Customer Reviews

Somewhere In The Darkness

5 star:		(21)
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3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Somewhere in the Darkness is a great book. It's about a teenage boy named Jimmy Little, who is suddenly faced to his father he never met. His father, Crab, escaped from jail and decided to continue his life with his son. The setting of this book starts off in Harlem, New York and changes to Arkansas.
This book made me feel so many emotions while reading it. I almost cried when Jimmy and Mama Jean were saying goodbye. When Crab came to take Jimmy away, I felt angry because after so many years has gone by now he's taking Jimmy from someone he loves.
The author shows imagery in this book. While reading, I had a mental picture of them driving in Arkansas. What I like the most about this book is how you can actually picture the characters' emotions. The author gives great details about this. I admire Jimmy a little because if it was my father trying to come back to my life, I wouldn't allow it to happen.
I think the most powerful quote to me is when Jimmy asked, "Who you?" and Crab responded, "I'm your father." Jimmy's world must had stop for a minute while trying to stay calm. I recommend this book especially to teenagers. It's amazing how a person trying to come back into your life, can change your life how it is now. This book would also be good for adults to read. Every mother or father is not that lucky to have their son or daughter accept them in their lives. I've enjoyed Walter Dean Myers' book and I hope others would read it too.

Does someone's life being ultimately altered sound interesting? Then if you read Somewhere in the Darkness your interests will be fulfilled. It all begins with a boy named Jimmy Little. He lives with a relative, "Mama Jean", in New York. School is one of his low points because he tends to skip a day or two. Then one life changing day his father has broken out of jail and wants to take Jimmy away. They go on a thrilling adventure across the United States, escaping the law but meeting new friends. His father, Crab Little wants to prove his innocence, so his son doesn't think ill of him.

Crab has an interesting attitude that adds curiosity to the story. Jimmy never does know if going with him was a good idea or an accident waiting to happen. Trying to connect with a father that you haven't seen since infancy is a hard task for Jimmy. This would be a difficult feat for anyone to overcome. Can Jimmy manage with his alien father or will Crab's effort be worthless? The story will have its signs of hope and depression, making it a twisting tale.

Jimmy seems to cooperate with Crab even though he is still shaky about even being with him. Also can he feel safe with someone who escapes from jail? He hopes Crab has no plot under his sleeves that could possibly leave him in prison once again. Trust is the key in this epic thriller by Myers.

Somewhere In The Darkness
Walter Dean Myers

This book is about a boy named Jimmy Little. His mom died and his father was in jail so he lived with his moms friend. Jimmy called her Mama Jean. One day Jimmys father comes to their house looking for Jimmy. Jimmys fathers name was Crab. Crab was telling Jimmy and Mama Jean how he got out of jail and got a job in Chicago. He also said that he wanted to take Jimmy with him. Mama Jean and Jimmy were very upset about this, Jimmy didnt want to go and Mama Jean didnt want him to go either. Mama Jean decided it was best for Jimmy if he went with Crab so he could spend time with him. They went on a long car ride from New York to Chicago, but Jimmy soon found out that they were not going to Chicago. It turned out that Crab escaped from jail when he was sick in the hospital with a kidney disease and that they were really going to Arkansas to straighten something out. Crab was in jail because he was accused of murder, he did not kill any body it was his friend Rydell. The police went to Rydells house to arrest him but Rydell told the police that it was Crab. The police believed Rydell because he was white and Crab was black. When they got to Arkansas Jimmy got really close to Crab and they were both having a good time. They went to Rydells house so that he could tell the police that Crab was innocent but he refused. Crab was really upset that he got him in trouble and left. That night Crab died from his kidney disease. Jimmy was very upset and he went to live with Mama Jean again.
I really enjoyed this book a lot. It was one of those books that you thought something was going to happen and something else did. This book kept you aware of what was going on and you were looking forward to see what would happen next. In the first chapter I thought that this book was really boring and I would not get into it. By the third chapter I did not want to stop reading it. The author in this book is very descriptive and it made me feel like I was right there watching what was going on. My favorite part of the book was when Crab decided to take Jimmy to Chicago with him. This was my favorite part because the author described how Jimmy and Mama Jean were feeling so well that I almost cried too. The only part of this book that I did not like was that it took too long for the book to get exciting.
If you like books from the early 1900s then I would recommend this book to you. This book was when there was discrimination and segregation of whites and blacks. I would also recommend this book to someone who enjoys social studies. In this book you learn a lot about what happened in the past and the geography of different states. I would not recommend this book for younger kids because it would be harder for them to understand it as clearly as some one older would.

Everyone goes through a period of change from child to adult and Somewhere in the Darkness is Jimmy Little's coming of age story. This book is similar to The Outsiders but instead of a group of boys it deals with one boy coming to terms with his father and his father's past. Overall, this book has one central problem which keeps the story flowing into what is ultimately a satisfying ending. Jimmy Liitle is what most people would call a "slacker," but I think that he has a really active imagination. I think that he has an overactive imagination because he doesn't live with his mother or father and he uses his imagination to fill the void that he has. Jimmy lives with his mother's best friend, Mama Jean, because his mother is dead and his father is in jail for killing someone (however, he is falsely accused). One day Jimmy gets home from school early and he sees his father, Crab, waiting for him. Jimmy's father escaped from prison and he wants to find the one man who can prove that he is innocent. However, he law catches up with him in the end and Crab dies a sick man, chained to the bed in his hospital room. I think that the message in this book to learn to accept and learn to love. Jimmy has to accept that his father did not abandon him and that he was wrongfully convicted. I think that in the end Jimmy loves his father and is really sad when his father dies. Walter Dean Meyers writes with empathy for the feelings of his characters and he uses his language to convey intricate realtionships between his characters. Meyers combines compassion, tenderness, adn toughness in a unique blend that makes Somewhere in the Darkness a satisfying read.

Everyone goes through a period of change from child to adult and Somewhere in the Darkness is Jimmy Little's coming of age story. This book is similar to The Outsiders but instead of a group of boys it deals with one boy coming to terms with his father and his father's past. Overall, this book has one central problem which keeps the story flowing into what is ultimately a satisfying ending. Jimmy Liitle is what most people would call a "slacker," but I think that he has a really active imagination. I think that he has an overactive imagination because he doesn't live with his mother or father and he uses his imagination to fill the void that he has. Jimmy lives with his mother's best friend, Mama Jean, because his mother is dead and his father is in jail for killing someone (however, he is falsely accused). One day Jimmy gets home from school early and he sees his father, Crab, waiting for him. Jimmy's father escaped from prison and he wants to find the one man who can prove that he is innocent. However, he law catches up with him in the end and Crab dies a sick man, chained to the bed in his hospital room. I think that the message in this book to learn to accept and learn to love. Jimmy has to accept that his father did not abandon him and that he was wrongfully convicted. I think that in the end Jimmy loves his father and is really sad when his father dies. Walter Dean Meyers writes with empathy for the feelings of his characters and he uses his language to convey intricate realtionships between his characters. Meyers combines compassion, tenderness, adn toughness in a unique blend that makes Somewhere in the Darkness a satisfying read.

Have you ever wondered what it is like to live without a father? If you read Somewhere in the Darkness you will find out. I enjoyed reading Somewhere in the Darkness by Walter Dean Meyers because the book always kept my interest. The book is about a mischievous boy named Jimmy who has to try and make the best of being together with a total stranger, his father. I have never read any other book by Walter Dean Meyers but, I think this book compares to the Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Both books have details about the boys needing their fathers. In both books they had to live without their fathers and make the best of it. The only difference is, in Somewhere in the Darkness, Jimmy gets a second chance to be with his father. Jimmy is a fifteen year old boy who does his best living without a father. He lives with his only relative,Mama Jean. She is the only person he has ever known and loved. One day, his father Crab, shows up at Jimmy's home. Jimmy has never met Crab because he was put in jail for murdering someone. Crab was never a real murderer and he wants to make sure Jimmy believes him. So, in order to spend time with Jimmy him on a long trip. Overtime, he eventually learns to love and trust his father through their many adventures and days together. Crab has bad kidney problems, and in the end of the book ends up dying. However, the death leaves Jimmy stronger and with more knowledge about his father. I like how the author describes everything in the book with details. For example, Walter Dean Meyers describes,"There was a breeze, not much, but it was something. It cooled his brow with it's freshness." This expression explains there was a breeze with every possible detail. I also like how Jimmy's character is described sometimes as a child and other times as a young man. For example, many times in the beginning of the book Jimmy gets upset with Crab and wants to go home. Later in the book, Jimmy is also very brave after Crab died. He was very strong and understanding. In my opinion, the book is very interesting and fun to read. I think the only discouraging part in the book is when Crab dies. I guess that is how the author wanted the book to end. It is sad because Jimmy was just starting to love Crab and to become a real son to him. I think the book proves a real point about making the best of whatever comes along during your life. For Jimmy, that is his father. For us, we will just have to wait and see. Overall Somewhere in the Darkness is great and I would love to read it again.

What happens when you find out that life isn't going to turn out like you always thought it should? In Somewhere in the Darkness, Myers tells the story of Jimmy Little, a young boy who has to deal with the fact that his dreams of having a perfect family have been deferred. By the book's end Jimmy comes to his own conclusions of how to face this difficulty. The characterization and overall tone reminded me of Cormac McCarthy's play, The Stonemason, which also deals with the relationships between black fathers and sons. When I finished Somewhere in the Darkness I felt like Myers had given me a valuable insight into dealing with life's messiness. I loved reading this book. It got inside of me-reaching my mind and my heart. I'm a college student in the midst of a young adult literature course. We're reading about two books a week. This has been my favorite so far.

Jimmy's dad came in so suddenly he barely had time to think. Somewhere in the Darkness is an awesome book its action packed. As Jimmy and Crab race to find and get the truth. It blew me away. The author is Walter Dean Myers he has written many other books including Monster and Scorpions both winners of the Coretta Scott King Award. Scorpions won the Newbery honor award and Monster won the national book awards. Some Where in the Darkness has won the ALA book list, the ALA book for young adults, the ALA notable book for children, the Coretta Scott King Award, and Newbery honor. It's a fantastic fiction book published in 1992.
Jimmy and his mom are doing great. Suddenly Jimmy's life is turned upside down when a mysterious man shows up and says that he is his father. He knows a lot of thing like his father's name, "Crab." Then he says that he and Jimmy have to go to Chicago because he has to get a job, which is why he is out of jail. Leaving his mom behind he goes with Crab to Chicago but along the way he learns that he isn't going to just Chicago and he isn't going there to get his dad a job. Then out of no where Crab wants Jimmy to know the truth that he didn't shoot anybody and Jimmy believes him. Now they re on a race to search for the truth seeing old friends and learning new things. They need to get to Arkansas but on the way crabs back goes out. Then Rydell (the guy who really shot the guards) won't tell the truth. Jimmy and Crab keep running into problems and are running out of time but don't quit they keep at it.
My favorite character is Crab he has such a reputation, he broke out of jail just find his son and tell him he did not kill anybody. He really needed him to know him because Jimmy never really new his father all he had was a picture. His background about him is great he is wanted by the police and he and his son are trying to tell them that he's innocent.
The author really put some description in the book with the setting. One example was when they went to Chicago I felt like I could see the buildings. Then the author described how the land changed from highway to farm land. I could vividly see the setting many times in this book.
This book could not get any better. It had action and adventure two things I love in a great book. It could use a different ending so he could make a sequel to it. I've got to read another book of his. I can strongly recommend this book for action and adventure seekers. This an all out great book to read you can't put down.

Sitting in a car at night, looking around and wondering where you are, and being scared. I do not think that is the way peope like to live, being scared all the time. Not knowing where you are not even knowing where you will end up. I think that the book SOMEWHERE IN THE DARKNESS could have been better and could have added a little more excitment to it. In New York City, there is a boy named Jimmy who lives with a lady named Mama Jean. This boy has no idea who his dad is, and doesn't know when or if he will ever see him. One day, coming home, JImmy sees a tall dark man standing on the stair way. Jimmy is scared; the man askes if he is Jimmy, then tells him that he is his father. When Mama Jean comes home she sees Crab, who is Jimmys father, standing there. She is so happy to see him again. Crab askes Jimmy to go with him to Chicago for a while, and Jimmy says yes. They take a car the whole way to Chicago. When they are there, the polive come to get Crab. At the end of the book, Crab ends up in a hostpital and dies. Jimmy goes back to New York to live with Mama Jean again. The book mainly takes place in the car on the way to Chicago. Sometimes Jimmy and Crab get out of the car, but basically the ame things happen while they are in the car, like when he wakes up and doesn't see Crab in the car, then he sees him walking out from a gas station; that happend again later on in the book. Sometimes they get out and go see peole but if they did it was a really short period of time. Nothing exiting happens in the book, except for the very beginning and at the very end of the book. At the beginning when Jimmy first sees his father, that was really exciteing because it is the first time in his life that he has ever seen is dad, and now he jusy shows up and decides to take Jimmy to Chicago with him. To me, that would be a very tough decision to make. Then at the very end when Crab is being chased by the police. You don't know if he was going to die then or later on.

Walter Dean Myers writes in serious tone but gives you a realistic spark of hope. This book is somewhat depressing. This book was sometimes confusing for me because you think something good is going to happen but never does This book is about a boy named Jimmy Little, a normal 14-year-old boy. Jimmy hadbeen reaised by his beloved, dependable "Mama Jean.'' Mama Jean was a good friend of the parent that Jimmy doesn't even remeber. His mother is dead and his dad, ''Crab,'' is in prison. His father is in prison for killing a man in an armed robbery. Suddenly Crab shows up, claiming that he is on parole and has a job in Chicago. Jimmy agrees to go with him, but Crab's lies begin to fall apart even before they leave New York. He has kidney failure, and has escaped from a prison hospital. The two go to Arkansas, where Crab hopes his his old friend , Rydell, will assure his innocense. Crab was convicted convicted of murder as the result of another friend's pleabargaining. Rydell, who onced betrayed Crab with his silence, betrays him again by calling the police, Crab surrenders, then dies soon after in the hospital. The thing that I did like about the story was how Mama Jean raised Jimmy and gave him food on the table, clothes on his back, and a roof over his head. I thought that was very thoughtful of her.The thing that i din't like about the story was that Crab tried to build a relationship at the last minute and expected Jimmy to go right along with it.