Review: Myers, W. D. (2010). The Cruisers.

Myers, W. D. (2010). The Cruisers. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

In a four-book series (later dubbed The News Crew) written shortly before his death, Walter Dean Myers centers separate stories on the same characters: The Cruisers, so named because best friends Zander, LaShonda, Bobbi and Kambui prefer the idea of “cruising” through life rather than being on a grandiose journey.  Eighth graders at Da Vinci Academy, a Harlem school for gifted and talented students, they come from diverse backgrounds and home lives. In this first installment, the middle schoolers’ adventure revolves around a “last chance” assignment they are given to avoid being expelled by their querulous assistant principal, the oft red-faced Mr. Culpepper.

The Da Vinci eighth graders are beginning their annual unit on the U.S. Civil War, when the principal, Mrs. Maxwell, decides on a new approach--some students will represent Union sympathizers, and others the Confederacy.  Before emotions quickly spiral out-of-control, The Cruisers are named peacekeepers and charged with trying to prevent the war. Although the friends utilize their own publication, The Cruiser, an alternative to the school’s official newspaper, they soon find that several kids are constantly on the threshold of physical fighting, and concerns run high among all students in the school, regardless of their original involvement.  Meanwhile, the narrator, Zander, faces troubles of his own over threats that expulsion will lead to him having to leave his mom and go live with his remarried father across the country. Periodically he also questions why his mother is so unsettled by a potential movie role, portraying a slave in a comedic parody of Gone With the Wind.

The students begin to grapple with what “freedom of speech” really means, as well as the ideals of peaceful protest, standing up for a cause when not personally affected, and preconceived ideas they had held about different races and roles.  Ultimately open dialogue ends the unrest, though the narrator and his friends continue to question themselves and their own motivations. The novel is told through first-person as well as articles published in the school’s two different papers, diary entries, and personal essay.

Myers is the recipient of numerous awards, and frequently cited by contemporary African American authors as a major influence.  This, among his last works, contains some of his signature grit and realism in portraying racial issues, disparities and prejudices, as well as divorce, foster care, and various home-life experiences; further installments tackle drug use among middle school students.  Directed at upper elementary and beyond, this short 126-page read with its compelling characters and relatable voice will engage young readers in considering issues regarding themselves and others, our combined history, and the role they want to play in this world.

For a teacher’s guide to the novel from Scholastic, click here.

For the second book in the series, Checkmate, note that the original title of The Cruisers Series was re-published as The News Crew:

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