G. Neri's Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty

The two things about Yummy that stuck out to me were: it is a relatively true story about something kids in Chicago can understand and potentially relate, and the graphic novel is a great way to represent such a harrowing tale involving the protagonist/antagonist Yummy.

Any amount of discussions could be started with a text like this. First off: Why did this happen? Why are so many kids in gangs? What can we as society do to ameliorate the problems of gangs, particularly in rough, impoverished areas like the deep southside of Chicago?

As far as teaching this to a group of Chicago teenagers, I think that the graphic novel nature, the low-level reading aspect, the connections to their own city, the age of Yummy and those he affected through his actions, and the problems that still exist today similar in nature to that of the Roseland murders, all enhance the teachability of this book. It could theoretically be done in 2-3 lessons. The important thing is not the strength of the text as it stands alone, or the literacy, but that the story sparks discussion. It gets students wondering, and it keeps them interested.

On p. 50, the narrator Roger asks: "Why was Yummy the way he was?" Students could write essays on this, have group or class discussions, or even do some research into gangland Chicago and its impact on culture and young people in 1990's Chicago. On p. 62, an anonymous reporter was quoted as saying "This young kid fell through the cracks. If this child was protected 5 years ago, you save 2 people. You save the young woman who was killed, and you save the young offender." This definitely could spark debate: was it ever possibly to save Yummy? If so, how? What more can be done for youth in gangs? Was Yummy good or bad or both?

The end of the novel has a quote from the Time reporter who covered Yummy's murder and the subsequent trial and he didn't "know what he found more appalling: [Yummy]'s life or [Yummy]'s death." This is a great question. There are so many angles to focus on. Where does the problem start? How do we go about educating our youth on the atrocities gangland warfare elevates?

The questions Neri poses through this short graphic tale are all great ones and can go a long way in teaching our youth the ramifications of getting involved with gangs and the horrors it can bring, among others.