The best part of Armstrong and Charlie is how the narrative splits between the two, titular boys. As boys progress into their teenage years, these moments are sweet, but also emphasize the whirlwind of emotions and hormones about to befall all kids of that age. Not only does it have valuable lessons about lying, stealing, bullying, and grieving, but it includes a few moments of romance as well. Aimed at kids on the cusp of growing into adults, the book masterfully represents moments of peer pressure where the characters have to decide what the correct response should be. Still, racism can be a two-way street, and I couldn’t help but think of the Avenue Q song, “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist.”īeyond the obvious racial undertones to this book, Armstrong and Charlie is a fantastic book about growing up. While I would like to think that race relations have improved since the mid-1970’s, there are plenty of lessons available in this book that are applicable today. Frank’s Armstrong and Charlie is an excellent start. In an attempt to educate the next generation about racism, Steven B. With race relations where they are today, it’s almost somewhat jarring to know that things haven’t changed much in over four decades.
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