Begging for Change

"My dad is on drugs and lives outdorrs,"the words of Raspberry."My dad is not on drugs and is living good'"the words of me."I have had to sleep on the streets,"the words of Raspberry."Never slept on the streets a day in my life,"the words of me.As you can see our lives are totaly different.Hers is kind of good.Mines is the life shes wishing for.So therfore this book has taught me to be thankful for the life God has blessed me with.

I usually read books before I present them to my children. I totally enjoyed this book and am sure my children will as well.

I debate with folks all the time about the route that BET is taking. Some say that BET is only selling sex, while I say they are only giving what's sent to them. Publishers are doing the same thing. When all they're getting is fiction writers who seem to love erotica more than a storyline, that's what's put out. But then there's the writers who stick to a good script to sell their story. Whether this book was for young adults or not, I believe the writer has a strong enough talent of telling a story so we don't have to read a porno book. In this book, I find myself grinning at the "love" scenes and I haven't done that in a very long time with fiction. Simple blushing, first kisses, and shyness with dancing are perfect fun and bring back old memories of my childhood. I love scripts about black young people growing up and dealing with their maturing emotions. A young girl named Raspberry has a thieving crackhead as a father, a dreamer as a mother, and enough male role models to give her beliefs in the sanctity of love. Her friends/associates/enemies have their own set of baggage: dealing with being a bi-racial child, unemployment, and friendships being torn by mistrust. I am just crazy about this author and this book. I didn't remember reading another one of her books "Skin I'm In" but when I saw it was on my recommendation website, I see why. I'm going to read every last one of the books this writer writes!

Raspberry Hill, who was once homeless vowed never to be on the streets again. She thought that money was everything. But when a neighbor attacks her mom and nearly kills her, she starts to steal from her best friend and from her other neighbors. After her best friend finds out, she loses a very dear friend. Raspberry, who loves money so much, doesn't admit what she has done. At the same time she is struggling between two hard relationships, her blossoming one with a Sato, a boy from school, and her drug addicted father, who steals from Raspberry, lies, and is living by himself on the streets. After stealing from her best friend and good neighbor, she can't help but think that she has inherited her father's lying and stealing ways. I would recommend this book because I think it was fun to read and I enjoyed it very much. It was very captivating because of the way it captured the characters' moods.

BEGGING FOR CHANGE is the highly anticipated sequel to Sharon G. Flake's Money Hungry. This book picks up the story of Raspberry Hill a girl who is obsessed with money, because of the security it brings her. Determined not to be homeless again, Raspberry is the budding entrepreneur, doing anything legal to obtain money. In this book, she finds that although money can bring about security, it cannot ensure happiness.The book begins with Raspberry's mother being assaulted by a young girl because she is trying to keep peace in her neighborhood. Raspberry is distraught, feels threatened, and as a result she steals money from her best friend, Zora. This causes a rift between the girls. Raspberry also begins to develop feelings for Sato, a boy from her school. She is faced with the dilemma of being in love without losing her entrepreneurial spirit. The book also introduces Raspberry's father, a homeless, crack addict. Although Raspberry loves her father, she has difficulties in "liking" him, especially when he steals her hard-earned money. She also deals with an identity crisis, wondering if she has inherited any of her father's ways.Sharon G. Flake has done it again. Her latest book ties up loose ends from Money Hungry, but introduces new problems and situations. The recurring theme of the identity crisis, shown through Raspberry and her biracial friend, Mai, is one that children who read this book will readily relate to. I highly recommend this book for fans of Flake, and for children who may have difficulties accepting themselves or their parents.Reviewed by Latoya Carter-QawiyyThe RAWSISTAZ Reviewers