Shortie Like Me
By Ni-Ni Simone
Simone, Ni-Ni. Shortie Like Mine. New York: Kensington Pub, 2008. Print. ISBN-13: 9780758228390, Paperback, US $7.20
Overview
Shortie Like Mine tells the story of sixteen-year-old Seven McKnight, an awesome chick, she’s good to her family, does well in school, and has a good group of friends, though she’s a little insecure about being the biggest girl in her group. She also worries about her twin sister hanging with the neighborhood thug, but her biggest worry becomes her feelings for Josiah, the cutest boy in school who just happens to be dating one of her friends. Seven tries to stay out of the way, but her feelings for Josiah seem to be reciprocated. How can she balance being true to herself and not hurting the people she cares about?
...I stretched my left arm out and slapped the snooze button on my alarm clock. I had it programmed so I would wake up to Jay-Z and Beyonce singing “Upgrade U.” Up until last night, nobody could tell me this wasn’t me and Josiah’s jam, but since he tried to play me, “Irreplaceable” was our new song…
Simone’s book is told from Seven’s perspective This book is chock-full of street slang, but it’s also full of funny moments and some nicely done realities. Simone possesses the ability to mix humor, guidance, and harsh truths while also sprinkling in a healthy dose of pop culture references. The message in the book is that a girl should be true to herself but also know that she can ask for help.
Author Ni-Ni Simone is a Jersey girl who never intended to write teen fiction but her editor and the literary gods had other plans. Simone is a pen name for author Tu-Shonda Whitaker, and her young adult books are wildly popular with many teenagers. She whipped up her first novel, Shortie Like Mine, in two weeks, and has been in love with writing ever since.
Shortie Like Mine was also the first of Ni-Ni’'s books to be selected by YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) as a Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.