November Blues

By Sharon M. Draper

Book Overview

In this second novel in Sharon M. Draper's Jericho Trilogy and Coretta Scott King Honor Book, Jericho and November are locked together in pain from the past and fear for the future, and it feels as though there's no way to escape either.

When November Nelson loses her boyfriend, Josh, to a pledge stunt gone horribly wrong, she thinks her life can't possibly get any worse. But Josh left something behind that will change November's life forever. She's pregnant and now she's faced with the biggest decision of her life. How in the world will she tell her mom? And how will Josh's parents take the news? She's never needed a friend more.

Jericho Prescott lost his best friend when he lost his cousin, Josh, and the pain is almost more than he can bear. His world becomes divided into "before" and "after" Josh's death. He finds the only way he can escape the emptiness he feels is to quit doing the things that made him happy when his cousin was alive, such as playing his beloved trumpet. At the same time, he begins playing football, where he hopes the physical pain will suppress the emotional agony. But will hiding behind shoulder pads really help? And will his gridiron obsession prevent him from being there for his cousin's girlfriend when she needs him most?

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416906983
• ISBN13: 9781416906988
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 13 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

November Blues

Great book talking about teen pregnancy. I know November will be the best mother ever. Josh would've been a great father if he was still living. This is a part of him that'll never go away. I know Jericho will never forget his cousin, his best friend

Brittany W.

When I first layed eyes on this book I knew it was going to be a hit! It was going to be a book I stayed up at late at night tgp read and enjoy for hours!! i could not even eat witout picking it up and reading it!!! Sharon Draper taught me a lot about the consequences about getting pregnant at an early age and for that i am not doing any thing bad llke that! Besides the fact that this book taught me things, it was entertaining anad jept me going and the motivation was the bik itself. I wanted to see what was going ro happen next, there was never a boring part!!! i promise you this bookk will keep you going anad when it is over you will be very satisfied!! the only thing is you will be a pinch of sadness because it will be over and a book like that you will never want to put it down!!!! THIS BOOK WAS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My students love her books

My summer school students, most of whom NEVER read a book under any circumstances, LOVE her books. They really relate to them. We read the Tears of a Tiger trilogy as an assignment and the students begged me to order all of her other books because they read the trilogy so fast. Highly recommended to get distinterested young people to start reading. Fast.

Excellent Read!

I ordered this book for my in class library and I have not been able to keep it on the shelf. My students are lining up to read this book. Great addition to any library. Students find that the characters and situations are relevant to them.

November Blues

I read this book before putting it on the shelf in my middle school/high school library. The account of November Nelson's teenage pregnancy paints a realistic picture of the difficulties associated with mother/daughter relationships and the dangers assoicated with teenage pregnancy. All of the characters, except Josh, return from the book, The Battle of Jericho, and this community of young people bond together to recover from Josh's death. During her pregnancy November faces the physical discomforts, the emotional trauma, the legal problems, and the social problems brought about by the unplanned event in her life. She matures somewhat throughout the book and realizes that her life will become more difficult as she faces raising a child with possible disabilities. I recommend this book to high school students. It is an easy read and Sharon Draper is a wonderful author who takes on a teenage voice in her books with great success.

I Don't Regret Buying This Book

In this sequel to The Battle of Jericho, November Nelson and Jericho Prescott deal with the loss of Josh Prescott in their own ways. But although November has lost a boyfriend and Jericho has lost a cousin, who was more like a brother, Josh left a part of himself behind. During her pregnancy, November faces emotional and physical difficulties, but not without the support of her friends, Dana, Olivia and Jericho. From morning sickness to the delivery, the author gives a detailed, realistic account of what a pregnant girl goes through. She also shows how a young man can regain his balance in life after losing his best friend. The cover of this book caught my eye, and when I noticed it was a companion to The Battle of Jericho, I bought that one so I could read it first. After reading The Battle of Jericho, I looked forward to reading this one. I enjoyed the story, and the ending was very touching.