hit gospel music. First they will have to win the teen talent competition. However with great looks, energy and voices like theirs why are they not sure they can make it to the top?

6. __Red Ridin in the Hood__ by Patricia Santos Marcantonio Transport a batch of familiar stories to the American Southwest, spice them with its wildlife plus a sprinkle of Spanish, and stir in some contemporary mores and concerns; add dollops of humor, and season with wisdom and compassion. Yield: eleven tales distinguished by rich humanity.

7. __Teenage Bluez__ by K Cain Teenage Blues is a collection of six urban fiction stories made especially for teenagers.

8. __Drama High Series__ by L. Divine Brimming with a sense of style and magic, Drama High introduces a fun, brazen new series featuring a young sistah who's learning that life in the ` hood is nothing compared to life in a suburban and wealthy high school.

9. __Cool Like That__ by Nikki Carter Now that she's been acccepted into a summer enrichment program in New York City, Gia knows that she's going to have the best summer ever. And best of all? Her best friend, Ricky, is joining her so they're going to spend the entire summer together. So when Rashad, a cutie from the summer program, starts to get his flirt on with Gia, she's got a new crush -- and Ricky's so not cool with that.

10. __Emako Blue__ by Brenda Woods Monterey, Savannah, Jamal, and Eddie have never had much to do with each other until Emako Blue shows up at chorus practice, but just as the lives of the five Los Angeles high school students become intertwined, tragedy tears them apart