Customer Reviews

Sleepaway School: Stories from a Boy's Life: A Memoir

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I have just finished reading this precious book. I didn't want it to end. Mixed with sadness and unending joy, this book is beautifully written by Mr Stringer and tells the story of his transformation from angry kid to talented, and self confident man. Caverly's character is a delight, by the end of the book you cannot but love this inventive child. I highly recommend this book - it should be a set work for tenth graders across America.

What really hurt me was to hear that Stringer's other book is about his life on the streets as a homeless, crack addict. The feeling at the end of Sleepaway School was that Caverly was bound for greatness - what happened to send him on his downward spiral. I will definitely be looking out for this book in the hope that it answers my question.

SLEEPAWAY SCHOOL is a touching memoir of the formidable years of Caverly Stringer. The reader is taken on an amazing journey as this young boy becomes a young man in a world where color matters and living in poverty is part of one's existence.

Caverly's mother, who is unable to take care of a new son, puts both her children into foster care, only to return for them six years later. By this time, Caverly and his brother Wayne, have been in the foster care system long enough for the harshness to have a profound affect on the two young boys. In hopes of the family having a better life, their mother moves them into a mostly white suburb. Caverly becomes a young boy who is brimming with anger, loneliness and the inability to fit in. With fits of anger often displayed inappropriately, Caverly loses his temper after a school assembly where a classroom of performers is in black face. After his angry outburst, he is sent to Hawthorne Cedar Knolls School, a sleep away school for young boys in crisis.

The author, Lee Stringer, entertains us with stories of how he learns to live away from home in a foreign environment with structure and where he realizes how very different he is from everyone. While in this new environment, he learns much about himself and how cruel the world can be when you are black. He spends much of his time trying to belong, but the other young boys constantly pick on him. One particular incident has Caverly placed in a mental ward for observation after he threw a brick at another student. He proclaims, "I just want to be left alone." From that one statement, the reader understands precisely what he means. He wants to be able to live his life without others treating him differently. After an incident involving the use of a racial epitaph, the reader realizes Caverly is slowly starting to grow and mature because he does not react in his usual violent manner.

Although at times the story was sad, there were bursts of happiness that the reader reveled in because it becomes obvious that Caverly deserved to be able to smile and enjoy a moment of happiness. This memoir is a testament into how much young black men must overcome. The story being told by Caverly moved at a very comfortable pace and the writing style was different but very poignant. With memorable characters, this novel will make you smile at times, as well feel saddened by this young boy's plight. I enjoyed this novel for its lyrical writing style and message of hope. This is one novel that should be read by all young boys.

Reviewed by Cashana Seals
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I heard an interview with this witty and intelligent author on public radio. The book is as charming as was the author's radio interview.

...very nicely written and interesting 'coming of age' story form a different perspective. Quick reading and a positive, uplifting true story.

Probably would be good for adolescents.

I first picked up Lee Stringer's Grand Central Winter about four years ago. I have never fallen so in love with a writer's style in only a few pages. It took me a few years to find his next book, and I just completed it about two minutes ago. While i continue to love his style of writing, i was somewhat let down by his second book. I suppose I was expecting this memoir to cover more years of his adolescence, and not so much just him at age 12 and 13. I was very much so interested in what lead him to a life on the streets of New York. However, to read about how he had lived a somewhat average life, with structure and support was an eye-opener for other people on the streets of New York.

An OK read, Sleepaway School by Lee Stringer is the story of young Caverly Stringer. He has an anger problem that he himself can barely make sense of and gets sent to a sleepaway school for troubled boys. That basically sums up the story. Nothing too interesting goes on, and when there seems to be something juicy right around the corner the author offers only a peek or, at times, seems too embarassed to delve into the details. To his credit, Sleepaway School is not my type of read, though I stuck with it. I would recommend it as a filler when you're in between books. All around it's a quick, easy read.