If I Grow Up

· Sold by Simon and Schuster
4.6
36 reviews
Ebook
240
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

"WHEN YOU GREW UP IN THE PROJECTS, THERE WERE NO CHOICES. NO GOOD ONES, AT LEAST."

In the Frederick Douglass Project where DeShawn lives, daily life is ruled by drugs and gang violence. Many teenagers drop out of school and join gangs, and every kid knows someone who died. Gunshots ring out on a regular basis.

DeShawn is smart enough to know he should stay in school and keep away from the gangs. But while his friends have drug money to buy fancy sneakers and big-screen TVs, DeShawn's family can barely afford food for the month. How can he stick to his principles when his family is hungry?

In this gritty novel about growing up in the inner city, award-winning author Todd Strasser opens a window into the life of a teenager struggling with right and wrong under the ever-present shadow of gangs.

Ratings and reviews

4.6
36 reviews
A Google user
July 8, 2010
If I Grow Up is an intense, realistic fiction story about a boy named DeShawn who is growing up in the inner city projects. The story offers the reader a glimpse into his difficult life and how he has to struggle with gangs, guns, family and life in the projects. This novel is great for students in grades 7 and up. If you are looking for a book that will keep you interested from the first page to the last than check out If I Grow Up.
Did you find this helpful?
Pamela Carter
August 4, 2016
I read this book only because it's on my child's summer reading list. It's not that it's a bad book, but I'd rather my child read things that are more uplifting and that he can take something away from. I feel this book is neither of these.
1 person found this review helpful
Did you find this helpful?
Marrissa Pressey (Rissa)
October 16, 2013
Thiss Book Is Great ! It Made Me Cry In The Middle , But Its A Really Good Book . I Love It !! My Favorite Book Ever Since May Wen I Read It ! ♥
Did you find this helpful?

About the author

Todd Strasser has written many critically acclaimed novels for adults, teenagers, and children, including the award-winning Can’t Get There from Here, Give a Boy a Gun, Boot Camp, If I Grow Up, Famous, and How I Created My Perfect Prom Date, which became the Fox feature film Drive Me Crazy. Todd lives in a suburb of New York and speaks frequently at schools. Visit him at ToddStrasser.com.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.