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Published Apr 2012
224 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
A provocative new novel from the national ambassador for young people's literature and the New York Times bestselling author of Monster.
Who's on top of the social food chain? How do you get ahead? Who makes the rules? Who needs to follow them?
Paul DuPree is working at a soup kitchen in Harlem the summer his father dies, just trying to get by. But Elijah, the soup man, won't stop talking about the social contract and asking Paul questions about heavy-duty things. Paul has never thought about this stuff. He'd rather hang out with Keisha, an unwed teen mom whose basketball skills rival his own.
Then Sly, a notorious Harlem big shot, shows up. Paul is both intrigued and intimidated by Sly and his conspiracy theories, and for once he starts contemplating how you really get ahead in life. As the talk of what-ifs turns into reality, Paul realizes his summer is about more than getting by - it's about taking charge of your life.
Ages 13+
"Starred Review. Myers fits a large cast and many motivations into a relatively small work, and they in turn transform this extended examination of political philosophy into a must-read novel." - Publishers Weekly
"A novel that will provide teachers and others a relevant tool for introducing and discussing a complex subject." - Kirkus Reviews
"[T]his is a YA title about honoring the social contract. Kids don't always know that they're part of one... In the ensuing novel everything from Locke to Rousseau is covered. Interesting." - School Library Journal
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