Summary: The narrator (unnamed throughout the book) and her friend Neeka live in Queens, New York, and are eleven years old when they meet a girl named D Foster in their neighborhood. The three girls quickly become best friends and hang out with each other constantly. Because the narrator and Neeka have never been very far outside their neighborhoods, they take interest in D Foster's stories as a foster child and her freedom to wander wherever she wants. However, the most important connection they have in their friendship is listening to Tupac Shakur's music. As the three girls bond together for two years, they grow physically but also in their perspective of the world, such as connecting with Tash, Neeka's brother who is released from prison, and understanding the connections behind Tupac's music. When the girls turn thirteen, D Foster's mother, a former alcohol addict, comes to take D away. D reveals her name is actually Desiree Johnson, which surprises Neeka and the narrator. The two girls try to keep in touch with D but lose contact the day Tupac dies from fatal gunshot wounds. In the end, the narrator feels satisfied that she has created a connection that she will never lose.
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Characters:
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The Narrator: the unnamed character who narrates the book. She is 11 at the start of the book and is 13 at the end of the book. She lives with her single mother and has a great passion for reading books. She matures during her friendship with D Foster and listening to Tupac's music.
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D Foster: the friend that the narrator and Neeka bond with for two years. D ages from 11 to 13 in the book. She part of the foster care system until her mother takes her away at the end of the book. D's real name is Desiree Johnson and she has a love for Tupac's music. It is later revealed that her mother was an alcohol addict.
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Neeka: the Narrator's and D's friend. She is the Narrator's long time friend. She is 11 at the start of the book and is 13 at the end of the book. Neeka has many family members, including Jay Jones, Miss Irene, and Tash.
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Jay Jones: Neeka's second older brother. He is an outstanding basketball player and brags about his basketball skills. Jay Jones later receives a scholarship from Georgetown to play basketball.
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Tash: Neeka's oldest brother and is gay. Although he is a very nice and caring person, Tash is in prison for being falsely accused of assisting a robbery and is released later in the book.
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Miss Irene: Neeka's mother. She is protective and caring of her children.
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Flo: D's foster mother. She is has a very hands-off approach on caring for D.
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Mama: the Narrator's mother
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Discussion Questions:
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What are the connection/similarities between D and Tupac?
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What does freedom mean for the Narrator and Neeka?
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How does the Narrator change overtime?
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Why is everyone surprised about D’s mom and D's true name?
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How is Tash an interesting figure? Did he deserve time in prison?
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What does D Foster represent for Neeka and the Narrator?
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Why is Tupac important for the three girls?
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Is there a right way to be a parent? Discuss why or why not and use examples from the book.
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Nonfiction Topics in the Book:
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Tupac Shakur: Tupac is a recurring figure that the three girls and others idolize and respect in the book. Tupac Shakur was a rapper who focused on gangsta-rap and the injustices of the African American community. He was one of the most popular artists of all time with over 70 million sales for his albums, and worked on several projects such as writing poetry on the side. Tupac experienced a tumultuous childhood, as his mother was a cocaine addict. Tupac was born in the year 1971 and was murdered by gunshot wounds in the year 1996.
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Sources: https://www.biography.com/musician/tupac-shakur​
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Foster Care System: D Foster is a child who is in the foster care system. The foster care system is a system where children are temporarily placed into homes that are safe and protective compared to their original homes. There are more than 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system and the average time a child stays in the foster care system is around a year. Many foster care children have a higher chance of having a poor education, being homeless, and many other unfortunate circumstances.
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Black Panther Party: The Black Panther Party was a group that Tupac's parents were part of. The Black Panther Party was a political organization founded in 1966 and lasted to around the early 1980s. They were one of the most influential groups regarding racism in their time. The organization focused on the rights of African Americans, specifically on police brutality, prison systems, and more. However, the group was negatively targeted by government sectors such as the FBI.
