Handbook for Boys: A Novel

Jimmy has been charged with assault of a classmate and faces 6 months in a juvenile facility. Instead the judge allows him to be part of a mentoring program headed by Duke, a Harlem barbershop owner. While working at the shop, Jimmy hears Duke and his customers discuss life, success and failure. Myers wrote this book, inspired by he people he's known, especially those who failed. The goal of this book is so obvious it comes off as pedantic, but maybe a concrete discussion of one's choices in life is the best way to get the message to those who need it most.

Every community should have a barbershop of wisdom with a mentor like Duke. As Duke offers pearls of wisdom to teen juvenile offenders placed under his wing, one truly admires the time and commitment to these boys; the narrative itself, however, is a bit didactic and filled with more dialogue than action. While a mature reader may have sufficient patience for the slow moving plot, a young man in need of Duke's guidance may not.

I thought it was a good book for someone about 12 years old and not necessarily a boy. I found it interesting and motivational.

Kind of preachy, don't think teens would find book exciting enough although written in novel form

RGG: Didatic discussion of making the right life choices masked in a novel about a teenage boy doing his "probation" in the neighborhood barber shop.

RGG: Didatic discussion of making the right life choices masked in a novel about a teenage boy doing his "probation" in the neighborhood barber shop.

Myers, Walter Dean. Handbook for Boys. 2002. Harper Collins Publishers: New York.
Genre: Multicultural Education and Diversity
Themes: working at barbershop, juvenile probation, drugs, life learning lessons
Reading level: level 6 or ages 9-12
Awards: 1994 ALAN Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults. And in 1994 ALAN Award for outstand contribution to the field of young adult literature.
Censorship Issues: I did not find any that I can mention.
Plot Summary: A young black boy named Jimmy Lynch gets in trouble by the law from fight someone. The law put him on probation and he had to work at a barbershop from Mr. Duke Wilson. In order for him to get off of probation he had to listen to what ever Mr. Duke show more told him to do. Mr. Duke said if he was good for two years then he would pay for him to go to college. Jimmy and another boy named Kevin ended up working together. Kevin had more of an attitude and did not listen as well as Jimmy did. They both learned life learning lessons by customers coming in getting their haircut. The customers would talk about their problems and when they would leave Mr. Duke and his friends would give their advice what they were doing, good or bad. By the end of the story Jimmy ends up shaping up and listening to everything Mr. Duke had to say. The book leads you to believe that Jimmy will end up going to college and turning his life around for the good.
Critique: This was a very good book. It was realistic by the events that took place in the book. It had a great message to send to young adults. It was easy to read and overall just a good wholesome book. The life lessons Mr. Duke told them was good advice for any young adult to hear. I have nothing bad to say about this book.
Curriculum Uses: This is a great book to use in the classroom. I think boys or girls would find this book very interesting. This book could definitely find a way into a lesson plan about life learning lessons. For a public library, it is great for a community. Any one would have fun reading this book. show less