In the Absence of My Father

Grief. Grit. Gangs. Guts. Grace.

The past two years have been life-altering for teenagers Chocolate and Mariner. Their mother died in a terrible accident, leaving the boys' father in shock and their anguished aunt to care for them. Chocolate fails miserably in school, and Mariner brushes off his pain with comedy. From the bittersweet memories of basketball games with his mother to the pressures from gangs, grown bullies, and an unrelenting aunt, Chocolate has to decide his own fate. Mariner watches his brother spiral into trouble, and he must decide if he will speak up or cover up. The boys must make each decision quickly.with or without their parents. "A thought-provoking, socially relevant academic masterpiece." --Zelda Kitt, educational leader and parent "I was so nervous as I neared the end of the book. I loved it. There are a lot of great messages throughout the whole book and especially towards the end. I have to put this in my collection of books for my son to read." ---Kristin Marvin, parent "I actually finished the book in one day. The suspense was so great that I couldn't put it down. It was an awesome book, and kids my age would definitely enjoy it." Kaitlin Ervin, 15