Bad Boy: A Memoir

Who would ever have thought that celebrated author Walter Dean Myers was once a troublemaker and a truant? Walter recounts what growing up in Harlem was like in the 1940s and 50s—when seeing Langston Hughes and Sugar Ray Robinson on the street was the norm and Jackie Robinson ruled the baseball field. Just how bad was Walter? From instigating mischievous pranks at home to fighting in the classroom—especially when teased about his speech impediment—irrepressible Walter was a handful. Still, he had a tremendous love for books, and by high school, he longed to become a writer. But Walter felt his options were so limited that he dropped out of school. Where was the direction and motivation he needed to pursue his dreams? Readers of all ages will identify with Walter's struggle to find his own way and become a successful writer.