We Beat the Street: How a Friendship Pact Led to Success
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We Beat the Street: How a Friendship Pact Led to Success Paperback – April 20, 2006
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up–The Three Doctors, as the subjects of this inspirational book call both themselves and their nonprofit foundation, grew up in a tough neighborhood in Newark, NJ. Draper tells an epiphanic story featuring each of the young men by turn, followed by his comments on how a single event affected him across time. Davis, for instance, remembers the hospital where he later became an emergency-medicine physician as the same one where his foot was treated after an incident when he was six. Hunt recalls first meeting Sampson and Jenkins in ninth grade. Jenkins tells of the friends' success at moving from high school to college. Draper adds dialogue and evokes the pivotal moment in each vignette as though it were a scene in one of her realistic novels. The book takes the young men through college and medical school and into their careers. While Jenkins seems relatively calm and serious from the beginning, Hunt found himself in trouble right into medical school. Davis had trouble getting an emergency-medicine internship–and then found himself back in his Newark neighborhood, right where he knew he'd be serving his hometown. The writing here, whether Draper's or the doctors', is simple and accessible and there is plenty of action for reluctant readers. More advanced readers may want to read The Pact (Riverside, 2002), the Three Doctors' joint autobiography for adults.–Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
Gr. 7-10. "What started out as three boys skipping class turned out to be the most significant experience of our lives," says George Jenkins, who, together with Sampson Davis and Rameck Hunt, made a teenage pact to leave their impoverished New Jersey neighborhood, attend medical school, and become doctors. Author Sharon Draper helped shape chapters, written in the third person, describing each doctor's challenging childhood experiences, including a parent's drug addiction, forays into crime, and succeeding in an environment that made "failing equal to being cool." Following each story, passages written in the doctors' own words offer advice and strategies, and acknowledge the help received along the way. This information is directed straight to young people growing up in similar circumstances, but all readers will be riveted by the profoundly inspirational stories and personal, intimate voices that frankly discuss big mistakes and complicated emotions, including "survivor guilt" for choosing a different path from friends and family. Strong readers may want to follow this with the doctors' first book, for adults, entitled The Pact (2002). Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By
Betty L. Dravis
VINE VOICE on July 9, 2005
Format: Hardcover
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I was pleased to see such a great "non-fiction" book on the New York Times's Bestselling list. I was looking for a fiction book at the time, but bought this one instead.
This is an inspiring story of how three boys beat the odds in life, what inspired the changes in them, and how they overcame their obstacles.
It's so well-written and edited that children will have no trouble understanding the message of hope it conveys. If they could do it, anyone can do it.
I recommend it for everyone; even adults can learn from these courageous young men.
This is an inspiring story of how three boys beat the odds in life, what inspired the changes in them, and how they overcame their obstacles.
It's so well-written and edited that children will have no trouble understanding the message of hope it conveys. If they could do it, anyone can do it.
I recommend it for everyone; even adults can learn from these courageous young men.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By
Team LitPick
on May 25, 2005
Format: Hardcover
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An inspiring account of three inner city boys who succeed in overcoming the odds, entering college, and fulfilling their dreams, "We Beat the Street" is a marvelous work. Written for kids, this book selects incidents from the lives of each of the three doctors in order to illustrate the great obstacles they had to surmount and the truth that street life won't pay off in the end. The reader follows Sampson, George, and Rameck as they journey from first grade through medical school, and watches them as they achieve their goals in triumph. "We Beat the Street" shows the tragedy of street life and the necessity of aid for these communities.
The content of "We Beat the Street" was skillfully edited and condensed for younger readers, making it graspable for that age level. The style was simple, but attractive, and the message was excellent. It forcefully imparted a warning, and encouraged higher education, especially for those who doubt their ability to achieve such educational goals. "Street" was quite simply one of the best books I have ever read on the subject, and deserves a wide audience.
Reviewed by Anna Kleiner for Flamingnet Book Reviews
[...]
The content of "We Beat the Street" was skillfully edited and condensed for younger readers, making it graspable for that age level. The style was simple, but attractive, and the message was excellent. It forcefully imparted a warning, and encouraged higher education, especially for those who doubt their ability to achieve such educational goals. "Street" was quite simply one of the best books I have ever read on the subject, and deserves a wide audience.
Reviewed by Anna Kleiner for Flamingnet Book Reviews
[...]
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By
MElise
VINE VOICE on October 15, 2006
Format: Paperback
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In this work three African American doctors tell the story of how they used their brains, loyalty, and few good chances to escape their tough urban neighborhood, go to college and medical school, and become doctors. The book is targeted for an adolescent audience, although there is an adult version, called "The Pact" available. At the end of each chapter, the doctors give some advice to young people who want to achieve more than those around them expect.
Quote: "Young people need positive role models and guidance in their lives. There is no underestimating a positive figure in a child's life."
I picked this book up because it is the only one recommended by more than one of my ninth graders. I enjoyed the anecdotes about the childhood and teenage years of the young men, but mostly I appreciated their frank discussion of the challenges their lives presented, the choices they needed to make, and the belief of many in their neighborhood that they would never get out. I think young people would enjoy the work even more than I did, since the authors were careful to target students.
Quote: "Young people need positive role models and guidance in their lives. There is no underestimating a positive figure in a child's life."
I picked this book up because it is the only one recommended by more than one of my ninth graders. I enjoyed the anecdotes about the childhood and teenage years of the young men, but mostly I appreciated their frank discussion of the challenges their lives presented, the choices they needed to make, and the belief of many in their neighborhood that they would never get out. I think young people would enjoy the work even more than I did, since the authors were careful to target students.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By
ZBOMANI
on April 10, 2006
Format: Hardcover
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A truely inspiring story, who's characters quickly gain your empathy and respect. Following the three men through there lowest and happiest moments is what makes the book so real. This is a great tool for teenagers/young adults who may need the extra push, or example to follow to drive them toward their dreams.A perfect reason for keeping Affirmative action alive.
I am a college freshman who's struggled with myself just as the three men did,looking back on the mistakes I've made in my not so long ago past I often found it hard to look ahead.After reading We Beat the Street I felt the sense of pride and motivation I'd been missing. This book can be used as a powerful tool if used correctly at the right times of need. It's not often we hear stories where three little poor black boys from one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country, become doctors. But these men minipulate you into thinking it's normal by the tone of their characters and determination.
I am a college freshman who's struggled with myself just as the three men did,looking back on the mistakes I've made in my not so long ago past I often found it hard to look ahead.After reading We Beat the Street I felt the sense of pride and motivation I'd been missing. This book can be used as a powerful tool if used correctly at the right times of need. It's not often we hear stories where three little poor black boys from one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country, become doctors. But these men minipulate you into thinking it's normal by the tone of their characters and determination.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
A Kid's Review
on December 5, 2006
Format: Paperback
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Chris Cummings
We Beat the Streets
This book "We Beat the Streets" can show people, it doesn't matter were you come from. You can always become something even if you live in the ghetto.
This Book is about three doctors, George Jenkins, Sampson Davis and Rameck Hunt, and all three of them come from a New Jersey city, Newark. All three of them fulfill there dream and go to college. In the book there are incidents from the lives of all three doctors about them living in the bad areas of Newark when they were kids. They did some bad things at first in there lives but then they realized later on in there life that the street life won't pay off in the end. As the reader reads this book they will follow Sampson, Rameck and George as there journey from first grade through medical school. See them achieve there goals. In this book "We Beat the Streets" it shows tragedy of street life and how still living in bad communities you can always achieve your goals.
The content of "We Beat the Street" was edited really good for such young readers, making it a want to read book for this age level. The style of this book was simple but also attractive which will catch reader's eyes. Also the message was to the reader is excellent. It puts a warning to readers and also it's a inspiration, and encourages higher education, especially for those who doubt their ability to achieve there education goals. "We Beat The Streets" was one of the best books I have ever read on a subject like this. I extremely recommend this book to readers.
We Beat the Streets
This book "We Beat the Streets" can show people, it doesn't matter were you come from. You can always become something even if you live in the ghetto.
This Book is about three doctors, George Jenkins, Sampson Davis and Rameck Hunt, and all three of them come from a New Jersey city, Newark. All three of them fulfill there dream and go to college. In the book there are incidents from the lives of all three doctors about them living in the bad areas of Newark when they were kids. They did some bad things at first in there lives but then they realized later on in there life that the street life won't pay off in the end. As the reader reads this book they will follow Sampson, Rameck and George as there journey from first grade through medical school. See them achieve there goals. In this book "We Beat the Streets" it shows tragedy of street life and how still living in bad communities you can always achieve your goals.
The content of "We Beat the Street" was edited really good for such young readers, making it a want to read book for this age level. The style of this book was simple but also attractive which will catch reader's eyes. Also the message was to the reader is excellent. It puts a warning to readers and also it's a inspiration, and encourages higher education, especially for those who doubt their ability to achieve there education goals. "We Beat The Streets" was one of the best books I have ever read on a subject like this. I extremely recommend this book to readers.
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