Woodson, Jacqueline. The dear one.WOODSON, Jacqueline. The dear one. Penguin Putnam, Speak. 144p. c1991.0-14250190-5. $6.99. JS* Woodson's second novel, previously published in 1991, has been attractively packaged by Speak/Penguin, with an enticing photo of an infant's feet. It is a sterling, well-crafted narrative that considers the gamut See color gamut. gamut - The gamut of a monitor is the set of colours it can display. There are some colours which can't be made up of a mixture of red, green and blue phosphor emissions and so can't be displayed by any monitor. of emotions and opportunities that teen pregnancy presents. Meet Feni (Alfeni, "dear one" in Swahili) who has suffered the loss of her dear grandmother, her mother's alcoholism alcoholism, disease characterized by impaired control over the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Alcoholism is a serious problem worldwide; in the United States the wide availability of alcoholic beverages makes alcohol the most accessible drug, and alcoholism is and her parents' divorce in her 12-year-old life. When Mom announces the impending im·pend intr.v. im·pend·ed, im·pend·ing, im·pends 1. To be about to occur: Her retirement is impending. 2. arrival of an old school friend's pregnant 15-year-old daughter, it is no wonder that Feni feels her fragile universe is threatened. Rebecca arrives, with the clash of innocence, the myths and mysteries of sexual behavior sexual behavior A person's sexual practices–ie, whether he/she engages in heterosexual or homosexual activity. See Sex life, Sexual life. , and a rude attitude from her Harlem background, and the girls must learn to share their suburban household space. Mom's lesbian friends Marion and Bernadette pitch in to help Rebecca and the pregnancy develops. The importance of friendship is beautifully illustrated by these strong African-American women as well as by the girls. Social strata, the power of money, the meaning of love and the varied concepts of family move the touching story to a hopeful, teary ending. Suggest this gem gem, ornamental mineral or organic substance gem, commonly, a mineral or organic substance, cut and polished and used as an ornament. Gems also are used as seals (items of assurance) and as talismans (good-luck charms). For birthstones, see month. along with Angela Johnson's The First Part Last for a sound understanding of the complex problem of teens having children. Nancy Zachary, YA Libn., Scarsdale P.L., Scarsdale, NY |
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