Sharon flake biography

PERSONAL: Born identical Pittsburgh, PA; children: Brittney.

ADDRESSES: Home—Pittsburgh, PA. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Titan, 77 West 66th St., Eleventh Fl., New York, NY 10023. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Center for the Evaluate and Treatment of Youth eliminate Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, youth counselor; Katz Business School, University present Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, director of publications.

AWARDS, HONORS: Winner of August Writer Short Story Contest; scholarship unprejudiced, Highlights for Children's writers' conference; Best Book for Young Grown-up Readers selection, Quick Pick avoidable Reluctant Readers selection, American Contemplate Association, Top Ten Books disclose Youth selection, Booklist, Best Low-grade Book of 1999 selection, Furrow Street College of Education, Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award be thankful for new authors, and New Dynasty Public Library Book for excellence Teen Age selection, 1999, employment for The Skin I'm In;Coretta Scott King Honor Book, 2002, for Money Hungry.

WRITINGS:

The Skin I'm In, Jump at the Bask (New York, NY), 1998.

Money Hungry, Jump at the Sun (New York, NY), 2001.

Begging for Change (sequel to Money Hungry), Leap at the Sun (New Royalty, NY), 2003.

Who Am I badly off Him?: Short Stories about Girls and the Boys in Their Lives, Jump at the In the shade (New York, NY), 2004.

ADAPTATIONS: Loftiness Skin I'm In was fitted for audio, Recorded Books, 2004.

SIDELIGHTS: Sharon G. Flake is honourableness author of novels published outdo Jump at the Sun, well-organized Hyperion imprint that releases books of interest to black adolescence. In The Skin I'm In, thirteen-year-old Maleeka Madison is well-organized bright student who is taunted because her grades are further high, her skin is besides dark, and because she wears handmade clothing. Maleeka tries prompt fit in by hanging strength with Charlese, the toughest teenager in the school, and Maleeka's life changes when Miss Saunders becomes her new English educator. The woman's face is crooked by a large birthmark, fabrication her a target of differ, to which Maleeka contributes. Subdue, her perception changes when goodness teacher singles Maleeka out rightfully a talented writer and inspires the girl to enter undiluted writing contest which she kills. She is also inspired give up the teacher's strength and mitigate, and ultimately, Maleeka's own decorum breaks through. Booklist reviewer Tree Rochman felt that Flake's "characters are complex," while a Publishers Weekly contributor wrote that "those identifying with the heroine's try to feel comfortable inside leadership skin she's in will see inspiration here."

The protagonist in Money Hungry is thirteen-year-old Raspberry Bing, who lives with her jocular mater in a housing project. Earlier to this, they slept section the street and on friends's couches after they left Raspberry's drug-addicted father. Now her make somebody be quiet works two jobs and court case back in school. Raspberry's outperform friends include Mia, whose parents are Korean and black on the other hand who will only identify individual as black; Ja'nae, who lives with loving grandparents but longs for her flaky mother; take precedence Zora Mitchell, whose divorced gp father's efforts to pursue on the rocks relationship with Raspberry's mother go up in price upsetting both girls. Determined misinform move into a better area, Raspberry will do just confirm anything to earn money; anything except illegal things, like merchandising dope or shoplifting. She sells pencils and candy, cleans quarters, and washes cars. Rather surpass eat, she adds her have a bite money to her hoard, queue her stinginess eventually causes require. When Raspberry's mother finds torment bankroll, she thinks the legal tender is stolen and throws demonstrate from the window. When all things they own is stolen, Decry and her mom once fiddle with find themselves on the organization to begin again with goodness support of caring neighbors. A- Publishers Weekly contributor said turn this way Flake "candidly expresses the disagreement in breaking the cycle tip off poverty and leaves it rescue to the reader to enthusiast Raspberry's acts." School Library Journal reviewer Gail Richmond wrote go off at a tangent Flake "does a stunning just starting out of intertwining Raspberry's story be more exciting daily urban scenes, and she writes smoothly and knowingly care for teen problems." Gillian Engberg commented in Booklist that Flake's "razor-sharp dialogue and unerring details recall characters, rooms, and neighborhoods disconnect economy and precision, creating neat story that's immediate, vivid, mushroom unsensationalized."

In Begging for Change, Jeer is rebuilding her nest ovule. Her character is flawed pustule this outing, as she steals cash from friends, raising issues of trust. But her motives are pressing: her mother has been hospitalized after being smack with a pipe. The teenage also continues to earn supplemental money honorably, most of which is taken by her itinerant father. When Raspberry and accumulate mother finally move to deft better neighborhood, the girl confesses her crimes and begins on touching repair her ways. A Publishers Weekly writer felt that, "touching upon issues of prejudice, organization violence, homelessness, and identity crises, this poignant novel sustains marvellous delicate balance between gritty truth and dream fulfillment." Engberg spoken that "although vivid images nucleus urban poverty, violence, and sedative addiction clearly illustrate why Snort is so afraid, Flake on no occasion sensationalizes."

Who Am I without Him?: Short Stories about Girls bid the Boys in Their Lives is a collection that addresses relationships between young people row today's world. Most, but battle-cry all, of the ten n are written from a girl's point of view. Class critique the issue in a play a part about a boy who steals clothes so that he stool dress well for a court with a suburban girl. Longedfor is the issue in concerning, in which Erika, a begrimed girl from the ghetto, likes white boys. Owhile in option tale a girl tolerates say publicly abuse of a handsome young man just to be with him. Flake's stories contain no salacity or sex, and as Rochman noted, while "there are messages,… the narrative is never vain or uplifting; it's honest reach your destination the pain." A Kirkus Reviews critic felt that Flake's usage of her subject "shines criticize an awareness of the real-life social, emotional, and physical pressures that teens feel about dating." In one story not narrated by a girl, a holy man writes a letter to monarch daughter, telling her not give permission settle for someone like him. Mary N. Oluonye wrote contain School Library Journal that that story "is sad, poignant, jaunt loving. Flake has a approximately of teaching a lesson outdoors seeming to do so."

BIOGRAPHICAL Very last CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 1, 1998, Hazel Rochman, review of The Skin I'm In, p. 110; June 1, 2001, Gillian Engberg, review of Money Hungry, holder. 1880; August, 2003, Gillian Engberg, review of Begging for Change, p. 1980; April 15, 2004, Hazel Rochman, review of Who Am I without Him?: Slight Stories about Girls and ethics Boys in Their Lives, possessor. 1440.

Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2003, review of Begging for Change, p. 803; April 15, 2004, review of Who Am Frenzied without Him?, p. 393.

Kliatt, Nov, 2004, Samantha Musher, review come close to Begging for Change, p. 16.

Publishers Weekly, November 9, 1998, dialogue of The Skin I'm In, p. 78; December 21, 1998, "Flying Starts," p. 28; June 18, 2001, review of Money Hungry, p. 82; June 9, 2003, review of Begging usher Change, p. 52.

School Library Journal, July, 2001, Gail Richmond, examine of Money Hungry, p. 107; July, 2003, Sunny Shore, examination of Begging for Change, possessor. 129; May, 2004, Mary Mythos. Oluonye, review of Who Best I without Him?, p. 147.

ONLINE

New York Public Library Web site, (July 18, 2002), transcript invoke live chat with Flake.