Brothers in Arms (Bluford High Series #9)

by Paul Langan, Ben Alirez, Paul Langan (Editor)

Overview

Welcome to Bluford High. This widely acclaimed teen series set in an urban high school features engaging, accessible writing and appealing, contemporary storylines.

Martin Luna is in deep trouble. Just months ago, a horrible tragedy took his little brother, and now it threatens to take him too. On one side are his desperate mother, a friendly teacher at Bluford High School, and a pretty girl named Vicky. On the other are his old neighborhood and his hunger for revenge. Torn between the two, Martin stands at a crossroad, with his life hanging in the balance. Which way will he go?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591940173
Publisher:	Townsend Press
Publication date:	12/01/2003
Series:	Bluford High Series , #9
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	154
Product dimensions:	4.10(w) x 7.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	HL610L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

Editorial Reviews

In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence--but at great personal cost. In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He's disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin's adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin's mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood--the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin's first-person narration supplies much of the book's power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin's pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin's character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won't feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin's personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don't often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal. A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.

Kirkus Reviews