Armstrong & Charlie

Reviewed by: Cidney Mayes - Memorial Middle School Library, South Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 8, 2017

Review

Armstrong and Charlie are from two different worlds, and are brought together by school desegregation in the 1970's. The new Opportunity Busing program brings Armstrong and several other black students from South Central LA to a previously all-white school called Wonderland in Hollywood Hills. Both boys are nervous about starting sixth grade, each for their own reasons. Charlie's older brother passed away last spring, and his family is still grieving. Armstrong is slightly anxious about going to Wonderland, and faces this challenge with bravado and a tough-guy attitude. The two do not instantly become friends; their rocky relationship is realistically portrayed and reflective of the prejudices of the time period.

Based on the author's own experiences, this excellent middle grade novel will have readers laughing, crying, and rejoicing all the way through as Charlie and Armstrong's friendship evolves. Through humorous incidents, fistfights, first kisses, and field trips, Frank perfectly captures Charlie and Armstrong's adolescence, their discovery of who they are, and their friendship. Recommending for Cream of the Crop.

Overall Book Score: excellent