Check out Tyrell by Coe Booth, the winner of the 2007 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction. Fifteen-year-old Tyrell lives in a South Bronx homeless shelter with his mother and seven-year-old brother Troy. His mother refuses to find a job, his father is in jail, and his little brother is smart as a whip but stuck in special education classes so his mother can continue to collect Social Security checks. He wants to stay faithful to Novisha but how can he with Jasmine knocking on his door? Tyrell needs to make money to appease his mother, make sure his brother gets the education he deserves, stay faithful to Novisha, and help Jasmine realize her potential. And he wants to do it all without hustling. I can't put this book down! I hope there will be a sequel.

Already read it? What did you think? How unique to the Bronx is Tyrell’s situation?