Bad Boy by Walter Dean Myers


Reference: Myers, Walter Dean. Bad Boy. HarperCollins Publishers, 2001. 206 pg.

            Bad Boy is a memoir written by Walter Dean Myers in which he examines his life as a child growing up in Harlem in New York City during the 1950’s and 60’s.  It is a very quick read that can be examined one chapter at a time because of its structure as a memoir.  The individual stories carry different themes and meanings.  Some are meant to be funny, others with clear lessons attempting to be relayed.  Overall, it is a coming of age tale that explores themes of identity and the relationship between a person and their surroundings, while still connecting the larger historical events of the period into this personal account of life in New York City in the 50’s and 60’s.

            In terms of teachability, I think this memoir would be a good book to teach in an interdisciplinary curriculum combining English and Social Studies.  While themes of identity are explored, there are also many allusions to historical figures and events of that time period.  It would be a shame to ignore those events in an effort to only focus on literary technique.  Depending on the approach, the novel can be taken and understood at the surface value and be meaningful for students as young as 6^th grade, however there are also sophisticated themes and events that occur that make it relatable and interesting to Freshmen in high school.