Frank Carlson Library

After reluctantly taking on the leadership of the Harlem gang, the Scorpions, Jamal finds that his enemies treat him with respect when he acquires a gun--until a tragedy occurs. The story of twelve-year-old Jamal, whose life changes drastically when he acquires a gun. Though he survives the experience, it's not without sacrificing his innocence and possibly his relationship with his best friend.

A poem celebrating the people, sights, and sounds of Harlem.

A history of the African-American struggle for freedom and equality, beginning with the capture of Africans in 1619, continuing through the American Revolution, the Civil War, and into contemporary times.

One street. One block. Ten unforgettable stories. Some of these stories are the ones behind the headlines, the lives that go on after the facts fade from the news. Others are private, even mysterious. Salty, wrenchingly honest, here are stories whose characters jump off the page to pull readers into their lives.