Sharon G. Flake has an international reputation as a top author for children and young adults. Her breakout novel, The Skin I'm In, established her as a must-read author among middle and high school students, parents, and educators. She has spoken to more than two hundred thousand young people, and hugged nearly as many. Flake has penned nine novels, numerous short stories, plays, and a picture book entitled You Are Not a Cat.
Her work has received numerous awards, such as the Coretta Scott King Honor award and the YWCA Racial Justice Award, and her books have been named to many prestigious lists, including Kirkus Review's Top Ten Books of the Year, Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association, Top Ten Books for the Teen Age by the New York Public Library, Top Twenty Recommended Books to Read by the Texas Library Association, 100 Books Every Teenage Girl Should Read, and Booklist Editor's Choice, among others. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, go to sharonflake.com, or follow her on Twitter @sharonflake.
"Flake (The Skin I'm In, 1998) gives a rock-solid portrayal of an
inner-city life where money colors everything....There's a
satisfying fairy-tale ending, but Flake successfully conveys a
situation where life is precarious. Kids who live like Raspberry
will find validation in seeing themselves sympathetically
portrayed, and more pampered readers will find their eyes opened
wide."--Kirkus Reviews
"The author of The Skin I'm In offers another provocative slice of
city life, vibrantly evoking its sights, sounds and
smells."--Publishers Weekly
The author of The Skin I'm In offers another provocative slice of city life, vibrantly evoking its sights, sounds and smells. With her brassy voice and saucy attitude, 13-year-old Raspberry Hill emerges as a vivacious heroine. She knows first-hand that living in the housing project is better than being out on the streets, but she and her mother are equally determined to move to a safer neighborhood. That's why Raspberry is so "money hungry," hoarding her savings and doing almost anything ("I wouldn't do nothing bad. Nothing that would hurt people, like selling dope, or shoplifting") to earn a few extra dollars. Her stinginess (well known throughout the school) causes as many problems as solutions. When her money issues begin interfering with her friendships, Raspberry is forced to reexamine her priorities and values. Flake candidly expresses the difficulty in breaking the cycle of poverty and leaves it up to readers to judge Raspberry's acts. Ironically, it's not the heroine's stash of hard-earned cash that brings about positive change for the family, but rather her mother's ingenuity and the support offered by generous neighbors. Ages 8-12. (June) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
"Flake (The Skin I'm In, 1998) gives a rock-solid portrayal
of an inner-city life where money colors everything....There's a
satisfying fairy-tale ending, but Flake successfully conveys a
situation where life is precarious. Kids who live like Raspberry
will find validation in seeing themselves sympathetically
portrayed, and more pampered readers will find their eyes opened
wide."--Kirkus Reviews
"The author of The Skin I'm In offers another provocative
slice of city life, vibrantly evoking its sights, sounds and
smells."--Publishers Weekly
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