Review: Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia
One of last year’s National Book Award nominees, Jumped is told from the points of view of three girls at a gritty New York City high school. There’s Leticia, who’s bitter about failing and having to retake Geometry. Then there’s Trina, proud of her good looks and artistic abilities and just a bit full of herself. Finally, there’s Dominqiue, the volatile basketball player who has been benched by the coach for bad grades. The novel takes place over the course of one day, after Trina accidentally (and innocently) cuts between Dominique and her friends on the way to class, an event which Leticia witnesses. This does not sit well with an already pissed off Dominique, and she vows to “kick that ass at two forty-five.”
Williams-Garcia is a great writer, wicked with a turn of phrase, clearly in tune with the lingo of street-smart teenage girls. Here’s this typically sharp passage from Trina’s point of view:
Feel all this love. Popular. What? So many fans. So many friends and so many who want to be me. They either caught the shaky-shake and stomp in the caf or they saw my artwork in the gallery. I need a Princess Di wave. No diamond tiara because I have my lucky gold chain and all my subjects adore me. The love keeps pouring.
Each girl comes across as a distinct individual with a compelling back story. They’re by turns likable and unlikable–all of them–and this rings true. The dilemma for Leticia is whether or not she should warn Trina about her date with Dominique’s fists, since she overheard the threat. Trina, for her part, is clueless, wrapped up in her own narcissism (as demonstrated in the passage above).
The ending came as a surprise to me, because it’s not pat and preachy, nor is it predictable. It shows how random events–the slights, injustices, and annoyances of everyday high school life–can add up to produce a potent mixture. A great, fast read that makes me want to go back and check out Williams-Garcia’s earlier work.
Next in my NBA reading project: Claudette Colvin.
January 8th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Hi Martin,
Well, you’ve gotten further along the list than I. I’ve only read Claudette Colvin, but I really loved it and was thrilled that it won. Claudette Colvin, Charles and Emma and Lips Touch were all finalists in the Printz Mock Awards that the Youth Services Committee of the Bergen County Cooperative Library held today. They had a great list and I really enjoyed listening to them battle it out. I really want to read Jumped.
bk
January 9th, 2010 at 6:40 am
Brenda, who won the Mock Printz? I can’t wait to see the ALA Awards. I hear Marcelo is a front-runner, but the front-runner nevers wins….
January 9th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
lol, I knew you would ask. I blanked last night. I swear that my brain is turning to cottage cheese! I want to say Charles and Emma. Marcelo did not fair well with the group I was in and didn’t fair that well overall. They had Catching Fire on the list and there was lots of discussion over whether it could stand alone.
While I liked Marcelo very much, my personal favorite didn’t make their finals – Going Bovine. I read it a few days ago and it’s much more Printz-worthy IMHO. Honor for Marcelo, Printz for Bovine.
I was hoping that it would’ve been posted today. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate won their Mock Newbery and I couldn’t stay for the Mock Caldecott.