SCORPIONS

Twelve-year-old Jamal feels the weight of the world on his shoulders in this YA novel. His life is one of pressure and harassment with little comfort. An older bully fights him regularly, his brother is in jail, his kid sister tattles on him for sport, and a gang member is recruiting him. Jamal's only saving grace is pal Tito, who stays by his side through his travails. This is a classic story of frustration, the feeling of taking one step forward and two back. Unfortunately, the narration doesn't keep pace. Peter Francis James gives some of the supporting characters distinct identities, but many of the character voices are not varied enough. Further, his pacing of the story is problematic; constant pauses slow the narration to a frustrating crawl. M.B. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2009]