Full Title:
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty

Illustrated by:
Randy DuBurke

Awards:
Coretta Scott King Award (2011)

Genre:
Adult and Young Adult Literature, African-American, Award Winner, Biography, Non-Fiction, Graphic Novel, Historical, Social Commentary

Summary:
In this non-fiction graphic novel, author G. Neri takes an honest look at what happened to 11-year-old Robert Sandifer, known on the streets as Yummy. Raised in a broken family and in and out of social assistance housing, Yummy learns fast that it’s everyone for himself in his gritty Chicago neighbourhood.

Soon enough he’s dabbling in illegal acts like stealing cars and armed burglary. When he’s taken in by the gang group the Black Disciples, Yummy feels that he finally fits in. But his life will never be the same and not long after he’s implicated in a murder charge that will land his image on the front cover of TIME magazine.

My Thoughts:
A profoundly touching, thought provoking exploration of child psychology, gang violence and corruption in America’s poorest communities.

Author G. Neri does an excellent job of remaining objective; he neither sympathizes with Robert’s tragic upbringing, nor vilifies him for his role in the senseless murder of an innocent victim. In the author’s end note, Neri reflects that Yummy’s story is not black-and-white. In the end we feel mixed emotions: compassion struggling against hatred. But, he reminds us, the true message we must come away with is to “find a way to make the choice of life.”

Borrow Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty from your local Vaughan Library today!