Scorpions

Written by Walter Dean Myers

Narrated by Peter Francis James

The Scorpions are a gun-toting Harlem gang, and Jamal Hicks is about to become tragically involved with them in this authentic tale of the sacrifice of innocence and the struggle to steer clear of violence.

This Newbery Honor Book will challenge young men to consider their own decisions as they come of age in a complex and often frustrating society.

Pushed by a bully to fight and nagged by his principal, Jamal is having a difficult time staying in school. His home life is not much better, with his mother working her fingers to the bone to try to earn the money for an appeal for Jamal's jailed older brother, Randy.

Jamal wants to do the right thing and help earn the money to free his brother by working, but he's afraid to go against the Scorpions. Jamal eventually pulls free of the gang's bad influence, but only through the narrowest of escapes.

Walter Dean Myers, five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, sensitively explores the loyalty and love between friends faced with hard choices. Scorpions is 25 years old, but the issues of poverty and violence make it a timeless powerful read—sadly as relevant as ever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Mar 3, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061782114

Walter Dean Myers

Walter Dean Myers was the New York Times bestselling author of Monster, the winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award; a National Ambassador for Young People's Literature; and an inaugural NYC Literary Honoree. Myers was recognized by every single major award in the field of children's literature. He was the author of two Newbery Honor Books and five Coretta Scott King Book Award winners. He was the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults and a three-time National Book Award finalist as well as the first ever recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Reviews for Scorpions

[electrascaife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

12-year-old Jamal is facing stressful situations on all sides: he's having trouble at school. which is exacerbated by the casual racism of his principal; his older brother is in jail for killing a man during a robbery; he feels a low-grade constant worry for his mother, who works too hard out of necessity and is herself worried sick over her oldest son; and he is now facing pressure from his brother's old gang not only to join them, but also to take his brother's place as their leader. When the neighborhood gang lord gives him a gun to help solidify his new position, Jamal at first balks, but then becomes dependent on the gun for a feeling of security, forming a love/hate relationship with the weapon. The gun, of course, leads to nothing but trouble, and Jamal's only constant - his sweet and kind and loving best friend, Tito - gets caught up in the consequences.
This one feels pretty heavy for a Newbery Honor Book, but then again, if there are middle grade kids getting pulled into such a violent life, then there should be middle grade books out there tackling the subject. There's no happy ending here, but it's an important read, nonetheless. Jamal feels very real, and his emotions and reactions to the situations he finds himself in are believable, which is not an easy writing goal to accomplish. Overall, recommended.

[soulja_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I remember reading scorpions since I was like in the 5th grade. This book had me up for nights. Even though it took me like 10 hours to read the whole thing because I was slow at reading at the time, it just had to be done. I love the book. I want you to read this book if you are the type of person who really likes the climax, or the exiting action part of the books. Trust me when I say that this book is good. Walter Dean Myers did a excellent job on this book. I recommend you read this book.

This is from your guy SOULJA keeping it true and real. Come on my page and leave me a comment if you would like to speak.

[shalynadams · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a story about taking on the leadership of a Harlem gang, the Scorpions. A young boy named Jamal finds away to get treated with respect by his enemies when he obtains a gun. Jamal learns later that a gun does not bring respect but tragedy.

This story hit home for me. Gangs are becoming more and more around our state. A kid I went to school was in a gang and they came looking for him one day at park in town. When they got to the park they thought it was him and it ended up being his little brother who still had his whole life to live and was going in the right direction. The gang shot and killed his little brother that day thinking it was him.

I believe this is a great book to use as a tool to educate students about gang activity. I also think children would like this book because some could relate this book to their own life. In my opinion this book should be read and discussed in all classrooms.

[btodosan_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Myers voice is true and convincing. I listened to this with dread, however, because I didn't want to listen to the downfall of Jamal. Ending not as bad as I anticipated. I think you can feel sympathy for Jamal and his situation. Even if you disagree with his decisions, you certainly understand why he chose as he did.

[mspioneer_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is about a kid who takes care of his brothers. It is similar to The Outsiders except in this book they hang out with the wrong crowd. He cant leave his brothers and sisters behind because he is all they have. Read this to find out if he follows through with taking care of what's left of his family or if the terrible gang life takes over. -J.G