Review: The Cruisers (Myers)

Title: The Cruisers

Author: Myers
Genre: Fiction, Middle School, Friendship, Race
Pages: 126
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars


Zander and his friends are at one of the best middle schools in Harlem.  Unfortunately, their group (nicknamed "The Cruisers" because they just want to cruise through school) are not living up to their "Gifted and Talented" label, and the Vice Principal wants to get rid of them. 
When the school starts a unit on the Civil War, and kids split up into Union and Confederate sympathizers, Zander and his crew are given a second chance to prove themselves:  they are charged with negotiating a peace between both sides before war breaks out.  Is it possible?  How will a group of slackers pull it off?


Walter Dean Myers is an award-winning author, and this is the first book in a proposed series about "The Cruisers."   The story was well-written (of course), and a quick read.  It is not hard to identify with Zander and his friends, and I look forward to more books in the series.  I read an advance copy of this book (though it is actually out now), and I only had one problem with the book.  I was shocked that editors left in references to the Seattle SuperSonics being a current team as they have not been the Sonics since 2008 (when they moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder). I am hoping that someone caught the error before printing!