Product Description

Jimmy hasn't seen his father in nine years. But one day he comes back -- on the run from the law. Together, the two of them travel across the country -- where Jimmy's dad will find the man who can exonerate him of the crime for which he was convicted. Along the way, Jimmy discovers a lot about his father and himself -- and that while things can't always be fixed, sometimes they can be understood and forgiven.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #155355 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 192 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10-- A poignant story of motherless, 14-year-old Jimmy Little, whose convict father takes him on a search for truth, identity, and family. Whisked away from the stability of a homelife with his devoted grandmother, Mama Jean, Jimmy confronts the harsh realities of his father's life on the run. Jailed for his involvement in an armed robbery and falsely accused of killing a man, Crab escapes from prison to convince his son of his innocence. What Jimmy discovers is a man desperate to establish a relationship with his son but unable to break free of a lifestyle of stealing and moving on that leaves little room for security. On their highway odyssey, Crab becomes increasingly sick with a kidney ailment. Following a climactic encounter with the man who accused him, Crab is again arrested and hospitalized. For Jimmy, the flicker of hope that he and his father might work things out becomes a realization that love is built on trust, concern, and honesty. Through terse dialogue and characterization, Myers conveys a powerful message about the need for parent and child to believe in and respect one another. By story's end, the boy understands that to fully appreciate someone else's life you must first give meaning to your own. Whether from urban or rural backgrounds, single or double parent families, readers will find this universal journey of self-discovery gratifying. --Gerry Larson, Chewning Junior High School, Durham, NC
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
An eminent author who's excelled with both tragedy (Scorpions, 1988, Newbery Honor) and funny, lighthearted novels writes in a serious vein but offers a realistic gleam of hope. Jimmy, 14, has been raised by his beloved, dependable ``Mama Jean,'' a friend of parents he doesn't remember; his mother is dead, and his dad, ``Crab,'' is in prison for killing a man in an armed robbery. Suddenly Crab shows up, claiming that he's on parole and has a job in Chicago. Jimmy agrees to go with him, but Crab's lies begin to unravel even before they leave New York: he has kidney failure, and has escaped from a prison hospital (``When they start operating on an inmate, I don't know what they'd be thinking''); the job is an illusion. The two go on to Arkansas, where Crab hopes old friend Rydell will vouch for his innocence: Crab was convicted of murder as the result of another associate's plea-bargaining. Rydell, who once betrayed Crab with his silence, betrays him again by calling the police; Crab surrenders, then dies soon after in the hospital. Myers builds a poignant picture here of a failed man whose clumsy reaching out to his son comes too late to make a real bond. Yet Crab does leave a legacy: going home to Mama Jean, Jimmy--a bright, honest, loving boy who has recently been floundering in his inner-city school and exhibiting signs of real depression--resolves that the next generation will be different: ``He would know just how he was like his son...and where their souls touched and where they didn't.'' Sober, thought-provoking, rich in insight and detail: another splendid achievement. (Fiction. 12+) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Somewhere In The Darkness
âaeSomewhere In The Darknessâ


This book is about a thirteen year old boy that was living in Harlem Newyork .Jimmy had a father but he was in jail for doing drugs. While his father was in jail he escape and was being looked for all over. When Jimmyâ(tm)s father escaped from jail he took Jimmy with him to go hide in the west coast by Arkansas and another state. Every time Jimmyâ(tm)s father would see a cop he would run. The cops would put a wanted sign looking for him. . So in the end of the father gets caught and Jimmy goes and move back with his mom. I recommend this book to kids or young adults that like to read books about criminals.

Somewhere in the darkness
America's best selling book, somewhere in the darkness by Walter dean Myers has won a Newbery honor award. As soon as you start to read you will never stop.
A life of a fourteen years old boy named jimmy is holding his own little world. He lives in Harlem. He never saw his father and lives with his mom. Suddenly one day he was walking home from school, he saw a man standing in front of his house. That's when the book starts to get interesting.
I will recommend this book as one of the best book. The writing style is very persuasive. The father of jimmy is very dramatic. You will never know what he going to do next. This book has professional language and easy to read. This book is like more reality then fiction.
It is the best time to try it out. It will probably take you week and half to finish it up. It also has lot of drama. Don't waste your time go ahead and start reading today.

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I absolutely recommend this book to all readers. Walter Dean Myers does a fabulous job in showing Jimmy's varied perspectives towards his father. This was a well-written, realistic fiction book that had a perfect mix of action and emotion. This book had plenty of surprises, too. One example is when the police caught Crab and Jimmy. As I was reading this book, I couldn't wait to discover the content of the following page, due to the fact that Jimmy and Crab are always looking over their shoulder for a dangerous finish. For all of those who enjoy an exciting quick-read, this book is for you.