A Hero Ain't Nothing But A Sandwhich

By far one of the greatest books I have read all summer, this book describes the life of a 13 year old boy in the ghetto dealing with heroin addiction through  the perspective of himself, family, friends, and teachers.  Benji's addiction causes his best friend Jimmy-Lee have a fallout because of him being an addict. His family does not know how to reach him, his grandmother an mother even try to go to a voodoo lady to help find a way to get him off dope. His father is absent in his life and his Step-father tries to reach which he does at the end of the story.  His teacher Nigeria Greene talks about while he is educated and better off than many poor blacks , he understands their plight but  does not know how to solve the problem or help kids like Benji.
 Other characters including a white teacher , who often cannot relate to his students, and at times does not understand completely race relations an his place in trying to help end racism and poverty.  Benji's Grandmother is a poor old lady who is scared to leave the House because the neighborhood is flooded with drugs and crime, an her only way to cope is by using Christianity.  Benji's mother is distruaght over having a drug addicted child and  her husband Benji' stepfather is a great man but also has other problems in his life.
 By the end of the story the reader understands that benji is like many poor, misunderstood, emotionally vulnerable children , and needs more than just people yelling at him.  While his stepfather gets him into rehab and is hoping he will recover the answer is still left uncertain. The book examine not just the user of drugs but the seller, the family, the friends, and his community. It shows a  bigger picture that drug abuse is not usually just the person but the environment.  That everyone has problems despite their appearance and for others it is much more difficult on  how to deal with them.

Bottom Line it is a great book and anyone should read it!!