Sixteen-year-old Brian and his girlfriend Crystal, two kids from the poor side of town, cannot manage to stay together when Crystal has a baby, but Brian loves his child so much he refuses to be separated from it.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Though he's often on the wrong side of the law, Tango, the "no-hoper" British teenager at the center of Waddell's (Can't You Sleep, Little Bear?) ponderous novel, is clearly not a bad boy. He is devoted to his invalid grandmother and to 15-year-old Crystal. When Tango comforts her after her father's death, a relationship develops rather quickly and soon Crystal is pregnant. Worked into the tale of Tango's intense, ultimately destructive love for the girl and their child are a handful of realistic if largely depressing characters, including Crystal's violent, alcoholic brother and her disheartened mother, all of them conversant in the ways of the British welfare system. Told from the perspective of a former schoolmate of Tango, the narrative collects bits of conjecture and recollections from several other friends of the couple and from Crystal. The result is an oddly distant, choppy story that-with its blunt material and abundant British colloquialisms-is more suitable for adults than for the targeted audience. Ages 14-17.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10?Tango (Brian Tangello), 16, is a big, likable guy who does poorly in school. The only relative he has is his old and sickly grannie, whom he adores. He lives in a part of town known as Buffy's Loop where everyone is pretty much a loser. A relationship develops with the girl he worships, 14-year-old Crystal. When she becomes pregnant, Brian is excited and happy?as is Crystal. Her mother is not, for she fears that her psychotic son, Manus, will beat Tango to a pulp when he finds out and will end up back in prison. Brian tries to take charge, but his way is makeshift and inadequate. With the birth of Baby D., Crystal begins to grow up?fast. Brian does not, and she leaves him. In the end, when Brian is hunted by the police for kidnapping the child, readers are pained for this young man who seems doomed to unfortunate fates. The story is told by a friend of Brian's who has moved away as he gathers pieces of what happened from mutual friends and Crystal. The writing and dialogue are crisp but very British. This is a provocative story with real characters but some serious loose ends. There's no input from Brian, and readers are sure to be left wondering why Crystal won't let him see his baby, and why he is put in jail for wanting to see him.?Katrina Yurenka, Jaffrey Public Library, NH
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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More About the Author
Martin Waddell is the Hans Christian Andersen Medal winner 2004 and two-time Smarties Prize winner. Among his many books for children are the Little Bear and Farmer Duck series. Martin lives in Newcastle in County Down.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
raw, bleak and realistic,
By A Customer
This review is from: Tango's Baby (Hardcover)
Tango, school drop-out and no-hoper finally gets Crystal to go out with him. They fall in love and 15 year old Crystal gets pregnant. Tango tries to provide for his new family and make them happy but he learns this is hard as you can imagine it would be for someone his age. This novel dispels all romantic notions of teenage pregnancy. It is hard hitting, uncompromising and gritty...just like reality. A real eye-opener for any young person who thinks teenage sex and love is trendy and romantic. I recommend you give this to your teenage daughters and even teenage sons so they can get a bit of an idea how difficult it is to raise a child, especially when your still one yourself.
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