- Safe Passage
- by G. Neri and David Brame
- Tu Books/Lee & Low Books
- Publication Date: March 26, 2024
- ISBN-13: 9781643790343
Every day Darius and his half sister Cissy must traverse ten blocks of warring gangs to get from their South Side Chicago neighborhood to school. Their father has pounded into their brains the importance of staying on the safe passage—a series of routes guarded by vets like him to help kids get to school safely. To Cissy’s annoyance, Darius’ best friend Booger convinces Darius to join him on a quest for some easy money, and it’s not long before all three teens find themselves in dangerous grounds.
Neri’s well developed and likable characters carry this story. Darius is a young man grieving the death of his mother whose greatest desire is for his family to gain financial security. It is this desire that clouds his judgment, leading to a number of unwise decisions, in spite of Cissy’s nagging attempts to encourage him to return to school and safety. Booger is a source of humor as well as much of the story’s conflict. Brame’s expressive black and white illustrations are a perfect vehicle for suspense and drama. The realistic images are full of details that give readers a glimpse into inner city life.
This gritty story of gang violence and urban decline will appeal to fans of Jason Reynolds and Kekla Magoon. Give this to readers looking for African American representation in comics like John Lewis’ memoir series March or James Spooner’s High Desert. Teens that find inspiration in books with flawed heroes, like Nic Stone’s Dear Justyce or Angie Johnson’s Concrete Rose will appreciate this story of a teen struggling to overcome personal challenges.
–Heather Christensen
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