Just Another Hero [Hardcover]

Sharon M. Draper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2009

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Arielle, November, Jericho, and their friends have been through so much. But senior year is going well, and when the fire alarm goes off in English class, everyone assumes that it's a prank. But the alarm was pulled for a different and potentially deadly

--This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up–During their senior year at Douglass High, tightly knit friends confront both personal struggles and unsettling school situations. Arielle, Kofi, and the rest of their group mend fences after and come to grips with a lethal hazing event from the past. But there are more problems to tackle. Arielle accidentally witnesses a repugnant bullying incident that the victim asks her to keep secret and resolutely deals with her rich and controlling stepfather. Kofi worries about his irresponsible parents, securing college funding, his pain-pill addiction, and keeping his romance intact. New mother November returns to her classes, determined to finish school. Crazy Jack hides his mental instability by appearing funny and cool. Meanwhile, someone is stealing money and personal property at school. Alternating third-person chapters zero in on Arielle and Kofi while skillfully weaving their friends, classmates, teachers, and others into the plot. The discovery of the thief near the end is surprising and unsettling, and Jack's breakdown, which involves an assault rifle and holding students hostage, immediately following is jarring. Though it is all a bit much, the quick pace, convincing dialogue, and interesting characters and situations will compel teens, especially those who have read TheBattle of Jericho (2003) and November Blues (2007, both S & S).–Diane P. Tuccillo, Poudre River Public Library District, Fort Collins, CO
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Sharon Draper is a two-time Coretta Scott King Award-winning author, most recently for Copper Sun, and previously for Forged by Fire. She's also the recipient of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Author Award for New Talent for Tears of a Tiger and the Coretta Scott King Author Honor for The Battle of Jericho and November Blues. Her other books include Romiette and Julio, Darkness Before Dawn, and Double Dutch. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she taught high school English for twenty-five years. She's a popular conference speaker, addressing educational and literary groups both nationally and internationally. For more information visit her online at www.sharondraper.com. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Hardcover
• Publisher: Atheneum Books (June 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416980644
• ISBN-13: 978-1416980643
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,735,387 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sharon Draper is a two-time Coretta Scott King Award-winning author, most recently for Copper Sun, and previously for Forged by Fire. She's also the recipient of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Author Award for New Talent for Tears of a Tiger and the Coretta Scott King Author Honor for The Battle of Jericho and November Blues. Her other books include Romiette and Julio, Darkness Before Dawn, and Double Dutch. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she taught high school English for twenty-five years. She's a popular conference speaker, addressing educational and literary groups both nationally and internationally.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 9, 2009

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Just Another Hero (Hardcover)

JUST ANOTHER HERO is the final book in Sharon M. Draper's trilogy that began with THE BATTLE OF JERICHO and NOVEMBER BLUES. It takes readers inside a Cincinnati high school to follow the lives of a group of students who are now seniors finishing their high school careers and heading on to whatever their futures may hold.

This group of friends has experienced a lot over the years. They have watched out for each other, fallen in love, and had disagreements that changed the course of their relationships. Now in their final year together, they are dealing with personal challenges, family issues, and the usual academic hassles of high school.

Arielle, having realized the error of her ways, is making her way back into her old circle of friends. November is returning to school after the premature birth of her daughter, Sunshine. Kofi receives a letter of acceptance to MIT but now must worry about how to pay for the privilege of attending the prestigious school. Jericho and Olivia have a strong relationship and are the envy of everyone.

Running alongside the stories of this group of friends are some potentially explosive situations. Osrick continues to be the target for practical jokes and harassment. Crazy Jack creates chaos in the halls and classrooms and is no doubt the reason for all the fake fire drills disrupting the school day. Eddie has returned from juvenile detention, causing more unwanted tension. And everyone is completely frustrated by a rash of thefts plaguing students and teachers alike.

Author Sharon M. Draper is an expert at capturing the high school spirit and making her characters come alive. Her ability to create entertaining and believable high school scenarios makes her books popular with many teens.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lessons To Be Learned, May 12, 2010

By 

Katrina L. Burchett "Author of Young Adult Fi... (Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Just Another Hero (Hardcover)

The Jericho Trilogy: First came a story that tackled the issue of hazing, The Battle of Jericho, and then Sharon M. Draper addressed teen pregnancy in November Blues, and now Just Another Hero deals with violence in school... Arielle Gresham and Kofi Freeman are both having problems at home. November Nelson is dealing with being a teen parent and doing her best to keep up her grades so she can graduate with the rest of her class. And Jericho Prescott and Olivia Thigpen are still together. It's senior year and things are going okay at school until one of their peer's decides to bust into the classroom with a grievance and an AK-47.

In the first novel, Josh Prescott died and I wasn't happy with that; he was a very likeable young man with his whole life ahead of him. The first thing I thought when I saw this book was, "oh no, I hope another one of these young people isn't going to die" and, of course, I wanted to know if one of them wouldn't make it to the end of the story, hoping they all would. So, I'm reading - bothered by the things Arielle and Kofi had to go through at home, learning how teenage parenting is going for November, finding out about these teens college plans, feeling bad for Osrick Warley, trying to figure out Jack Krasinki, trying to guess who this thief was at school and not liking Chadwick Kensington O'Neil at all - and, even though I was interested in the story, I asked myself, "What does any of this have to do with the book description?" The summary of the book on the jacket flap and the book cover made me believe most of the story would focus on school violence but that was not the case. After a while I could see the connections but there were too many minor details to get to what I thought would be the main focus of the story - the potentially deadly reason why the fire alarm goes off. The story was almost over when the unfortunate incident took place. No, tragedy isn't something I anticipate reading about but I do like emotional reads and that's what I was expecting.

I really enjoyed the first two books in the Jericho trilogy, especially November Blues, and I decided after the second book that I was definitely going to read the third. I did like this one but not as much as the others. I'm thinking that was because I felt misled by a synopsis the book cover seemed to confirm. I also would have liked to have seen more of November raising her daughter instead of just hearing about it. There are lots of important lessons (the author touches on quite a few issues besides school violence) for readers to learn, though, and teens will find the high school scenes believable and all the talk of college helpful.

5.0 out of 5 stars What would you do if someone showed up with an AK-47?, January 15, 2012

By 

JesusJuice - See all my reviews

This review is from: Just Another Hero (Mass Market Paperback)

Just Another Hero is the final book in the trilogy the battle of Jericho and November Blues. it takes readers back to Cincinnati high School to follow the group of youngsters who are now seniors and trying to finish school. November gives birth to her daughter Sunshine. Jericho falls in love with Olivia and there the envy of everyone. Arielle has realized the error in her ways. Kofi has got accepted in a very prestigious school. But then Crazy Jack shows up to school with an AK-47 and what happens next will leave you breathless.
Sharon M. Draper is my favorite author and she is an expert at capturing a persons attention.