Darius & Twig

New York Times bestselling author and Printz Award winner Walter Dean Myers once again connects with teenagers everywhere in Darius & Twig, a novel about friendship and needing to live one's own dream. This touching and raw teen novel from the author of Monster, Kick, We Are America, Bad Boy, and many other celebrated literary works for children and teens is a Coretta Scott King Honor Book.

Darius and Twig are an unlikely pair: Darius is a writer whose only escape is his alter ego, a peregrine falcon named Fury, and Twig is a middle-distance runner striving for athletic success. But they are drawn together in the struggle to overcome the obstacles that life in Harlem throws at them. The two friends must face down bullies, an abusive uncle, and the idea that they'll be stuck in the same place forever.

Maria Russo, writing in the New York Times, included Darius & Twig on her list of "great kids' books with diverse characters." She commented: "The late Myers, one of the greats and a champion of diversity in children’s books well before the cause got mainstream attention, is at his elegant, heartfelt best in this 2013 novel. It’s about two friends growing up in Harlem, one a writer, one an athlete, facing daily challenges and trying to dream of a brighter future."

In this unforgettable novel of resilience, two boys discover that the biggest obstacles aren’t on the track or the page—they’re in the world around them.

• The Writer and The Runner: Darius escapes into his stories of a falcon named Fury; Twig finds his freedom on the track. Together, they form an unlikely but unbreakable friendship.
• Overcoming Adversity: From neighborhood bullies to an abusive uncle, the two friends must find the strength to confront the forces that want to keep them down.
• Pursuing Your Dreams: One dreams of a college scholarship for his writing, the other for his running. But can they escape the feeling that they’ll be stuck in the same place forever?
• A Powerful Harlem Story: A raw, heartfelt, and realistic look at growing up in a world of challenges, from a master storyteller and champion of diverse characters.