ÒIn the spirit of [Walter Dean MyersÕs] Monster meeting The Catcher in the Rye, GoodmanÕs masterful story will remain with the reader long after the last page, echoing the raw truth that perhaps a real man is one who is both brave and scared.Ó ÑRuta Sepetys, author of Between Shades of Gray

In an environment where kindness equals weakness, how do those who care survive?

Shawn Goodman will capture your heart with this gritty, honest, and moving story about a boy struggling to learn about friendship, brotherhood, and manhood in a society where violence is the answer to every problem.

A Tayshas Reading List Pick

An ALA-YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Book

ÒShawn Goodman takes us inside the gritty world of our juvenile justice system with the verve of a master storyteller.Ó ÑJordan Sonnenblick, author of Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie

ÒA gripping story of a boyÕs climb to manhood on his own terms.Ó ÑPaul Volponi, author of The Final Four

ÒThe reader will be seized by [the boyÕs] plight and his determination not only to survive, but to better himself.Ó ÑTodd Strasser, author of Give a Boy a Gun

ÒKindness for Weakness is a daring, dazzling leap into the dark passage that is the journey to manhood.Ó ÑPaul Griffin, author of The Orange Houses

ÒGripping action, gritty dialogue, vivid characters, and palpable tension permeate the brief chapters of JamesÕs powerful, honest, compelling narrative.Ó ÑSchool Library Journal