In the groundbreaking tradition of his award-winning Monster and Bad Boy: A Memoir, Walter Dean Myers fashions a highly readable, powerful novel about the rules for success for young men, especially those navigating coming of age while Black.
Share this book in the classroom, in a father-son reading group, or as a summer reading (or anytime) choice that's likely to spark conversation and be a favorite.
""When the proprietor of a Harlem barbershop takes over as the court-appointed mentor for two troubled teenagers, he conveys the message that the future is built not only on hard work but on sustaining dreams as well."" (Smithsonian magazine).
In his introduction to Handbook for Boys, Walter Dean Myers wrote: ""I know as a troubled teenager I would have loved to have a neighborhood barbershop to sit in and a group of worldly and knowledgeable men to counsel me. Thinking about this was my motivation in writing this book, hoping it will be, in the least, a jumping-off point for many interesting conversations about success.""
Download and start listening now!
“Peter Francis James’ narration captures the low-income neighborhood perfectly, with characters that range from preachy old men to drug addicts and slick ex-cons. Myers uses a story mode to help boys sort out their lives and find direction before street life gets them.”
— AudioFile
“James gives Duke a slow, smooth and sonorous delivery and Jimmy a believable rhythm for his contemporary vernacular.”
— Publishers Weekly“In a self-help treatise in the guise of a novel, Myers’ passion and concern for adolescent boys infuses the material and gives it a heartfelt urgency…has such important things to say to adolescent boys that it deserves a wide audience.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Marketed as a work of fiction, the book becomes transparent; as a handbook, it could touch many lives.”
— School Library JournalBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Walter Dean Myers (1937–2014) was the acclaimed author of over fifty books, primarily for young adults. His notable works include Fallen Angels, Monster, Crystal, and Scorpions. He won numerous awards for his works, including five Coretta Scott King Awards for African American authors. He also won the first Michael L. Printz Award for his book Monster. In January of 2012 he became the Library of Congress’ National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.
Peter Francis James is an accomplished actor on both the stage and the screen. His theater credits include roles in On Golden Pond, Much Ado about Nothing, and August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean. His many film and television credits include Jahfree Neema in Oz, Raymond Parks in The Rosa Parks Story, Joe Gould’s Secret, The Guiding Light, Law & Order: SVU, and Third Watch. James’ audiobook narration has won him nine AudioFile Earphones Awards.