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Motown and Didi
Motown lives in a burned-out building one floor above the rats, searching out jobs every day, working his muscles every night, keeping strong, surviving. Didi lives in her cool dream bubble, untouched by the Harlem heat that beats down on her brother until only drugs can soothe him. Didi escapes, without needles, in her tidy plans and stainless visions, etchings of ivycovered colleges where her true life will begin. Didi can survive inside her own safe mind, until Motown steps into her real world and makes it bearable. Together they can stand the often brutal present. What about the future?
176 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 15, 1984
4 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
Walter Dean Myers
230 books1,175 followerspseudonyms:
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 29, 2020
Move over Romeo and Juliet, Motown and Didi is where it's at. In the middle of Harlem, two unlikely characters meet at the hand of a drug dealer. To repay Motown for saving her, she tries to help him get his life a little more together, and in the process, begins falling in love with him. Unfortunately for her, this bungles her plan of escaping Harlem and going to college--but the heart wants what the heart wants. As she tries to navigate her home life and newly-addicted brother, she also tries to help Motown, who's navigating the Harlem streets in order to survive.
Tensions run high as the two try to get away from the local drug dealer who wants nothing more than to keep Didi's brother addicted. But even though the Harlem streets suffers violence and drug abuse, it is also a haven for love and friendship.
Walter Dean Myers always knows how to discuss and navigate these juxtapositions so well. I would actually love to see a modernized version of this (come on, Jordan Peele, purchase the movie rights!!!), as I'm sure Harlem has changed greatly since the 80s. This is definitely worth reading if you want an action-packed book that also has a healthy amount of romance and everyday struggles.
Review cross-listed here!
Tensions run high as the two try to get away from the local drug dealer who wants nothing more than to keep Didi's brother addicted. But even though the Harlem streets suffers violence and drug abuse, it is also a haven for love and friendship.
Walter Dean Myers always knows how to discuss and navigate these juxtapositions so well. I would actually love to see a modernized version of this (come on, Jordan Peele, purchase the movie rights!!!), as I'm sure Harlem has changed greatly since the 80s. This is definitely worth reading if you want an action-packed book that also has a healthy amount of romance and everyday struggles.
Review cross-listed here!
February 8, 2011
this was a agreat book. bieng that didi was not poor and living with her mom who was on drugs, you never thought that she would find true love. until she almost got raped, and beat up by the guys that he brother hung out with. because she was a snitch. until motown happen to come along and see what was going on and saved her. motown was a person who stayed in an abandoned building but no one knew it cause he always hid. this is a great book!!!!!
March 6, 2012
This is a great Walter Dean Myers Book. I relly loved the story line to it. The story line was about a Young guy living on his own name Motown,who meets a well educated girl name Didi with a brother thats a drug attack. As the the story begins Mowtown gets closer and closer to Didi in there realationship but Didi is having problems with her brother in the drug game.Didi balances the two and Mowtown is by her side during all actions.
October 19, 2011
I Thought This Was A Really Really Good Book I Enjoyed Reading It .
March 23, 2015
Excellent book. A realistic look into how the streets of Harlem can be a dangerous and dream-filled place made up of all sorts on people just trying to make their way through life.
June 4, 2008
loved it!!! rad it you will too
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June 25, 2009young readers and adults will enjoy this. he was the first author that got me into reading.
February 15, 2010
I truly love this book!!!!
May 23, 2022
This endearing book is a short read. I had read it twice in high school and almost thirty years later, I am reading it again. I see now ways that this writing and story has influenced my own. I love love love this story. It is a true love story and what it amazes me is how much is conveyed in few words. I loved the Professor, Motown, and Didi. This novel is like the Hate U Give in some ways. Walter Dean Myers is truly an expert at writing novels and this book shows it so well. I am so glad that I ordered Motown and Didi online and hope that it will get a renewed run.
January 9, 2022
I have always been a fan of Walter Dean Myers and grew up reading his work. I recently ordered some of my favorites from EBay and Motown and Didi is the first one I’ve re-read as an adult. I still love this story. Walter Dean Myers as always has the ability to truly shape characters and tell a story that you can really relate to.
October 15, 2023
Motown is Didi is a good book. Is about a boy Motown searching for jobs and being able to survive a tough life. While Didi who has a better life than Motown . After all they came together as a team. How I can teach this in the classroom is teaching about teamwork
September 16, 2023
such a sweet story. reminds me of “then he kissed me” by the crystals
July 4, 2024
One of my favorite books as a teenager. I want to go back and reread it as an adult. It was a sweet love story & the struggles Motown and DiDi overcame were inspiring!
April 2, 2021
Reviews compare this story to Romeo and Juliet, and it does have a similar vibe of ill-fated lovers who meet while in duress in Harlem amidst the drug crisis. This book is a quick read with a lot of heart and a lot to say. While it's a short book that reads like the books we read in high school (as Erin astutely said!), its characters will stay in my mind for a long time.
July 5, 2010
Motown and Didi showed me that even in the worst of times there's still a possibility for romance. Motown is a teenage boy who stays to himself mostly. Didi is a girl who does the same thing. Fate brings them together after years of ignoring each other even though they both live in the same part of Harlem. As the book progresses, their love for each other grows as well as problems such as Didi's brother's drug problem. Even after a tragedy occurs, Didi and Motown manage to stay together. :)
March 13, 2012
This is a great Walter Dean Myers Book. I relly loved the story line to it. The story line was about a Young guy living on his own name Motown,who meets a well educated girl name Didi with a brother thats a drug attack. As the the story begins Mowtown gets closer and closer to Didi in there realationship but Didi is having problems with her brother in the drug game.Didi balances the two and Mowtown is by her side during all actions. I recommend this book to all teenages.
February 8, 2008
I think this was the first Myers that I read, and I read it during my first year as a YA librarian. I know it's mainly a love story, but I can't remember the ending.
June 16, 2010
I'm giving this 3 stars because it's pretty good but if I could, I'd give it 2.5 stars. Sadly, Motown and Didi doesn't live up to Myers' Fallen Angels, not even close.
July 10, 2014
Loved the writing and the main characters (ahh, love in the 1980s), but the ending wasn't what I wanted, which was a little too abrupt for my tastes.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews