"That's what 145th Street is like. Something funny happens... and then something bad happens. It's almost as if the block is reminding itself that life is hard, and you have to take it seriously." Walter Dean Myers's book of interconnected short stories is a sweet and sour mix of the comedy and tragedy of the human condition, played out against the backdrop of the Harlem neighborhood that is centered around 145th Street. In this 'hood, teens will become acquainted with the mysterious 12-year-old Angela, whose sad dreams seem to predict the future for an unlucky few, and the fast-talking Jamie Farrell, a smooth basketball player who's praying that his streak of good luck doesn't end before he can ask out Celia Evora, "the finest chick in the school." They will chuckle at the affable Big Joe, who wants to enjoy his funeral party while he's still alive, yet feel their hearts tighten when Big Time Henson senses his drug addiction drawing him closer and closer to an early grave.

Myers frankly discusses the consequences of violence, drive-bys and gang war through his articulate characters, but tempers these episodes with such a love of his fictional community that every character shines through with the hope and strength of a survivor. Changing his point of view from teen to adult and back again through each vignette, Myers successfully builds a bridge of understanding between adolescents and adults that will help each group better understand the problems of the other. A worthy and recommended read that beautifully illustrates the good that can come out of a community that stands together. Newbery Honor-winning Myers has written more than 50 books, including Monster and Fallen Angels. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert


From Publishers Weekly
In a starred review, PW called this collection of 10 stories set in Harlem, "a kind of literary Rear Window. Myers creates snapshots of a pulsing, vibrant community with diverse ethnic threads, through all of its ups and downs." Ages 12-up. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up-Myers draws upon his experiences growing up in Harlem to create these 10 interconnected stories about a neighborhood inhabited by colorful, memorable characters. Teens figure prominently in these selections, but adults of varying ages also play dominant roles. One of the funniest characters is a fellow named Big Joe, who decides to organize his own funeral while he's still alive to enjoy it. One of the most memorable tales is "Monkeyman," in which a teen stands up to the local gang. A host of other characters come to life. These finely drawn personalities come together in the final story, the celebratory "Block Party-145th Street Style." People in the neighborhood have to put up with crime, police brutality, and poverty, but there are fun times, too. Myers gets a bit sentimental at times, especially in "A Christmas Story," but there's enough balance here among the emotions to make 145th Street a highly enjoyable short-story collection. What one comes away with after reading it is a vivid sense of place and a vibrant feeling of community.Edward Sullivan, New York Public Library Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
Coming off a career year, Myers (At Her Majesty's Request, 1999; Monster, p. 725) keeps the ball rolling with ten strong tales of laughter and tragedy, good choices and risky ones, love and death, all set on a single Harlem block. Sandwiched between two meetings with a teenager regarding her widowed mother's remarriage with decidedly mixed feelings are: young Jamie's entertaining efforts to make the most of a ``Streak'' of miraculous luck; ``A Christmas Story'' about a very old woman and a white police officer; a bookish youth's quietly courageous stand against a gang (``Monkeyman''); and other encounters and incidents that illuminate lives. With residents that range from young children to Mr. Lynch, ``so old he had washed dishes at the Last Supper,'' witnessing or participating in events as familiar as a block party, as horrifying as a child killed by stray police bullets, Myers weaves the sweet and the bitter into a vibrant urban fabric. The result is readable, entertaining, perceptive. (Short stories. 10-13) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

ANNOTATION

Ten stories portray life on a block in Harlem.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A salty, wrenchingly honest collection of stories set on one block of 145th Street. We get to know the oldest resident; the cop on the beat; fine Peaches and her girl, Squeezie; Monkeyman; and Benny, a fighter on the way to a knockout. We meet Angela, who starts having prophetic dreams after her father is killed; Kitty, whose love for Mack pulls him back from the brink; and Big Joe, who wants a bang-up funeral while he's still around to enjoy it. Some of these stories are private, and some are the ones behind the headlines. In each one, characters jump off the page and pull readers right into the mix on 1-4-5.

SYNOPSIS

A salty, wrenchingly honest collection of stories set on one block of 145th Street. We get to know the oldest resident; the cop on the beat; fine Peaches and her girl, Squeezie; Monkeyman; and Benny, a fighter on the way to a knockout.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In a starred review, PW called this collection of 10 stories set in Harlem, "a kind of literary Rear Window. Myers creates snapshots of a pulsing, vibrant community with diverse ethnic threads, through all of its ups and downs." Ages 12-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Myers weaves a fine tapestry from the multifaceted life of Harlem with its shiny, shady and hazy ways. The marvelously developed characters in these ten short stories really pack a wallop. First, there is the very funny story of Big Joe staging his own funeral. Myers then takes the reader to the other extreme with his grim tale of an innocent child shot by the police. One discovers the desperation of Billy Giles who returns time and again to the boxing ring, and the reactions of a superstitious community to Angela Colón's "second sight." Elderly Mother Fletcher imparts wisdom and warmth in "A Christmas Story." Myers' use of first person narrative gives immediacy to these tales. His apt phrasing and the rhythm of the stories have a mesmerizing affect. Some special people await the reader here on 14th Street. And what stories they have to tell! Make sure you don't miss out. 2000, Delacorte Press, Ages 12 up, $15.95. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo

VOYA

These ten powerful stories create a vivid mosaic of life in the Harlem neighborhood of 145th Street. Memorable characters range from outgoing Big Joe, who decides to stage his own funeral party in Big Joe's Funeral, to book-loving Monkeyman, who outsmarts the Tigros gang. The character of vibrant, fifteen-year-old Peaches, who is anxious about her mother's impending marriage to Big Joe, appears in several stories. In Fighter, Billy Giles determines--despite his pain--to continue boxing for the sake of his wife and child. Big Time Henson, despondent and dependent on drugs, summons up the courage to save a boy's life. The stories are wide-ranging in topic and mood. Readers are told of the tender love in Kitty and Mack: A Love Story; of Jamie Farrell's lucky streak in The Streak; the disturbing visions of seventh-grader Angela in Angela's Eyes; and quiet despair in The Baddest Dog in Harlem, in which a child is killed by police gunshots. Myers builds a sense of community through his stories, such as The Christmas Party, in which O'Brien and his family accept elderly Mrs. Fletcher's invitation to Christmas dinner. Neighbors help sixteen-year-old T. J. and his homeless mother in the concluding story, Block Party--145th Street Style. Beautifully told, Myers's stories offer an enticing collection for teens. Although each tale is unique, they contribute to the collective saga of the neighborhood. The stories give voice to the bad things that can happen, but they also tell about love, courage, and survival. VOYA CODES: 5Q 3P S (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Will appeal with pushing; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2000, Delacorte, Ages 16 to 18, 151p, $15.95.Reviewer: Hilary S. Crew

Alan Review

The scene is New York City--and specifically, 145th Street. In the heart of the community known as Harlem, 145th Street is the street where, as Walter Dean Myers says, if ordinary people, "had a good chance, they would be okay." Yet, anger and despair too often mar the lives of the people living there. The ten short stories in this remarkable volume are about the tragic twists and turns of the residents of 145th Street. We meet the fighter, the dreamer, the lover, the loser, and the survivors in this haunting collection of life inside America's premiere inner city renaissance of good and evil. Walter Dean Myers knows 145th Street. He knows Harlem's locals, language, culture, traditions, clothing, food, and above all, rhythm. Using his consummate writing skill, he brings the reader into his short stories, holding us spellbound as he weaves his tales of intrigue, despair and hope. An excellent complement to his many award-winning novels. Genre: Inner City/Street life. 2000, Delacorte Press, Ages 12 up, $15.95. Reviewer: Angela M. Ferree

Mary A. Centa