November Blues [Mass Market Paperback]

Sharon M. Draper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 19, 2009

Two months after her boyfriend, Josh, dies in a hazing accident, high school senior November discovers she’s pregnant. Having to tell her mother is hard enough, but Josh’s parents’ reaction is even more devastating: they hire a lawyer to try to take her baby away from her. Josh’s cousin, Jericho, wants to help November however he can, but he’s still dealing with his own sense of responsibility for Josh’s death. The sequel to the Coretta Scott King Honor Book The Battle of Jericho pulls no punches as it explores—with Sharon M. Draper’s trademark keen insight into how teenagers think, feel, and speak—the difficult decisions and harsh realities of teen pregnancy.

Editorial Reviews

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.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

CHAPTER 1

NOVEMBER NELSON

TUESDAY, MARCH 30

November Nelson lurched to the bathroom, feeling faint and not quite in control of her suddenly unsteady legs. She touched her forehead and found it warm and glazed with sweat. Sinking down on the soft blue rug in front of the toilet, she was grateful for the momentary stability of the floor. But her head continued to spin, and her stomach churned. She lifted the toilet lid, gazed into the water, and wished she could disappear into its depths. Her breath became more shallow, and her nausea more intense. Finally, uncontrollably, and forcefully, all her distress erupted and she lost her lunch in heaves and waves of vomiting. Pepperoni pizza.

She flushed the toilet several times as she sat on the floor waiting to feel normal again. Finally she stood up shakily, gargled with peppermint mouthwash, and peered at herself in the mirror.

"You look like a hot mess," she whispered to her reflection. Her skin, instead of its usual coppery brown, looked gray and mottled. She hadn't combed her hair all day, so it was a halo of tangles.

November knew her mother would be home soon and would be angry to find out she'd skipped school. She didn't care. Her thoughts were focused on the package in her backpack. Even though she knew the house was empty, she made sure the bathroom door was locked. She dug the little purple and pink box out of her book bag and placed it on the sink. It seemed out of place in her mother's perfectly coordinated powder blue bathroom.

With trembling hands she unwrapped the plastic and opened the box. She read the directions carefully. She looked out of the small bathroom window and watched the last of the early spring snow melting on the grass. Everything looked the same, but she knew in her heart that it was all different now.

November finally turned back to the little white tube in the box and followed the instructions, which were written, she noticed, in Spanish and French as well. Three minutes later the indicator silently screamed the news that she already suspected. She was pregnant.

Copyright © 2007 by Sharon M. Draper

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse; Reprint edition (May 19, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416906991
• ISBN-13: 978-1416906995
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,295 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Sports > Football
  • #44 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > School & Sports > Fiction
  • #62 in Books > Teens > Sports & Hobbies > Fiction

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

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars November Blues, January 5, 2008

By 

Deanna Miller "Mrs. Librarian" (Kentucky) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: November Blues (Hardcover)

I read this book before putting it on the shelf in my middle school/high school library. The account of November Nelson's teenage pregnancy paints a realistic picture of the difficulties associated with mother/daughter relationships and the dangers assoicated with teenage pregnancy. All of the characters, except Josh, return from the book, The Battle of Jericho, and this community of young people bond together to recover from Josh's death.

During her pregnancy November faces the physical discomforts, the emotional trauma, the legal problems, and the social problems brought about by the unplanned event in her life. She matures somewhat throughout the book and realizes that her life will become more difficult as she faces raising a child with possible disabilities.

I recommend this book to high school students. It is an easy read and Sharon Draper is a wonderful author who takes on a teenage voice in her books with great success.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I Don't Regret Buying This Book, December 26, 2007

By 

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

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: November Blues (Hardcover)

In this sequel to The Battle of Jericho, November Nelson and Jericho Prescott deal with the loss of Josh Prescott in their own ways. But although November has lost a boyfriend and Jericho has lost a cousin, who was more like a brother, Josh left a part of himself behind. During her pregnancy, November faces emotional and physical difficulties, but not without the support of her friends, Dana, Olivia and Jericho.
From morning sickness to the delivery, the author gives a detailed, realistic account of what a pregnant girl goes through. She also shows how a young man can regain his balance in life after losing his best friend.
The cover of this book caught my eye, and when I noticed it was a companion to The Battle of Jericho, I bought that one so I could read it first. After reading The Battle of Jericho, I looked forward to reading this one. I enjoyed the story, and the ending was very touching.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My students love her books, September 8, 2008

By 

goodforbooks - See all my reviews

This review is from: November Blues (Hardcover)

My summer school students, most of whom NEVER read a book under any circumstances, LOVE her books. They really relate to them. We read the Tears of a Tiger trilogy as an assignment and the students begged me to order all of her other books because they read the trilogy so fast. Highly recommended to get distinterested young people to start reading. Fast.