Keisha has finally made it to her senior year, and she hopes things are finally looking up. She is still haunted by the suicide of her ex-boyfriend Andy and the death of their friend Robby (Tears of a Tiger), but her friends, old and new, help her get through and thrive.  Rhonda and Tyrone fall more in love.  Gerald (Forged by Fire) has a serious crush on the new girl Jalani.  Little sisters Joyelle/Kiara and Angel are finally freshmen. 

Then there is Jonathan Hathaway, the twenty-three-year-old track coach and principal’s son.  He is a “lemon drop wrapped in licorice” whose  interest in Keisah has her feeling more like a college woman than a high school girl. Their secret relationship eventually takes a frightening turn, and Keisha must learn to lean on her friends to find her way out of the darkness and back to the light. 

I first learned of Sharon Draper when several students–all boys who didn’t like to read–brought me a copy of Forged by Fire and whispered, “This is the best book.  You have to read it.”  They were right, and many students since then have read and enjoyed their first book with one of Draper’s titles.  Darkness Before Dawn (Simon Pulse, 2001) will not disappoint those fans. 

There are many things to love in this book:  the hope that life goes on after tragedy is a powerful message.  The characters are relatable and believable, down the the smallest appearance.  My favorite character is Edna, the homeless woman who appears twice in the novel.  Despite her brief role, she causes me to stop and look–to really see–the person she is and not just the caricature of a homeless person. 

Which Sharon Draper book or character is your favorite?