Scorpions is a Newbery Honor book by Walter Dean Myers.  This novel tells the story of Jamal Hicks, a twelve-year-old boy living in Harlem.  Growing up in a challenging environment, Jamal faces tough decisions and growing pressure from his peers.  His older brother, Randy, is in jail for murder.  Randy’s absence leaves a void in Jamal’s life that other people seem to be trying to fill.  Jamal is approached by a member of Randy’s gang, the Scorpions.  He wants Jamal to take charge of the gang’s drug dealing business.  Jamal feels torn because he wants to stay out of trouble but he also needs money because his family is struggling financially.  As Jamal’s life becomes increasingly complicated and dangerous, he relies on his friendship with a loyal and thoughtful young man named Tito.  Tito helps Jamal as they navigate through difficult situations.

One of my favorite things about his book is its message about friendship and trust.  I appreciated the loyalty between Jamal and Tito.  They are just young kids trying to do the right thing in a world that keep throwing hardships and challenges at them.  This book shows the importance of having someone who has your back, especially if you are a kid dealing with things that no young person should have to deal with.  I like the way this book teaches to do the right thing even when it seems like the whole world around you is corrupt.  Unfortunately, this book has some inappropriate language and a bit of violence.  The story as a whole is also somewhat frightening and depressing, so I would not recommend this book to children.  However, older readers could benefit from the messages of this insightful book.