November Blues

This is a sequel to The Battle of Jericho, but you do not have to read it to follow and enjoy November Blues. I have only read November Blues, and I can easily see why it is a Coretta Scott King honor book. Draper's portrayal of teenage pregnancy is extremely realistic. She doesn't shy away from anything when describing the repercussions of teenage pregnancy. When a book makes me want to read others by the author, I would say it was a positive experience reading it.
If a teacher did choose to use it in the classroom, I would recommend only HS students read it. The subject matter is too adult for kids not in HS. It is a great cautionary tale that doesn't have a fairy tale ending.

November Blues is the sequel to the Corretta Scott King Award winning book The Battle of Jericho. Draper reveals how a tragic death affects the lives of those who are left behind. November Nelson lost her boyfriend to a stupid pledge stunt but her life must continue on. Things go from difficult to impossible when she finds that she is pregnant with Josh's baby. This will change her life forever and destroy her mother's Ivy League hopes for November's future. At the same time Jericho Prescott, Josh's cousin, finds life gray and unbearable without his best friend. He joins the football team to work out the pain but November needs him to be there for her.

This real-life story delves into the problems teens face when life does not go show more according to plan. The family, moral, and personal issues that November and Jericho face affect more than just themselves. November's most difficult moment comes when she has to tell her mom. "She just couldn't get the words out. She knew that as soon as she said them out loud, nothing would ever be the same." How will her mom feel about her? What will everyone else say? show less

Describes the realities of a teen pregnancy right down to the problematic birth. Although disappointed with this unexpected life direction (she had plans to attend college), November accepts the inevitable and her responsibilities, with the support of her mother and her friends Jericho, Dana and Olivia.

The novel, Novenber Blues, encompasses a teenage girl named November Nelson who struggles with her boyfriend, Josh,dying and finding out she is pregnant. In the beginning, Novenber, the protagonist struggles with how her mother responds with her news. Through out the middle, she experiences pregnacy pains along with legal issues from Josh's parents, wanting to claim the baby. Josh's cousin Jericho steps up to comit to November's needs in hope to fill in the gap that November has because Josh is dead. By the end November has the baby in the most crazy dramatic way, her relationship with her mother becomes stronger, and her legal problems weren't an issue anymore ( 320 pgs/ 320 pgs read)

I recently heard Sharon Draper speak and was quite taken by her. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this title as much as others by her. The story kept me reading but not enough went on to keep me enthralled.

Sequel to Battle of Jericho - 16-year-old November Nelson learns she is 3 months pregnant on first doctor visit. She’s carrying the child of Josh, who died 3 months before in a high school club hazing. November is an excellent student who had been on her way to Cornell. Her 8th-grade art teacher widowed mother deeply disappointed by the news.

Friends Dana and Olivia circle around to support November. Friend Jericho (Josh’s cousin and best friend) promises to be there for her. Josh’s parents and their lawyer present November with adoption papers and a full 4-year college scholarship.

With the backdrop of other kids’ senior year activities, November deals with her changing body, her broken dreams, and after baby Sunshine is born show more prematurely, hopes for her child and herself as a mother. show less

Have you known someone who gets pregnant at a young age?
Well read this. In this book called November Blues by: Sharon M. Draper a young girl named November Nelson gets pregnant, her boyfriend died, and she wouldn’t be able to finish school. I really liked this book because it reflects on all of our young teenage girls and how they make mistakes getting pregnant, how love ones die, and how you can’t finish school. I would recommend this book to highschoolers or mature people because it deals with sex, cursing, and thing with pregnancy. Sharon M. Draper writes some good books. Her books includes all about teens and their life and situations. She knows all about these situations because she has been a high school teacher so she can show more relate to all the situations, and she also is a Coretta Scott King award show less