Forged by Fire

Forged by Fire
by Sharon M. Draper

"Forged by Fire" talks about how a little kid who was left in the fire alone while his mom went to go and get drugs. A neighbor came to see the little kid and found him behind the couch passed out. Now Aunt Queen a loving aunt who always took care of Gerald must take him in while his mom gets sober. In the middle of the story a tragic death affects Gerald and he must live with his mom and angel Gerald’s little sister and her dad Jordan. Later in the story secrets are revealed about Jordan and he goes to jail for 10 years when he comes back he swears he has changed but Gerald still doesn’t trust him. By the end of the story Gerald finds Jordan going back to his old ways and he and Jordan have one final fight. But forget to cut off the stove and a fire irrupts. While some make it out others are forged by the fire!

-M. Jefferson

Gerald is a very smart and strong minded boy. When he was three years of age, his mother was a drug addict and abused him physically and mentally. Till one day when Gerald's mother was out, Gerald accidentally started a fire. When he went to the hospital, his aunt came in to comfort him. The doctors told her that he was going to have to go to child protective services, but she said no. Although she is in a wheel chair, she took Gerald home and raised him until he was 8, nurturing him into a respectful little boy. On his 9th birthday, the worst thing that could possibly happen does. His mother shows up, saying that jail changed her. She is married and has a wonderful job. While Gerald is looking at his aunt, puzzled, his mom tells him that she wants to take him home. Gerald is upset and hurt that this would all be thrown at him on his birthday. Gerald gets on his bike and leaves. His mother and her new husband, Jordan, get up and tell his aunt that they are going to leave for a little bit, and could she watch Angel, their new baby for them? When they leave, Gerald comes back. He is calm now, and tries to get to know his little sister. They go outside, but suddenly his aunt passes out from a heart attack and dies. Things continue to change for Gerald, and he faces tragedy after tragedy.

I like this book a lot because it's sad but it can still happen to anyone, and many people can relate to it.

-M. Colon