The Battle Of Jericho (Turtleback)

Jericho's school has a great club that all boys long to be a part of: The Warriors of Distinction. It's been around for years (Jericho's uncle was even a part of it), and it's known for it's good deeds and the closeness of the members. Every year new members are inducted into the group, and this year Jericho has been invited to join. Before they can be called Warriors, though, they must go through an initiation process, which lasts a week. At first the tasks seem harmless and only a little demeaning, but as the week progresses, the things the initiates (called Pledge Slime) are asked to do border on hazing. Jericho struggles with staying in the group--if he drops out, then all the initiates suffer. He also would lose the girl he loves, and any confidence the group would provide for him. But he does wonder about lowering himself for this, and he also has a conflict with a musical contest--should he continue with the initiation or go to the contest, where he could win a full scholarship to Julliard?

This book is gripping, and the reader finds himself/herself caught up in all the action, wondering where the plot will go. Draper skillfully takes twists and turns, carefully developing the tension to keep interest high. Her characters are likeable, and readers will sympathize with Jericho. I also liked that though the main characters in the story are African American, you weren't blinded by their race--it could have been anyone wanting to join the Warriors. And the topic of school clubs and hazing is a good angle for a novel--pair this with The Chocolate War.

Where this book fell flat for me was in dialogue and underdeveloped plot threads. Draper wasn't consistent with her dialects and slang, and much of the language felt forced out of the characters. A major plot line that I felt got shoved under the carpet was Jericho's trumpet playing--it was a very big deal at the beginning of the book, but I didn't feel the tension by the end, when he needed to make the decision about continuing with the Warriors or going to the contest. Another plot line that felt stunted and stereotypical was Kofi's (another Pledge Slime) home life. Here is the typical teen character who's parents don't care, but Kofi felt a little forced on the issue, and that whole situation worked out a little too neatly in the end.

Overall it's a fast read (because you really want to know what happens), and a good topic, but it's not the best written book I've encountered.