Additional information
by Walter Dean Myers (Author)
DARNELL ROCK IS not the kind of kid who volunteers to write for the newspaper--it sounds too much like homework. But this is Darnell's last chance to pull himself together and make a positive contribution to his school. At first, Darnell would rather be hanging out with his sister and his friends. But soon he gets interested in the Oakdale Gazette. Much to his surprise, Darnell discovers that people pay attention to the words he writes. Before he knows it, Darnell changes from a kid who can't do anything right to a person who can make a difference.
Author Biography
WALTER DEAN MYERS's fiction and nonfiction has reached millions of young people. A prolific author of more than one hundred books, he received every major award in the field of children's literature. He wrote two Newbery Honor Books, eleven Coretta Scott King Award winners, and three National Book Award Finalists and was named the winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. He also received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults and was the first recipient of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. He was a 2010 United States nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award and was nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Award numerous times. From 2012 to 2013, he served as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature with the platform "Reading is not optional." In his most beloved books, Walter explored the themes of taking responsibility for your life and knowing that everyone always gets a second chance.
