Chill Wind

Janet McDonald's sequel to "Spellbound" carries the reader deeper into the housing projects of New York with a feisty character, Aisha, who is content being an unwed mother of two on welfare. Aisha's world is thrown into chaos when she receives a 60-day notice that her welfare benefits are expiring and she must enroll in the workfare program or lose her benefits altogether. In this novel, McDonald goes deep into the culture of the poor to bring understanding over the degradation they feel at having to participate in the menial government workfare programs. As Aisha frantically tries to find other methods to support herself, she encounters bigotry and racism not only because of her color, but primarily because of her social standing. McDonald also writes of the differing attitudes that exist between the unwed mother and that of the baby's father. These insights are great in helping the reader better understand the difficulty experienced by unwed teen mothers of any culture. Aisha's desperation, despair and determination lead her to a happy, fairy-tale-like ending, which accentuates the story's fictional element without betraying its value as a cultural milestone.

MY FAVORITE BOOK IS "CHILL WIND" BECAUSE, IT IS REALITY AND IT HAPPENS TO ALOT OF TEENS THESE DAYS BUT MOSTLY TO GIRLS. CHILL WIND IS A BOUT A GIRL NAMED AISHA INGRAM WHO IS A HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUT WHO THOUGHT LIFE WAS ABOUT JUST HAVING FUN AND NOT HAVIN ANY LIMITS AND, NOT TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING. SO AISHA INGRAM IS A 19 YEAR OLD HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUT WHO HAS 2 KIDS ON WELFARE. bUT THE CONFLICT WAS THAT AISHA DID NOT KNO HER WELFARE TERMINATE AFTER 5 YEARS. SHE THHOUGHT SHE WOULD BE ON IT HER WHOLE LIFE AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WORKING TO MAKE ENDS MEET OR WORRY ABOUT WHAT HER, HER CHILDREN AND MOTHER ARE GOING TO EAT. AFTER SHE FOUND OUT HER WELFARE WAS GOING OT END FOR 30 DAYS HER MOM WAS READY TO KICK HER OUT HER HOUSE ALONG WIT HER 2 CHILDREN BECAUSE, HER OWN MOTHER COULD BARELY FEND FOR HERSELF. RIGHT NOW AISHA AND HER MOTHER, AND KIDS ARE LIVING IN THE GHETTO OF NEW YORK AND DONT REALLY HAVE MONEY TO EAT EVERYDAY, OR PAY THE BILLS EVERY MONTH. AISHA WOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM OF THE CHOICES WELFARE GIVES HER. BUT THE PROBLEM WITH AISHA IS THAT SHE DOES NOT WANT TO GET A JOB SHE WANTS TO BE LAZY AND STAY HOME AND, DO NOTHING! SO ONE DAY WHILE SHE WAS AT A FRIENDS HOUSE SHE WAS WATCHING T.V. AND SHE SAW A COMMERCIAL FOR "BIG MODELS" AND QUICKLY TOOK THE NUMBER AND CALLED IT. SHE THUGHT THIS OUTSTANDING OPPURTUNITY FOR SOMEONE LIKE HERSELF. BUT THERE WAS A CATCH TO IT IN ORDER TO GET A MEETING WITH ONE OF THOSE SUPER MODELS SHE HAD TO PAY $ 50.00 WHICH, SHE DID NOT HAVE! BUT SHE TOOK SOME OF THE LEFT OVER MONEY SHE HD ON HER WELFARE CHECK, WHICH COMES EVERY MONTH AND, SHE WENT TO THE "BIG MODELS" AGENCY. WHILE AISHA WAS THERE SHE MET THE RUDE CLERK. WHO WAS FOR RACIST AND UNAPPRECIATIVE. WHILE THERE AISHA GOT THE BIGGEST OPPURTUNITY OF HER LIFE. THEY MADE THE CLERK REFUND AISHA'S MONEY AND GAVE HER A 2ND INTERVIEW BUT SHE HAD TO BE THERE PROMPTLY AT 3:30 BUT AISHA MADE IT THERE 5 MIN LATER. BUT THAT RUDE CLERK AT THE AGENCY GAVE HER APPOINMENT AWAY AND GAVE AISHA SMART REMARKS .THIS CAUSED AISHA'S BLOOD PRESSURE TO RISE. SO THEY FOUGHT AND SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING OT LOSE HER CHANCE OF BEING A MODEL AND GO TO JAIL FOR THE FIGHT SHE JUST HAD SO SHE TOOK HER PROFIE OFF THE CLERKS DESK AND RAN. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER AISHA HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE ONE OF THOSE WELFARE JOBS. WHILE ONE DAY AT WORK AISHA MET UP WITH ONE OF THE SUPER MODELS AND THEY SAID" THEY WERE LOOKING FOR HER EVERY WHERE. SO AISHA BECOME A HUGE MODEL SHE NO LONGER HAD TO WORRY ABOUT PAYING BILLS AND EATING. HER AND HER FAMILY MOVED OUT THE GHETTO AND AISHA HAD NO PROBLEMS TO WORRY ABOUT FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.

Janet McDonald writes with honesty and seems to write from experience. Her descripition is so believable, you can picture in your mind just as she describes. IT is an easy read you never want to put down. In chill wind Aisha learns to take responsibility. Like when all her plans fail, she finally buckles down and gets a job. You get to see the characters grow and change as the book goes on.

Aisha Ingram is a 19-year-old high-school dropout living in the projects with her two kids and no job. She's on welfare, living it up, partying and "chilling" until she gets several notices that her welfare check will be discontinued and her only option for income is to join a workfare program. Not liking the various job choices available through Workfare, she comes up with schemes and plans to outsmart the welfare office. Once they backfire on her, she takes a subway patrol job. Shortly thereafter, she answers a modeling ad and from there things begin to look up for her, but for how long?McDonald has given us a wonderful depiction of a young girl that makes numerous mistakes in her life, but learns to focus on believing in herself and leaning on family and friends. I did feel the story was a bit too perfect in how it ended, but overall I'd recommend it to others. The dialogue is fresh and real and the characters are believable. In addition, the story is smooth reading and quick paced. I think that it is one that young adults will enjoy and pick up the lessons outlined by the author.Reviewed by Tee C. Royalof The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers