Imani All Mine

Rating:
Summary: Faith
Review: The title, IMANI ALL MINE, is a play on words for it represents not only the love and possessiveness that Tasha, the narrator of the story, feels for her daughter Imani, but also her quest for faith to endure adversity. Tasha is a young African-American high school student and single mother. She lives with her often emotionally detached mother, who is also a single parent, in a community plagued by violence and poverty. In spite of her environment, and the challenges involved with trying to complete high school while taking care of her daughter, Tasha perseveres but just can't seem to catch a break. The book reads more like a series of diary entries, but as the story evolves I quickly found myself engrossed in Tasha's day-to-day happenings. I was privy to her innermost thoughts, her joys and her sorrows, and as the plot builds, I was more and more connected to her. When the story reaches its dramatic climax, I had experienced a full range of emotions.

Connie Porter has penned a gripping, heart-wrenching novel that is full of slap-you-in-the-face realism. Through Tasha, readers experience first hand, urban violence, sexual violations, failing educational systems, teenaged parenthood, the need to feel loved and so much more. I found myself feeling emotions along with Tasha and I quickly realized that in spite of all her difficulties, it was Tasha's faith and love for her daughter that sustained her. This book may be a little too raw for younger readers, but it is filled with important lessons that a more mature young adult reader needs to hear. It may take a couple of chapters for readers to adjust to Porter's use of ebonic dialect, but as the story progresses this lends further credibility to the realism of the plot. This is a book I not only recommend for young adults, but also to educators, parents and anyone interested in America's urban youth.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay, Children's Editor
for The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Rating:
Summary: good book except for the ending
Review: This book is a good read and I enjoyed reading. I felt the pain in the book. Except for the ending. It was very disappointing. It left me saying Huh? What just happened? What's the point? It was all too easy for me. Other than that great book.