Customer Reviews

The Manual (Urban Christian)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I appreciate an author who weaves social issues into a fiction story. Sherryle K. Jackson's sophomore novel, The Manual, does just that. Single-parenting, troubled youth, the hoarding of African-American males in special education, teen age sex, urban violence and even male health concerns. That may seem like a lot, but it's a big book and Jackson manages to juggle them very well.

Jackson's strength in this novel is in characterization. While Deidre worked my very last nerve, I enjoyed the men a great deal. In particular I loved Andre Hicks. Jackson captured the male voice authentically, although I have to admit I would have liked to see him stand up to Ms. Deidre a little more. Then there was the kid in the middle, DeAndre Hicks. He was the quintessential teenage son. I know, I have one. Good kid, but the attitude, mouth and hormones. Great work climbing into the head of a teenager.

All and all I would recommend The Manual and I look forward to more from this author.

"The Manual" by Sherryle Kiser Jackson jumps right into the lives of Deidre Collins, Andre Hicks and their son De Andre Hicks. We meet Deidre and Andre as teens and can sense from the start that what the two share is undeniable. As the story progresses, we realize that there's been more loss than gain in their relationship, which has caused a seven-year separation not just from one another, but their son as well.

Reunited at a friend's wedding, the co-parents consider the needs of their only child and decide that it's imperative that Andre plays a more active part in De Andre's life. Failing, fighting and females appear to be damaging any chances De Andre has of being promoted to ninth grade. While his parents are trying to parent, they find themselves looking back on their past. Can they all do what is needed in order to make things right?

"The Manual" is a good read. I love the way Christ is offered as a solution even for the teenage son when facing a very difficult decision. "The Manual" is a fresh approach to dealing with co-parenting, raising teens and succeeding in life.


Reviewed by: Crystal

"Blessed are the children, for they shall inherit the earth."

Need a manual on raising children and having healthy relationships? Refer to the Bible. That's what Deidre Collins' inner spirit is telling her to do now that Andre, her son's father, is back in town after deserting them eight years ago.

At fourteen years old, her son, DeAndre, is struggling with his own issues--peer pressure, problems at school, and figuring out how to navigate his first crush.

When DeAndre gets suspended from school for ten days, Andre sees it as the perfect opportunity to get to know his son--and to get closer to Deidre.

Rating: 8/10

Plot: 8.5/10

Characters: 8/10

Ending: 8/10

Enjoyment: 8/10

Cover: 7/10

Keleigh Crigler Hadley author of Christian YA fiction:[...]

Sherryle Kiser Jackson hit the nail on the head with this awesome tale of family, faith and forgiveness. Two of the main characters, Deidre and Andre, met while attending the same high school. Deidre was the popular church girl, while Andre was the leader of the local break dance crew. Soon, time and hormones found Deidre and Andre at odds and awaiting the birth of their son.
Once immaturity and emotions set in Deidre and Andre found out that being grown was a lot harder than they thought. With the new baby, Deidre was working and going to school, while Andre never seemed to be able to get himself together. When their relationship seemed to be at its lowest point, Deidre's mother took that as an opportunity to get Andre out of Deidre's life for good. She gave him an offer that he couldn't refuse. The question is, was he only thinking of himself? Or was Deidre and their son DeAndre the motive for his snap decision?
As the years passed, Deidre tried her best to raise DeAndre the only that she knew how. She took him to church diligently to expose him to the positive things that young men should be involved in, but that never seemed to be enough to keep DeAndre out of trouble. It seemed the more trouble that he got in, the more Deidre saw the uncanny resemblance to his father. She often reminisced about Andre and the trouble that seemed to loom over his every move. At the age where peer pressure is at an all time high, DeAndre battled resisting the sexual invitation of a girl that he was interested in and solidifying his own self esteem.
Deidre tries to set the right example for DeAndre but he seemed to test her limits more and more. She is so fed up with his antics that she doesn't even see his incredible talent. That is, until she finds out that Andre is back in town and agrees to allow him to help her with DeAndre.
The Manual dealt with some strong issues that I could relate to as both a woman and a mother. The battles that each character faced are very relevant today. Although some parts of the book were slow and drawn out, the outcome is very much so worth it! I enjoyed the Christian references without being too preachy. This is a definite recommend.
Courtesy of African Americans on the Move Bookclub
Unika Molden-AAMBC Reviewer

Sherryle Kiser Jackson's "The Manual" is a grand read with an abundance of real life conflicts. The main characters Deidre, Andre, and De Andre are all trying to deal with issues both individually and with one another. DeAndre is the teenage son of Deidre and Andre who is at the cusp of sexual awareness and trying to find his position in his group of friends and at school. DeAndre is also attempting to figure out girls and temptation.
Deidre has been a single mother for the last 8 years and is having trouble finding a way to get through to her son and help him see the importance of the choices he's making in his life. She makes sure to keep him active in church and wants to lead by example a Christian life. She is encouraged to allow his father to play an active role in his life and give a man's perspective on some of the issues DeAndre's is dealing with. Deidre and Andre are seeking to successfully co-parent DeAndre after not communicating for a long time. Old wounds are opened and new dilemmas come their way as well.
Andre is trying to be an active father in DeAndre's life and clear up some past mistakes. In doing so, he finds himself being drawn more and more to Deidre. Andre gets assurance from his body and the ideology of fitness guru Bo Donovan. Will they allow God to order their steps and navigate their path as a family? Read "The Manual" and find out! This book is both entertaining and enlightening.

If my son got suspended for sticking his hand up a girl's pants and I was called in front of a panel of his teachers to hear about it, I'd probably want the floor to open up and swallow me whole.

But single mom Deidre Collins handles the situation with a lot of prayer and remarkable restraint. This is one reason she makes such a sympathetic character. Her son, DeAndre, has lost his ever lovin' mind and unfortunately, things only go downhill from there.

It's clear DeAndre needs a male role model in his life. Instead of accepting the help of the smarmy brother at her church willing to 'stand in the gap', Deidre reluctantly turns to her baby's daddy, and the only man she's ever loved, Andre Hicks.

But when old sparks start to fly, Deidre is tempted to fall into familiar patterns of sin. Will God give her the strength to live out her faith?

I have a soft spot for books that reunite high school sweethearts.

You never fall as hard or as fast you do when you're a teenager. Author Sherryle Jackson illustrates this perfectly by giving us glimpses of DeAndre's first crush. His experience mirrors his parents' young love (with a radically different outcome). And his storyline makes a nice contrast to the mature relationship that grows between Deidre and Andre by the end of the book.

Jackson also does a great job with the minor characters in this novel, especially Renita- the workplace slacker who takes more than her share of personal time. Don't we all know somebody like that?

I had a couple of small quibbles with this story. I found the names of the main characters (Deidre, DeAndre, and Andre- nicknamed Dre) easy to mix up because they were so similar. Also, I caught a couple of editing mistakes (a missing quotation mark or question mark here and there).

But overall, it was a fun, easy read with great voice and characterization. It had just enough of an edge to satisfy this edgy inspy fan, and I finished resolved to add more urban Christian fiction to my diet.

Andre and Deidre fell in love at a very young age. With that love came DeAndre, their son. As Deidre tried to focus on school and work, Andre was still acting like he didn't have a child and was going on with his life as a normal teenager. As time went on, Deidre's mom saw that Andre was not going to change. So she made him an offer that could not be passed up. Will he take what Deidre's mom is offering, or will he man up and become the man in Deidre's and DeAndre's life?

As time went on, Deidre raised DeAndre the best she could without his father. Andre left Deidre and DeAndre when DeAndre was still a toddler. Deidre is trying to raise DeAndre right, making sure to spend lots of time with him. This included taking him to church and teaching him the word of God. There's only so much a mother can teach a son, and when DeAndre starts hitting the puberty stage, Deidre soon understands that she is going to need some male guidance. Will she try to contact Andre? And if she does, will be come through for her?

The Manual is a story of two struggling parents trying to put the past behind them and work together for the sake of their son. Author Sherryle Kiser Jackson did a nice job tying together faith and forgiveness. I was really happy about how Christ is seen as the one they seek on how to deal with their son. In the beginning, the story did drag a little, but as you read on, you soon realize how realistic she made the characters. Sometimes Deidre would hit a nerve, while other times you just wanted to pop DeAndre upside the head. Either way, there was a lot of realization in the story and that made The Manual a solid read.

Reviewed by Jackie for Urban Reviews

The Manual by Sherryle Kiser Jackson tells the story of Diedre, a single mother, trying to raise her son, DeAndre, in a world where everything around him seems to compel him to defy her in every way. Abandoned by DeAndre's father when her son was just a young toddler, Diedre is determined to raise her son properly. She has filled DeAndre's life with everything she knows to be right, stressing the importance of God, education and family. What Diedre does not count on are DeAndre's pubescent problems and her inability to connect with her son the older he becomes. Faced with the reality that she needs help with DeAndre, Diedre turns to the one person she never wanted to, his father.

After many years of absence, Andre is the last person Diedre wants to admit she needs. Jackson draws the reader into the cautious dance of the three main characters as each of them carries their own personal baggage. DeAndre struggles with the sudden re-emergence of his father in his life and even more so, his father's insistence on being respected as an authority figure. Diedre struggles with the reality that she has to relinquish the absolute power she once held with regard to her son. She also faces the sleeping giant that Andre seems to awake in her. Lastly, Andre struggles with issues created by his lengthy absence from his son's life and deals with issues of self worth.

Though the story is not one foreign to many of us, Jackson writes in a careful and almost methodical way. Although I think the story starts a little slow, it is compelling enough to keep turning the pages. Jackson does not disappoint. I would be more than interested in another selection from Ms. Jackson.

Reviewed by Lolita Bates for Echelon Book Club

Deidre and Andre were star-crossed lovers long ago...okay, they were kids from different backgrounds, who met and fell in love in high school. They didn't sit in the tree, but there was some kissing, then baby made three. The pressure of young parenting, in addition to controlling and meddlesome families, destroyed the possibility of having a happy home. Over a decade later, the unanswered questions and regrets of the past surface, as their son begins to act out in school. Is this the result of an uber controlling mother, a neglectful father or is it more complicated than the instructions in a manual?

Sherryle Kiser Jackson offers an interesting look into the life of many disjointed families in THE MANUAL. The story is a bit fuzzy on some of the minor scenes, but overall, paints a clear picture of two people struggling to get beyond their past to find their child's best interest in the present. The story is presented in an objective point of view that pulls you into the story. You find yourself rooting for both protagonists as you're pulled into the emotional world of these characters. Solid dialogue, a good pace, plot and description offer an interestingly entertaining read able to inspire single mothers and out of the home dads everywhere.

Reviewed by Shawneda Marks
for the RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

Andre and Deidre can't get it together long enough to agree on one thing. They aren't equally yoked spiritually which spills over into their parental duties when their son Deandre gets into one drama after the next. Will the two of them be able to make amends long enough to save their son from following down the wrong path? Or will their son follow the same manual that so many other Hicks men have?

Sherryle did a brilliant job of showing that even saints have issues that they have to deal with to get right in the sight of God. There were a few times in the book where some of the characters had a holier than thou attitude and each time that pedestal was knocked down so they could see the errors in their ways. The Manual deals with matters of social conscious such as premarital and teenage sex as well as being able to truly forgive someone in order to move on with ones life.

While this book was impeccably written there were a few things that can be polished. The novel was a bit lengthy, had minor grammatical errors and the print was very small. Aside from those things the book had an uncanny wit and got me invested in the characters to the point where I wanted to see them become successful in their relationships. I did feel the Christian undertones but they were necessary to explain the change in the characters psyche and done in the appropriate manner (ex. in a church scene) so it didn't come off as being too preachy. I enjoyed the book and felt that it was written very well.

Reviewed by:
Nikkea Smithers
RWA Bookclub President
Essence Magazine Best Selling Author of Sweet Dreams
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