Darius & Twig - by Walter Dean Myers (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author and Printz Award winner Walter Dean Myers once again connects with teenagers everywhere in Darius & Twig, a novel about friendship and needing to live one's own dream. This touching and raw teen novel from the author of Monster, Kick, We Are America, Bad Boy, and many other celebrated literary works for children and teens is a Coretta Scott King Honor Book.

Darius and Twig are an unlikely pair: Darius is a writer whose only escape is his alter ego, a peregrine falcon named Fury, and Twig is a middle-distance runner striving for athletic success. But they are drawn together in the struggle to overcome the obstacles that life in Harlem throws at them. The two friends must face down bullies, an abusive uncle, and the idea that they'll be stuck in the same place forever.

Maria Russo, writing in the New York Times, included Darius & Twig on her list of "great kids' books with diverse characters." She commented: "The late Myers, one of the greats and a champion of diversity in children's books well before the cause got mainstream attention, is at his elegant, heartfelt best in this 2013 novel. It's about two friends growing up in Harlem, one a writer, one an athlete, facing daily challenges and trying to dream of a brighter future."

From the Back Cover

Darius
A supersmart writer. His two escapes: his alter ego, Fury, a peregrine falcon; and hanging out with Twig. Darius thinks Twig could go far as a top-notch runner. But Darius isn't so sure about himself. Is it possible for an artist's life to lead anywhere?

Twig
An outstanding middle-distance runner. When Twig runs, he's the only one to beat.

Darius & Twig
Best friends. They need to navigate their Harlem world: the gangs, the bullies, an absent dad, an abusive uncle, the sleazy side of sports, the uncertainty of an artist's prospects. And they need to figure out how to grow up together, but apart.

Author Walter Dean Myers says, "You cannot live someone else's dream. Darius & Twig is about needing to live your own dream."

Review Quotes

"Myers at his impassioned best." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Myers has written another gritty, suspenseful, street-smart novel with a viscerally real setting in which young men must struggle to overcome obstacles by finding the best within them...Surely will inspire their readers to seek to do the same. -- Booklist (starred review)