Let's talk about sex

I remember watching Definitely, Maybe with Ryan Reynolds and Abigail Breslin, and in the beginning of the movie there was a big uproar with the parents about sex education. They felt that their kids should not be taught sex ed. at the age of 12.


Are you serious? Girls are having babies at 12 years old. It is sad but it's true. I believe tweens in middle school, up to high school should have sex education because despite parent's ignorance teens are having sex younger and younger every day. The earlier they are informed about sex and the responsibilities that comes along with it, the higher the chance of lessening teen pregnancy and STDs.


In many street fiction novels, sex is no stranger. In some street books, there are more explicit details than in other novels. With this whole idea of incorporating street novels this is one of the main issues concerning parents. Majority of them do not want their children reading street novels because of the sexual content. So what I am going to do is suggest some good street books that consists all the elements of street novels without so much sex.


Book 1 Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quinonez. {FUN FACT: QUINONEZ ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK} I actually read this book in my English class in the ninth grade. It is set in the El Barrio also known as Spanish Harlem. Julio a student at Hunter College and lives with his wife Blanca. After finding out that Blanca is pregnant, Julio turns to Sapo (his drug-dealing best friend) for an in with Bodega, the biggest hustler in all of Harlem. Bodega tries to gain ownership of a tenant building in El Barrio to invest all his dirty money into something close to him. Bodega is a genuine honest man with a good heart. He gives Julio a job not only because Julio is smart also because Bodega wants to get close to Veronica, Blanca's aunt to win her over again. After fighting with her current husband, Veronica accidentally shoots and kills him and then plays the damsel in distress card for Bodega to come and rescue her.


Sounds familiar? Bodega Dreams is an urban Great Gatsby. Similar storyline, similar situations. Instead of reading The Great Gatsby as we all probably have done in high school, Bodega Dreams an urban alternative. It portrays themes of trust, loyalty, love, friendship, marital bonds, and sacrifice while at the same time showing how even the most unlikely of people (an honor student at Hunter College) under certain circumstances can be drawn to selling drugs.

VERDICT: APPROPRIATE FOR READING AND VERY ENTERTAINING CHECK IT OUT.