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Book Review By Leeda Bassam
Tears of a Tiger by Sharon M. Draper

Andrew Jackson or as his friends called him, Andy was having a great life. Okay, it wasn't really all that great.   He had problems with his teachers and his grades, which would cause problems with his parents. Other than that he had a great girlfriend, Kiesha, and three best friends. They were having fun and joking around, not realizing the important things in life. Well, having too much fun can lead into major trouble.
Andy's life changed dramatically after one horrible night. The night he would never forget. After that night he lost hope of becoming that N.B.A star and fulfilling his dreams. After a successful basketball game at Hazelwood High, their high school, the four best friends, Robert, B.J, Andy, and Tyrone went out. They had bought some cold beer to make their drive out even better. Andy was the driver and Robert was sitting in the passenger's seat, meanwhile the other two boys were sitting in the back. Having fun they all got drunk except for B.J. Before they knew it there was a big wall in front of Andy's car. BANG! Tyrone and B.J jumped out of the car and helped Andy jump out too. “Robert!” Robert had his feet up on the dashboard and when the car crash happened his feet had got suck in the front window. Andy and B.J climbed on the roof of the car to help Robert, and then they heard a heavy thick sound, like an explosion and the next thing they knew Andy and B.J were blown off of the car's roof. Robert was still stuck into the car yelling for help. After a little while that stopped and a rush of cops and ambulances came to the rescue.
The next day a news letter was written about the big car crash. They mentioned who was on the car accident and that Robert Washington died. Andy was in the hospital, meanwhile B. J and Tyrone had been let out earlier. This pain of Robert dieing wasn't only in his parent's heart but in every student in Hazelwood High, especially Andy. He couldn't get over the situation. He felt so guilty that he even wished that he had died instead of Robert. He's parents; teachers and his girlfriend were very concerned about him. They even made him go to a psychologist. He foiled everyone except his girlfriend; who he would cry to all the time. Sometimes when they were sitting all Andy would do was cry or ask questions like “Do you think Robbie is cold in his grave?” Well, Kiesha was putting up with all of this. But would she get tired and push him to the curb?
Life wasn't getting easier for Andy. Everyday the hours would get longer and heavier on him. He was beginning to hate everything. He went from being the class clown to the class bully. He was always talking about how he can't see himself in the future. He had no hope for himself. Do you think he can last anymore? Is he going to be able to go on in life and still have the guilt in his heart that he killed his best friend? Can he live with the fact that he was drunk driving and it was his fault the car crash happened? Life was getting hard for Andrew Jackson.



Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - depressed
Time/era of story - 1980's-1999
Internal struggle/realization? Yes
Struggle over
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Coping with loss of loved one(s) Yes
Loss of...
Battle with a psychiatrist Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - a teen
Ethnicity/Nationality

Main Adversary
Identity: - none

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 3 ()
United States Yes
City? Yes

Writing Style
Amount of dialog - mostly dialog
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