Amiri & Odette: A Love Story

I can't unknow the story of Swan Lake, so I am not a good judge of how clear that story in in Amiri & Odette to the non-balletomane. I can, however, say that there are a lot of little touches that hark back to the ballet in beautiful ways, such as Odile's (who is never actually named in the book) black mask at Amiri's party, but nifty connections to the ballet are not the strongest part of this telling. What Myers does fantastically is really make this a story that isn't about princes and magic; he makes it real. The curse is drug addiction and the evil wizard, a dealer. This makes the cause and effect of Amiri's profession of love for Odile a bit nonsensical (Odette's addiction and debt to Big Red will not magically go away if Amiri loves her and only her, nor will she be trapped in that life with no possible means of escape if Amiri doesn't love her), but it also leaves room for non-magical consequences. There is no but-the-spell-said moment that makes Amiri's mistake irreparable. Just because the deal is broken, doesn't mean that the curse is everlasting or that Odette is doomed. Myers' telling makes way for a change in the ending. The artwork in Amiri & Odette is fabulous. It is dark and gritty and portends doom in a way that dozens of classical white tutus never could. The artist's note says that the collages that make up the illustrations were painted on slabs on asphalt. They are large and hardcore; each a complete work of art on its own. The texture of the asphalt shows through and Chinese food menus, feathers, pieces of jewelry and other street flotsam are used throughout. The feathers surrounding Odette as she tells Amiri about her entrapment make her look like both an angel and a beast, much like the swan-woman Prince Siegfried is initially afraid of in the original story, even if all the audience sees is a ballerina in white. Or a girl watching a basketball game. Book source: Philly Free Library

While browsing in Barnes and Noble today, I happened upon a display of Love Story (Amiri And Odette) by Walter Dean Myers in the Teen section of the store. The gorgeous cover drew me in, and I was curious to see what a picture book aimed at teens would be like, so I picked it up and began to page through it. Before I knew it, I was completely enwrapped in the story and could not put it down. This is a gorgeous book. The illustrations by Javaka Steptoe are in mixed media and the contrast of colors in each page is just stunning. And the poem, the love story of Amiri and Odette (based on Swan Lake) is breathtaking. In the poem, a boy searches for his love among the Swan Lake projects, only to find that she belongs to an evil street lord who means her harm. It is only through perseverance and undying love that the girl is returned to the safety of her one true love. It is a gorgeous book and I can't wait to get it into the hands of my students. I think this will appeal to some of my "cool" readers, those who live and breathe New York and hip-hop. What a fantastic way to infuse poetry into the lives of students who don't always think of poetry as the coolest type of writing. I'll be sure to share their reactions to the book when we get back to school!

Walter Dean Myers writes urban fiction for young adults, dealing with difficult topics, like drugs, school shootings, gangs, and crime. So, when he writes a children's book dealing with some of those same subjects, it becomes an challenge to review. "Amiri & Odette" is a retelling of the classic ballet "Swan Lake" set in the inner city projects, illustrated on asphalt, brick, and cinder blocks using paint, collage, and mixed media. Myers adapted the story into poetry, and brings it to an urban setting. Amiri lives in the Swan Lake Projects, and his mother wants him to find the right girl to settle down with. She throws a party for him to meet several young women, but it is Odette who captures his heart when he sees her on the sidelines of his basketball game. However, Odette is promised to Big Red, the local crack dealer, who has cast a spell over Odette. The story plays out with Amiri being tricked into declaring his love for a woman who looks like Odette, leaving Odette feeling betrayed and abandoned. Amiri tries to rectify the situation, but Big Red forces a showdown. The issues of drug addiction isn't directly addressed, but more implied. The violence at the end is also more implied than explicit, but both leave room for further discussion. The art is bright and lively, even with the roughness of the surfaces. It comes across more mural than graffiti, and fits the story very well. "Amiri & Odette" is not a book for all families, but taking the classic story behind Swan Lake and updating it into an urban setting works.

Madeleine L'Engle always insisted that stories were real and had power - power to help and inspire or power to hurt. This is a story of that power struggle in the lives of youth. It is masterfully written. It is the retelling of the classical story of Swan Lake, in an American setting in the Swan Lake Housing projects. The story is told in poetic style, and the lyrical format adds to the intensity of the story. The illustrations are raw, visceral and powerful. They are painted and collaged onto actual pieces of asphalt. Combined it makes for a very intense experience reading the book. I could see this done as a dance piece on Dancing with the Stars with Twitch playing Amiri, Will playing Big Red, and Odette being played by Katie. The piece would be directed and choreographed by Mia Michaels.

Amiri is treated like a prince in the Swan Lake Projects. His mother wants him to find a nice girl to settle down with, so she throws him a party to meet several eligible ladies. She warns Amiri to choose wisely. He sees Odette one day while playing basketball. She is beautiful, but somehow scarred. Odette is not allowed to love freely because of Big Red. She belongs to him - she is trapped. Amiri must find a way to break the spell Big Red has over Odette before it is too late. AMIRI & ODETTE: A LOVE STORY is an interesting re-telling of the Swan Lake story. Set against the backdrop of the projects, Myers has taken a classical ballet and put an urban spin on it. Myers' writing flows, like lyrics to a rap song, across the page. The paintings in this poem add to the grittiness and realism of the setting. Javaka Steptoe has used acrylic paints on huge slabs of asphalt. He then embellished the paintings with newspaper, feathers, plastic bags, and other items to give them a three-dimensional quality. The affect is absolutely stunning! This is a great addition to Myers' already long list of writing accomplishments! Reviewed by: LadyJay