Look Both Ways

Ten connected short stories trace one day in a single neighborhood after the school bell rings. Each chapter takes place on a different block and focuses on the life of a young African American adolescent. The characters’ experiences range from funny to poignant and return to shared people, images, and concerns. Although each story can stand on its own, recurring characters and threads connect the neighborhood as a whole. Friendship, family, community, and the everyday struggles and triumphs of middle school life run throughout the collection.