Title: Jazmin’s Notebook by Nikki Grimes, ISBN: 0141307021, Puffin Books, New York, 2000, $5.99, 102 pp.

Genre:  Young Adult Fiction/Coming of Age/Multicultural/ Grades7-9.

Characters: The main character and narrator is Jazmin Shelby, a 14 year old girl living in Harlem, New York during the 1960’s. Her father was killed in a car accident and her mother was an alcoholic, hospitalized, and not fit to raise a child. She has been in and out of foster homes and the hardships that she witnesses on a daily basis is an inspiration for her to put her thoughts onto paper. Fortunately, Jazmin has an older sister named CeCe, who is a major source of strength for her, constantly encouraging her to pursue her goals. There are numerous other minor characters mentioned throughout the book such as neighbors, teachers, relatives, and local characters that are consistent figures in Jazmin’s writing.

Plot: Jazmin Shelby was born into a disadvantaged economic background, but despite these disadvantages she still aspires to be a professional poet/writer. At a young age she is forced deal with her parent’s divorce, her father’s unexpected death, and her mother’s hospitalization due to alcoholism. She claims her mother never loved her, never hugged her, and did not even own a picture of her youngest daughter.  After traveling from foster home to foster home, Jazmin finally finds a home with her older sister CeCe, but her troubles do not stop there. There are many times, where the two sisters are low on food, or do not have any heat.

At school, Jazmin constantly feels like less of a person than her fellow female classmates; she wears second hand clothing, has out of style glasses, and is clearly less fortunate compared to other students. Even though she is a straight “A” student, she gets little support from authorities at school, and Jazmin’s guidance counselor even told her that she should consider a vocational school, rather than college. On one occasion, she hides in the bathroom to avoid a fight, and she instantly pours her frustrations out on paper.

At home, Jazmin’s neighborhood is filled with unhealthy activity, such as drug dealing, and gang violence. She is a devoted observer, constantly watching her neighborhood, and recording the scenarios. It is because of all these adversities that Jazmin is so ambitious to write. The book is presented in a diary format, and Jazmin’s honest entries inform readers of the situations she witnesses or faces on a daily basis, as an inner city, minority teenager. She often writes about the opposite sex, friendships, religion, hopes, and disappointments. Many of her entries display a light of humor, but one can always sense the glimmer of hurt in her voice. Mothers are the supposed to be the backbone of a child, and her lack there of caused a large amount of pain in Jazmin’s heart.  Eventually, Jazmin builds up the courage to go and visit her mother in the hospital and to her surprise her mother was a changed woman. Above all, it is Jazmin’s writing that allows her to keep her dreams alive, and readers can not help but to feel the same way. Every emotion that Jazmin endures, the reader will feel as well; her descriptiveness not only demands recognition, but captures it for good.

Touchy Areas: There are scenes that involve sexual activity, alcoholism, drug use, death, and violence witnessed by a child growing up in an urban community.

Related Titles: The Skin I’m In (2000) by Sharon Flake, Bronx Masquerade (2003) by Nikki Grimes, The First Part Last (2004) by Angela Johnson.

Movies: Hardball (2001), Rize (2005), Paid in Full (2002), Menace II Society (1993)

Music: Comin Where I’m From (2005) by Anthony Hamilton, Ghetto Superstar (1998) by Mya.

Photos:    Fun in the ghetto--http://lichen.no-ip.org/miscpics/katie

Related websites- To obtain answers to questions about being a teenager and dealing with love, sex, abstinence, contraception, AIDS, STDs, drugs, drinking, violence; this site is produced by teens: (http://www.sxetc.org/). For information on how kids impact their inner city neighborhoods: (www.buffalo.edu/reporter/vol36/vol36n1/articles/CopeGeography.html)

Art: Higher Standards by Tyrone Hart, Deep In Thought by Lashun Beal.

Poem: Choices by Nikki Giovanni.

Classic Work:  Diary of a Young Girl (1947) by Anne Frank, How The Other Half Lives-Studies Among The Tenements of New York (1890) by Jacob A. Riss

Evaluation: I was highly moved by the voice of Jazmin, the journal entries and poems definitely present a realistic tone within the book. A great insight is provided into the mind of a young inner city African American, but any race would appreciate the story. This book would be great for an individual read, and could possibly be used as a class set if the teacher is prepared to face the touchy areas. Overall, this book was an easy read, I enjoyed the message of every individual finding a place in this world even when odds are against them, and  I would rate this book 8 out of 10.

Reviewed by: Kara Smith, University of Toledo, DmndDmnd1@aol.com