“I joined the gang because I knew I couldn’t make it through life alone and I forgot how many people like you all were around to help me. What do you think people do in prison?”
“Plot world domination?” Malik asks from the crowd. He came down from Champaign to be here with us for the march. Now he steps in front of my brother.
He and Lamont share a long look. They once fought a tug-of-war over me, literally. My arms tingle at the memory.
“Or maybe revenge on your enemies,” Malik continues. He is a little taller than my brother, but both have an air of control.
My brother throws back his head and laughs. “Mostly we’d plot how to make it from one day to the next.” He holds out a hand to Malik. “I’ve changed, thanks to T,” Lamont continues. “I like the view of myself through his eyes.”
I’m learning a lot from him and from all my new friends. Like the ones I’ll be meeting with on Monday after school, the guys on my new team. I’ll be part of the Chicago Park District swim team from now on.
For now, the pastor is calling for us to begin. Once the march ends, the church will hold the first of the anger management sessions he will lead. Lamont was the first to sign up. Linda asked to join too. She isn’t ready to forgive her father, but she might learn to forgive herself.
I hope she does. Everyone deserves forgiveness.
Acknowledgments
SO MANY PEOPLE ASSISTED WITH the creation of this story I barely know where to start. I guess I’ll do so by thanking my agent, Andrea Somberg. She saw something in this story and sent it to Harper Collins. From there, my editor, Karen Chaplin, took over. She put her faith in me and worked with me over the last year to make T’s story a reality.
I also want to send hugs and kisses to Gay Lynn Cronin and Julie Golden, members of my home critique group. (I already gave them chocolate.) These gracious ladies helped provide background about police work and assisted me in smoothing out some of the edges of the early version of the manuscript. That was essential, because good writing is really revising, and they gave critical insight into that arduous process. In fact, a big thanks to all my SCBWI friends for their continued encouragement. To my sister Sharon Binns, a Chicago public school teacher, who generously answered questions about school procedures and student activities.
I am forever grateful to the numerous members of the Chicago Park District Swim Team for their patience and love. Yes, I know they don’t have a diving squad in real life, but I gave them one for the benefit of this story. I know that if there was a Park District diving team, the members would be just as gracious and my characters would feel right at home with them.
Last but not in the least least, a special thanks to the people who live in Chicago’s Chatham, Pullman, Roseland, Englewood, and Hyde Park neighborhoods. I have lived in most of those areas myself during my early life. The people are wonderful, and many graciously spoke with me about themselves and the beauty of their surroundings. I hope they see a little of themselves in this story.
About the Author
Photo by Robert LTD
BARBARA BINNS grew up on Chicago’s South Side and now lives and writes in a suburb of the city. She frequently contributes to the Arlington Almanac, a quarterly publication in Arlington Heights, Illinois. She has spoken to students, teachers, and librarians across the country. Visit her website at www.babinns.com or follow her on Twitter @barbarabinns.
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Copyright
COURAGE. Copyright © 2018 by Barbara Binns. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.harpercollinschildrens.com
Cover art by Richie Pope
Cover design by David Curtis
* * *
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018933336
Digital Edition JULY 2018 ISBN: 978-0-06-256167-1
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-256165-7 (trade bdg.)
* * *
1819202122CG/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
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