Yummy

Nov 06, 2010 Jamila rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: african-descent, grief-depression-suicide, men-boys, graphic-novel-comics, violence, criminal-justice

This graphic novel will be great for classroom use, particularly as a companion to _Our America_ by Jones and Newman and _Monster_ by Myers. I recommend it for boys and reluctant readers.

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Jun 30, 2011 Alison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, teen, realistic, dark

The cheapest rents that I had in Philly were in some really gang-infested neighborhoods. It's hard to explain this to people in a place like Columbus...that in Philly, if you're freshly out of college and you work in nonprofit, education, or the arts, you probably live in a poor neighborhood of Latinos, blacks, Vietnamese, or Cambodians (or choose another ethnic ghetto). Though the gangs don't bother you (usually...some people get mugged, or have houses or cars burglarized) their violence is omn...more

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Apr 25, 2013 L12_tomj rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction, mcliterature

Robert Sandifer is heading down the wrong path in life. He's only 8 when he began shoplifting stores, but by 11 Yummy as he is called by family and friends has a list of crimes and ten felonies on his rap sheet with the police. How could his life have spiraled out of control so fast? Where were Yummy's family? Who did he come in contact that introduced him to the gang life? G. Neri poses these and a multitude of other questions about Yummi and inner city life in general to the reader through th...more Robert Sandifer is heading down the wrong path in life. He's only 8 when he began shoplifting stores, but by 11 Yummy as he is called by family and friends has a list of crimes and ten felonies on his rap sheet with the police. How could his life have spiraled out of control so fast? Where were Yummy's family? Who did he come in contact that introduced him to the gang life? G. Neri poses these and a multitude of other questions about Yummi and inner city life in general to the reader through the voice of Roger. Through him we are transported into the inner thoughts, crime filled beginnings, and story of innocence lost through exposure to the world of characters contained in the real south side Chicago neighborhood of Roseland. "Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty" is a fast paced suspensful read as we journey with Yummy on his final destination at the hands of the nortorious south side gang the Black Disciples. Randy DuBurke's sharply drawn and stark illustrations and Neri's intimate and masterful control of narrative tone make this graphic non-fiction novel a must read for any person who wants real insight into current urban malaise.

Yummy our protagonist is heading down hill fast, and no one is there to catch him. His mother has been in and out of jail and is a prostitute, his father has been incarcerated for years, and the grandmother has too many grandchildren to possibly to know the hourly and daily whereabouts of her grandson Yummy. Our voice and eyes for the story is Roseland neighbor Roger who is roughly Yummy's age, and who knew a more innocent boy who went to church and school. The vestiges of that boy are still around; Yummy still likes candy and holds on to his Teddy Bear wherever he sleeps. Roger quickly recounts how Yummy goes from simple shoplifting at the local 5 and 10, and holding up neighbors for their wallet money with a replica water squirt gun, to stealing cars. Eventually Yummy is introduced by other shorties, children under 12 who can do crimes but not serve the time, to the Black Disciples leader. The leader holds Yummy to a pledge of allegiance to the gang life and members, and then he slices Yummy's hand with a knife and blood to seal the oath. Yummy is now indocrinated into the Black Disciples, but he has to prove himself. Here is where life takes a sudden and disastrous wrong turn for Yummy. In an attempt to show his mettle as a gang member, Yummy is requested by the gang leadership to take down an opposing gang member. In the middle of a neighborhood, and with innocents including his childhood friend Shavon sitting on apartment steps in their neighborhood, Yummy breaks out his gun and shoots wildly into the panicked crowd. Instead of hiting his intended victim, Yummy has accidently shot and killed his friend Shavon in broad dayligth. Yummy in shock drops the gun and flees the scene.

What ensues next is a game of cat mouse between the Black Disciples who protect Yummy and the Chicago Police. The police conduct a manhunt and have conversations and visits with every one of Yummy's known home, relations, friends, and youth hangouts. Meanwhile, the Black Disciple are hiding him from abandoned house to house. Finally, after 3 days, tired, cold, and scared, Yummy decides to call his grandmother up on a pay phone to pick him up. Before she can get their though, one of the gang members spots him through a shorty who saw Yummy walking the streets, and they quickly whisk Yummmy off in a car to a secret location. With face up and laying flat on the back seat of the car, Yummy thinks he is safe, but the reader already knows the ending; shots are heard and Yummy is dispensed by the Black disciples in the tunnel of a local street shot in the forehead.

What makes this book so captivating for the reader is the wonderfully drawn illustrations of thickly drawn black lines and use of white space, and the authentic voices of host of neighborhood voices: Roger, Yummy, the teacher, mechanic, police officer, and minister all help with their sparse and direct speech their assessment of exactly how Yummy got to this place in life and their judgements as to his actions leading up to the death of Shavon. Illustration and narration are richly interwoven, and the black and white images correlate neatly to the sharply defined choices that Yummy faced throughout his short life. Neri's gift as a writer is his ability to tell the story both intimately and yet with a journalist's sense of sticking to the facts. Like Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood", which started this genre of jounalistic non-fiction, what truly grabs the reader's attention is the voice of authenticity and understanding expressed by Roger and the lazer like focus on juxtaposing images and actions of Yummy; Robert Sandifer is both an innocencentt caught in the urban troubles of a dysfunctional family and neigborhood, but he is also a felonious criminal and ultimately a killer. Yummy is victim and victimizer, and Neri keeps the tension in the story in perfect balance. The reader is left with many unanswered questions which come out in Yummy's funeral scene where Gary the narrator's brother and member of the Black Disciples begins to contemplate his future after seeing Yummy laying in the casket.

This book is highly recommended for any 8th grader or high school student. Much research should be used first though by teachers as to the realities of African-American urban life before any reading of the novel. The intent here would be to limit caricatures of African American youths and stereotypes of urban life. Parallel themes about dysfunctional families and their children's outcomes, the obstacles and choices made by youth in rural and surburban life, and accountability of children who do adult crimes could be explored.

There is much content here including an exploration of the genre; What are the advantages and disadvantages of graphic novels in developing settings, themes, plot, and character in comparison to a traditional novel writing? Was there controversy when G.Neri began writing this novel and with whom (families and neighbors?) or with what local organizations in the Roseland neighborhood? Other related texts to be read to give students a richer understanding of African American lives in contemporary America would be the "The Ninth Ward" by Jewell Parker Rhodes, "Lockdown" by Walter Dean Myers, and "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. Yummy the last days of a south side shorty provides depth and rich insight into one of America's biggest blights and most recurring tragedies- urban youth.(less)

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L12_tomj Robert Sandifer is heading down the wrong path in life. He's only 8 when he began shoplifting stores, but by 11 Yummy as he is called by family and fr...more Robert Sandifer is heading down the wrong path in life. He's only 8 when he began shoplifting stores, but by 11 Yummy as he is called by family and friends has a list of crimes and ten felonies on his rap sheet with the police. How could his life have spiraled out of control so fast? Where were Yummy's family? Who did he come in contact that introduced him to the gang life? G. Neri poses these and a multitude of other questions about Yummi and inner city life in general to the reader through the voice of Roger. Through him we are transported into the inner thoughts, crime filled beginnings, and story of innocence lost through exposure to the world of characters contained in the real south side Chicago neighborhood of Roseland. "Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty" is a fast paced suspensful read as we journey with Yummy on his final destination at the hands of the nortorious south side gang the Black Disciples. Randy DuBurke's sharply drawn and stark illustrations and Neri's intimate and masterful control of narrative tone make this graphic non-fiction novel a must read for any person who wants real insight into current urban malaise.

Yummy our protagonist is heading down hill fast, and no one is there to catch him. His mother has been in and out of jail and is a prostitute, his father has been incarcerated for years, and the grandmother has too many grandchildren to possibly to know the hourly and daily whereabouts of her grandson Yummy. Our voice and eyes for the story is Roseland neighbor Roger who is roughly Yummy's age, and who knew a more innocent boy who went to church and school. The vestiges of that boy are still around; Yummy still likes candy and holds on to his Teddy Bear wherever he sleeps. Roger quickly recounts how Yummy goes from simple shoplifting at the local 5 and 10, and holding up neighbors for their wallet money with a replica water squirt gun, to stealing cars. Eventually Yummy is introduced by other shorties, children under 12 who can do crimes but not serve the time, to the Black Disciples leader. The leader holds Yummy to a pledge of allegiance to the gang life and members, and then he slices Yummy's hand with a knife and blood to seal the oath. Yummy is now indocrinated into the Black Disciples, but he has to prove himself. Here is where life takes a sudden and disastrous wrong turn for Yummy. In an attempt to show his mettle as a gang member, Yummy is requested by the gang leadership to take down an opposing gang member. In the middle of a neighborhood, and with innocents including his childhood friend Shavon sitting on apartment steps in their neighborhood, Yummy breaks out his gun and shoots wildly into the panicked crowd. Instead of hiting his intended victim, Yummy has accidently shot and killed his friend Shavon in broad dayligth. Yummy in shock drops the gun and flees the scene.

What ensues next is a game of cat mouse between the Black Disciples who protect Yummy and the Chicago Police. The police conduct a manhunt and have conversations and visits with every one of Yummy's known home, relations, friends, and youth hangouts. Meanwhile, the Black Disciple are hiding him from abandoned house to house. Finally, after 3 days, tired, cold, and scared, Yummy decides to call his grandmother up on a pay phone to pick him up. Before she can get their though, one of the gang members spots him through a shorty who saw Yummy walking the streets, and they quickly whisk Yummmy off in a car to a secret location. With face up and laying flat on the back seat of the car, Yummy thinks he is safe, but the reader already knows the ending; shots are heard and Yummy is dispensed by the Black disciples in the tunnel of a local street shot in the forehead.

What makes this book so captivating for the reader is the wonderfully drawn illustrations of thickly drawn black lines and use of white space, and the authentic voices of host of neighborhood voices: Roger, Yummy, the teacher, mechanic, police officer, and minister all help with their sparse and direct speech their assessment of exactly how Yummy got to this place in life and their judgements as to his actions leading up to the death of Shavon. Illustration and narration are richly interwoven, and the black and white images correlate neatly to the sharply defined choices that Yummy faced throughout his short life. Neri's gift as a writer is his ability to tell the story both intimately and yet with a journalist's sense of sticking to the facts. Like Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood", which started this genre of jounalistic non-fiction, what truly grabs the reader's attention is the voice of authenticity and understanding expressed by Roger and the lazer like focus on juxtaposing images and actions of Yummy; Robert Sandifer is both an innocencentt caught in the urban troubles of a dysfunctional family and neigborhood, but he is also a felonious criminal and ultimately a killer. Yummy is victim and victimizer, and Neri keeps the tension in the story in perfect balance. The reader is left with many unanswered questions which come out in Yummy's funeral scene where Gary the narrator's brother and member of the Black Disciples begins to contemplate his future after seeing Yummy laying in the casket.

This book is highly recommended for any 8th grader or high school student. Much research should be used first though by teachers as to the realities of African-American urban life before any reading of the novel. The intent here would be to limit caricatures of African American youths and stereotypes of urban life. Parallel themes about dysfunctional families and their children's outcomes, the obstacles and choices made by youth in rural and surburban life, and accountability of children who do adult crimes could be explored.

There is much content here including an exploration of the genre; What are the advantages and disadvantages of graphic novels in developing settings, themes, plot, and character in comparison to a traditional novel writing? Was there controversy when G.Neri began writing this novel and with whom (families and neighbors?) or with what local organizations in the Roseland neighborhood? Other related texts to be read to give students a richer understanding of African American lives in contemporary America would be the "The Ninth Ward" by Jewell Parker Rhodes, "Lockdown" by Walter Dean Myers, and "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. Yummy the last days of a south side shorty provides depth and rich insight into one of America's biggest blights and most recurring tragedies- urban youth.(less)
updated Jan 27, 2012 09:31am

L12_sarah Tom, this is such a well-written review! I like that you start with a paragraph that wraps up all the main points of your summary and critique before...more
updated Jan 29, 2012 09:11am

Feb 06, 2012 L12_Marie Schiller rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: african-american

How sad is the world? And how sad that I live in Chicago and didn't even know the true pain that many families have to endure. This is a story that needed to be told. I am not a big fan of graphic novels but I feel it was done well and would lend itself to numerous discussions for teens and adults about "Yummy". Perhaps, a discussion about where we went wrong as a society and what we can do to help in the future.

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May 21, 2013 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars

A story of a young gang member in Chicago in the early 90's. The only connection I have is that I was the same age as Yummy. I was immediately unsure about weather I would even make it through this book. As I opened the cover, I instantaneously knew this would be a hit with struggling/hesitant readers because of its graphic novel layout. As an elementary librarian, it was hard for me to imagine letting my students (even my 5th graders) read this book. It is avery graphic portrayal ofRobert "Yumm...more

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Apr 02, 2013 David Perilo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: award-winning-picture-books, childrens-lit-2013

Audience: I feel that the appropriate grade levels for this book should be over the grade level of 4th. Due to the graphic nature of events and the involvement of gang violence and harsh living, children over 4th grade would be more apt to handle this book.

Appeal: This book is amazing in the aspect of being a graphic novel and the extreme situations that evolve and happen. Students, who don’t understand the society some people live in such as the Southside of Chicago, should really read this boo...more

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Jan 30, 2013 CH13_Meghan Schultz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: african-american-literature, rll-520-graphic-novel

Before reading this graphic novel, I researched Robert "Yummy" Sandifer in order to better understand the context of this story. A young boy, Yummy, was a member of the Chicago street gang, the Black Disciples. In 1994 Yummy shot and killed an innocent young girl, and as a result was executed by fellow gang members for fear Yummy would become an informant for the police. Yummy's violent life and untimely death became a national story, his face even appeared on the cover of "Time" magazine.
Thi...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Conkristador rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gang member and murderer are not typically words used to describe a thirteen year old, but for Robert Sandifer, nicknamed Yummy, they are tragically true. Written by G. Neri and illustrated by Randy DuBurke, Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty is a graphic novel based on the true events that surrounded one Chicago boy’s life and death. The book follows the fictional character Roger, who uses his community’s reactions, based off real media responses taken from sources such as the Chicago...more Gang member and murderer are not typically words used to describe a thirteen year old, but for Robert Sandifer, nicknamed Yummy, they are tragically true. Written by G. Neri and illustrated by Randy DuBurke, Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty is a graphic novel based on the true events that surrounded one Chicago boy’s life and death. The book follows the fictional character Roger, who uses his community’s reactions, based off real media responses taken from sources such as the Chicago Tribune, to understand what led to Yummy’s gang activity and eventual death.
A prelude at the beginning emphasizes that this was not a completely true story. It made clear that many scenes involving Yummy were a portrayal of how Roger thought Yummy might have felt or acted. This tactic successfully allows the reader to think critically about the events and, like Roger, make their own theories about what could lead someone to such a drastic action as murder.
Despite his crimes, Yummy is not portrayed as a villain. Multiple scenes with a teddy bear, and specific dialogue from Roger effectively remind the reader of Yummy’s youth. “THEY CALLED IT A MANHUNT, BUT I CALLED IT A BOY HUNT…’CAUSE THAT’S WHAT HE WAS.” Even the realistic drawing style captures the nature of how young Yummy was during this drama. His face is often drawn wide-eyed, which reveals the fear he felt during multiple scenes, such as in the climax when he shoots Shavon.
The youthful nature of his expressions convey this was an abused, confused, and often neglected young boy whose background affected his choices. The color choice of black and white images effectively gives the story a rough feeling that portrays the harsh realities of life on the streets. He was abandoned by his parents and surrounded by crime. There are no colors to soften even the lighter scenes, such as a tender moment where Yummy shows Roger a frog. This darker imagery, along with commentary from the fictional character Roger, highlight the fact there were multiple factors that led to Yummy’s fate and create a great thought provoking addition for any library.
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Dec 05, 2012 Ed added it

Neri, G. (2010). Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty. New York: Lee & Low Books. 160 pp. ISBN 978-1-58430-267-4 (Paperback); $16.95.

Yummy shoots a 14 year-old girl in Chicago’s gang south side. Four feet tall and 60 pounds, Yummy is arrested many times. He’s 11. He sleeps with a teddy, loves his granny, and adores candy. Randy DuBurke’s illustrations in this graphic novel are superb. For example, look at the two panels on the bottom of page 7. Yummy is in both of those panels quite cl...more

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Nov 23, 2012 William rated it 5 of 5 stars

INCREDIBLE. This is amazing. I haven't wanted to cry over a book since my more depressive days. This is amazing. Yummy is like the Kony stuff in America. In Chicago. I want to teach THIS to my students. Not Monster or Ellen Foster or To Kill a Mockingbird. I want to teach THIS. THIS challenges me emotionally, politically, socially, artistically, etc... This is the young adult masterpiece I've needed to be exposed to so I know what to tell my students to read. Recommended by my school media cente...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Jordan Lindsey added it

Yummy, The Last Days of a Southside Shorty is a graphic novel the conflict of this tells the true story of an 11 year old gang member. Robert "Yummy" Sandifer grew up on the streets in Chicago. Like many young boys in his neighborhood and like me, Yummy did not have a father figure in his life, and so he wanted to belong to a family. He joined the Black Disciples gang and quickly became involved in serious crimes. The gang members routinely found minors to commit crimes because the penalties wer...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Main Characters: Shavon Dean, Roger, Robert "Yummy"

Setting: Very rough neighborhoods of Chicago in 1994

POV: Third Person

Lexile Level: 3.4

Summary: This was a wonderful novel. This was a graphic novel based on the narrator, Roger, who is eleven years old in this story pondering the death of his classmate Robert, otherwise known as "Yummy". Yummy was perceived to be a horrible gang banger, who killed a young girl named Shavon Dean. He ran away from home and lived a horrible childhood and life. This...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Maribel Galvez rated it 5 of 5 stars

Grade/interest level: Middle School (6-8)
Reading level: 4.3 (Lexile N/A)
Genre: Multicultural, Biography

Main Characters: Robert Sandifer aka Yummy, Roger
Setting: 1990’s Chicago, Illinois
POV: Roger

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty tells the story of Robert “Yummy” Sandifer as told by his friend Roger. As a graphic novel, the author has both literal and visual tools to show Yummy’s harsh upbringing, such as being raised with 19 other children in his grandmother’s home. With no strong fa...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Zoe L-D rated it 4 of 5 stars

There was once a real kid who was a criminal and a killer, and he was just eleven years old. Yummy, the Last Days of a Southside Shorty, is a graphic short novel written by G.Neri and illustrated by Randy DuBurke. The book is based on a true story about an 11 year old who led a life of crime. The story takes place in Chicago in the early 1990’s, in a poor neighborhood, and is told from the perspective of another kid, Roger, who knows Yummy.

There are other central characters including Robert’s b...more There was once a real kid who was a criminal and a killer, and he was just eleven years old. Yummy, the Last Days of a Southside Shorty, is a graphic short novel written by G.Neri and illustrated by Randy DuBurke. The book is based on a true story about an 11 year old who led a life of crime. The story takes place in Chicago in the early 1990’s, in a poor neighborhood, and is told from the perspective of another kid, Roger, who knows Yummy.

There are other central characters including Robert’s brother, a boy named Derrick, and another boy, Mike, who is part of a gang, but the story mostly focuses on Yummy. Robert “Yummy” Sandifer was a neglected and abused 11 year old gang member. Because of his age, Yummy committed numerous felonies for the gang without being thrown into prison; however, there were times when Yummy was just a kid in spirit and behaved like it. The novel also shows the influence Yummy has upon Roger and his family.

One day, Yummy shot and murdered someone whom he thought was a rival gang member, but instead he killed an innocent bystander whom he knew, a fourteen-year-old girl named Shavon. Soon after the murder, Yummy, with the help from his gang, is on the run from the police. Because of the publicity about the murder, Yummy was not only cornered by the police, but also by his gang, friends, and family, with serious consequences. In the book, Roger considers Yummy’s life, his upbringing, his circumstances, his choices in life, and those choices made for him, and his reflections will make you wonder if Yummy was a real monster, or mostly just a kid?

This book is a short read but very compelling. I felt it was very interesting, being about a boy whom you can’t tell if he is truly a criminal or simply just a kid, so there is no true “black or white” to the character. First off, this book will appeal to kids in middle school and above; younger kids also can read this, but the graphic novel mentions drugs, murder, and prostitution, so this may not be appropriate for them. However, a lot of people can understand and relate to what the novel is about, and it’s very easy to read. Anybody who likes non-fiction, graphic novels, or just anybody who wants to read a very good story will find Yummy to be a fascinating read. The novel gets you very invested in the main character, Yummy, and in his life, so you really feel for him. This quote “What you’ve got here is a kid who was turned into a sociopath by the time he was 3 years old” (p.61, by a policeman) is part of a string of opinions about Yummy’s dilemma that I really liked.

I liked this book a lot and the only thing I didn’t really like about it was Roger, whose only purpose was to tell the story from the perspective of a kid who was very involved with Yummy. I actually liked that role, but Roger himself is a rather uninteresting character. Another thing I really enjoyed about the graphic novel is the illustrator’s artwork; it’s very good especially at depicting Yummy from tough and mature in tone, all the way to an innocent little kid.

Not only is Yummy a wonderful and memorable read, but it also raises important issues. It shows criminal activity in kids and how this may develop, through poor upbringing of children and urban peer pressures. It is a thought-provoking story that can change the way you see everyday life. Overall, Yummy is a very good, gritty story of one boy’s life which shows that the world is full of grey tones, with a lot of empathy and compassion for a kid who grew up under very hard circumstances.
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Sep 18, 2012 Kasani Williams rated it 4 of 5 stars

G. Neri skillfully captures a tragic 1994 Chicago incident in his thrilling graphic novel Yummy. A young boy that lives in Chicago, the same area as Yummy, tells the story. He is not a real person however he is used as a storyteller in this graphic novel. In this book, G. Neri tells the story of a mistreated 11-year-old boy named Robert Sandier, also known as Yummy. Yummy is a misguided 11-year-old boy who lives with his grandmother and his many other relatives. Since he lives with so many peopl...more
G. Neri skillfully captures a tragic 1994 Chicago incident in his thrilling graphic novel Yummy. A young boy that lives in Chicago, the same area as Yummy, tells the story. He is not a real person however he is used as a storyteller in this graphic novel. In this book, G. Neri tells the story of a mistreated 11-year-old boy named Robert Sandier, also known as Yummy. Yummy is a misguided 11-year-old boy who lives with his grandmother and his many other relatives. Since he lives with so many people, no one notices him. In the night, he would sneak out of his house. He would steal cars, rob stores, and rob houses. Since he does all of these horrible things, Yummy ends up in a gang. In this part of the book, we meet another main character. His name is Monster, and he runs the gang that Yummy is in. Monster is a mean person who uses everyone in his gang as a pawn. Yummy is not the only kid that he uses in his gang. He uses many other kids as well, because that way someone else can go to jail to do his dirty work.
Yummy performs a blood oath with Monster and is now part of his gang. Yummy finally feels as if he has a place, and he feels like he has a new family. But will this last? Yummy decides he must prove himself to Monster, and the rest of his gang. One day, he sees someone that is in the rival gang, and he is on Yummy’s gang’s turf. Yummy finds this as a moment to show his worth. Yummy does something that day that changes everything for him. Yummy pulls out a gun with the intention of shooting the rival gang member. He misses and shoots someone else, who does he shoot? What repercussions will come from the act of violence that Yummy committed? What will Monster think about this? Well you can find out by reading G. Neri’s graphic novel Yummy.
I really enjoyed this book, because I heard about the story that is being told in this book before but not in this kind of detail. I also think the author did an amazing job of staying true to the event that happened. Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the illustrations. . I really felt scared, happy sad, anxious etc because the illustrations sucked me into the book . The artist did an amazing job of using shadows to portray emotion. However, the artist was not very consistent in his art. Sometimes when I turned the page, I would think I was looking at a whole new character when it was really Yummy. The book really interested me and pulled me in right away. I felt like I was next to Yummy the whole time. I could see myself hiding in an abandoned house with Yummy while he was trying to hide from the police. I could hear the gunshots fired from Yummy’s gun when he tried to prove himself. I felt Monster’s cold hand when Yummy was performing the blood oath. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a dramatic book. I also recommend this book to anyone who wants to hear about the story of Yummy, because the author tells this story in so many different was to really show who Yummy was, which I think is fantastic. There is also a book that is very similar to this situation/book; called Boy Kills Man. Anyone who enjoyed that book might be interested in Yummy. If you are a person that likes a gripping drama then you should take a look at this book!
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Aug 22, 2012 Victoria Whipple rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-biographical, comic, family, gangs

Robert "Yummy" Sandifer was born and lived in Chicago until he was 11 years old. He grew up sometimes on the street, sometimes at his grandmothers house, sometimes in youth homes, but he always went back to his grandmother's neighborhood. His father was in prison, and his mother in and out of jail. With the absence of an adult role model, he looked to what he saw as a loyal family and a place to belong, a street gang. But he was just a child. In order to prove himself and gain rank in the gang,...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Luis P rated it 5 of 5 stars

In every neighborhood there's always going to be some type of crimes and gangs. Gangs are everywhere just like air. Sometimes lifes of innocent people are taken away because one person decided that they should take away that persons life just because he had the wrong colors or they where at that place at the wrong time. Those things happen for us to learn.

This is based on a true story of a boy named Yummy. he had a life full of struggle and difficulties. As a young boy he was always exposed t...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Chris Murray rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, boy-book, ethnic, graphic-novel, lis722, location-local, ya

Summary:
In 1994, an incident of Southside Chicago gang-related violence captured national headlines. Eleven-year-old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer shot and killed his 14-year-old neighbor Shavon Dean. The author's retelling is based on public records as well as personal and media accounts from the period. Framing the story through the eyes and voice of a fictional character, 11-year-old Roger, offers a bittersweet sense of authenticity while upholding an objective point of view. Yummy, so named becau...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Caitlin Sweeney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Text summary: An eleven year old boy, Roger, on the south side of Chicago tells his side of the story about his young friend Yummy who was involved in a shooting of an innocent girl. Based on a true story that occurred in 1994, this book gives readers a good insight into the internal workings of gangs and the emotions young people go through just to get by each day.

Visual summary: Drawings put a reader’s mind into the story with the captivating facial expressions and realistic characters. Lots...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recap:
Yummy has been convicted of dozens of felonies.
Yummy is a member of the Black Disciples.
Yummy is a murderer.
Yummy is only 11-years-old.

This is his true story.

Review:
This book just might break your heart. G. Neri has taken the very true story of Yummy, a pre-teen killer whose mugshot graced the cover of Time magazine, and made is accessible for adolescent readers.

His story is horrifying and just really, really sad. For all intents and purposes, Yummy was parentless. Although he was supposed...more Recap:
Yummy has been convicted of dozens of felonies.
Yummy is a member of the Black Disciples.
Yummy is a murderer.
Yummy is only 11-years-old.

This is his true story.

Review:
This book just might break your heart. G. Neri has taken the very true story of Yummy, a pre-teen killer whose mugshot graced the cover of Time magazine, and made is accessible for adolescent readers.

His story is horrifying and just really, really sad. For all intents and purposes, Yummy was parentless. Although he was supposed to live with his grandmother, she had nearly 20 other kids in and out of the house, so Yummy could disappear for days at a time without anyone noticing. He started out small - stealing kids' lunch money and breaking into cars, but as his crimes escalated, he garnered the attention of the Black Disciples - a well known gang. The gang used young kids like Yummy to do their dirty work, because sentencing was always more lenient for minors. Yummy was so eager to prove himself and belong somewhere, he would have done anything. And he did. He killed a 14-year-old girl he had grown up with.

Neri's text and duBurke's illustrations highlight the fact that no one can know for sure why Yummy did what he did, although many have certainly speculated. This book also shines a light on what is perhaps the most disheartening aspect of this story: Yummy was only a child. And in his last days, he was most likely not the swaggering criminal that he had tried so hard to become. He was a scared, young boy.

I can't honestly say that I enjoyed this book. Instead, I asked myself over and over again, "What can I do, what can my family do, what can our society do to prevent something like this from happening ever again?" And I don't know how to answer that question, because I know that stories similar to Yummy's are spinning out in cities all over America today. Honestly, I'm not even sure how to end this paragraph. I just want to see more hope for real life boys like Yummy.

Recommendation:
I would recommend Yummy to readers who appreciate graphic novels and true stories. And this is definitely a book I'd recommend to boys who think reading is boring! Oh, they will be proven so wrong.(less)

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Feb 27, 2012 Taneka rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile, graphic-novel, biography

Robert "Yummy" Sandifer is an eleven year old kid that just wants to be accepted and loved. But to gain that love he turns to the one place that will betray him in the end, the Black Disciple Nation gang in Chicago. Based on a true story, the reader gets to see the events of Yummy's life and death unfold.

I was both angry and sad at this story. I am not the type of person that accepts excuses for life's choices, but this 11 year old kid just did not seem to have a chance. Abused by his mother and...more

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Jan 28, 2012 L12_sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mc-lit, realistic-fiction, graphic-novels

In 1994, young Chicago gangbanger Robert "Yummy" Sandifer made national news when a stray bullet from his gun shot and killed Shavon Dean, a 14 year old girl, during a gang related skirmish. On the run from the police, Yummy was eventually picked up by two of his fellow Black Disciples, driven to a remote location and executed for being a liability. He was 11 years old.

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty tells Yummy's story from the beginning: his terrible childhood growing up with a fa...more In 1994, young Chicago gangbanger Robert "Yummy" Sandifer made national news when a stray bullet from his gun shot and killed Shavon Dean, a 14 year old girl, during a gang related skirmish. On the run from the police, Yummy was eventually picked up by two of his fellow Black Disciples, driven to a remote location and executed for being a liability. He was 11 years old.

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty tells Yummy's story from the beginning: his terrible childhood growing up with a father in prison and a mother who was arrested countless times for drugs and prostitution and from whose care Yummy was removed by DCFS when she was charged with child abuse and neglect. Yummy lived a paradoxical childhood, acting like a child in some ways (taking a teddy bear with him to juvie and getting his nicknname from his love of candy) and an adult in others (stealing cars, robbing houses, joining the Black Disciples street gang and doing their dirty deeds). As a short child, Yummy worked extra hard to come across as a tough guy. He looked to the Black Disciples for the acceptance and love that he never got from his family and worked hard for their respect.

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty is narrated by Roger, a fictitious 11 year-old boy who lives down the street from Yummy in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago. Roger has a unique perspective on the situation because he goes to Yummy's school and has an older brother who is also in the Black Disciples. In contrast to his brother (Gary) and Yummy, Roger seems to be a good kid who doesn't get into trouble. Roger's struggle to understand Yummy's short life and why it happened the way it did mirrors the reader's journey to make sense of this tragedy.

The stark black and white graphics--done by Randy DeBurke--add to the harshness of this grahic novel. They underscore the conflict within Robert "Yummy" Sandifer, the fight between good and evil. However, the pictures do not reduce Yummy's story to a clear-cut, black and white issue. The novel does not pass judgment on Yummy; it leaves that up to the reader, who goes on an emotional rollercoaster in the process.

This novel is aimed at middle school students and above and is appropriate for that audience. Asking questions such as, "What was the greater tragedy: Yummy's life or death?" and "Was Yummy a bad person?" Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty deals with issues that every teen can relate to, whether or not they live in an urban area. It raises questions that young teens will not only enjoy discussing, but can greatly benefit from discussing. With its content and format, this is sure to be a book that will also interest reluctant readers.(less)

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Dec 09, 2011 Brittany Flowers rated it 5 of 5 stars

basically what happened in this story is yummy was beat by his mom most of his childhood and then his mom was a drug attick so she went to rehab.yummy had to go live with his grandma where he snuck out every night becuase he didnt want to be there.one night he went out and joined the black disciples who sent him to do all of their dirty missions because if yummy got into big trouble he would only go to jail till he was 21, but one day yummy saw his rivals playing football and this young girl nae...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Jeannie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Citation: Yummy: Last Days of a Southside Shorty, G. Neri, Randy DuBurke (illustrator), 94p. Junior Books / Graphic Novel

Genre: Graphic Novel – Biography

Summary: This is an account of the last days/events in the brief life of Robert Sandifer, best known as Yummy. The author attempts to answer the question why concerning the life of this eleven year old ruffian.

Critique: a. the author’s choice of the graphic novel to deliver the final events of the life of Yummy is truly beneficial. Its comic fo...more Citation: Yummy: Last Days of a Southside Shorty, G. Neri, Randy DuBurke (illustrator), 94p. Junior Books / Graphic Novel

Genre: Graphic Novel – Biography

Summary: This is an account of the last days/events in the brief life of Robert Sandifer, best known as Yummy. The author attempts to answer the question why concerning the life of this eleven year old ruffian.

Critique: a. the author’s choice of the graphic novel to deliver the final events of the life of Yummy is truly beneficial. Its comic form makes the tough questions of Yummy’s life and decisions easier to bear. It is advantageous to young readers because the words provided in this child friendly form may reach those who would not have other wise read them. It is also helps older readers remember that even though the acts are gruesome, they are being performed by a child who really wants to be someone’s hero.
b. The graphic novel format for this book draws its strength from the use of black and white to illuminate the text. How ironic is this, since Yummy’s life and actions are anything but black or white?

c. I feel this powerful contradiction is best illustrated on page p41. On this page the narrator tells us “Yummy was looking to impress” and the top panel shows Yummy totally backed out with only the light of the firepower in his hands that is “blinding” him. All the bystanders in this Black community are totally white with fear. After the shot has been fired our eyes fall to a close-up of Yummy holding the gun in a frozen state. Yet his frame is black and he only has one visible eye with a small streak of white on his face. The gun now doubles for his other eye which is cold and unseeing. Yet his hand is white which could be interpreted as sick or scared concerning the action it has just taken part in.

Curriculum connection: I think this biography could be used for Grades 6+ in a social studies class surrounding the topic of juvenile justice/youth detention. Classes could research the actual newspaper/magazine articles used for research of this piece.

I think counselors could use this biography beginning with the upper elementary grades. Most schools have a DARE program starting at 5th grade, bully prevention, and gang awareness seminars that this account could be used as a supplement for them.
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Nov 03, 2011 Henry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Yummy
Young killer or victim?
What would motivate you to kill someone? Well, Robert “Yummy” Sandifer will do it just for respect. But there’s something else - he is only 11 years old. In the graphic novel Yummy by G. Neri, you see how he does it. Yummy has been breaking the law ever since he could walk shoplifting and burning cars. In the past year and half, he has had 23 arrests. Everyone in his grade fears him, and everyone older than him knows he’s a young thug. So when word gets around, he i...more Yummy
Young killer or victim?
What would motivate you to kill someone? Well, Robert “Yummy” Sandifer will do it just for respect. But there’s something else - he is only 11 years old. In the graphic novel Yummy by G. Neri, you see how he does it. Yummy has been breaking the law ever since he could walk shoplifting and burning cars. In the past year and half, he has had 23 arrests. Everyone in his grade fears him, and everyone older than him knows he’s a young thug. So when word gets around, he is picked up by the Black Disciples, a vicious street gang. Yummy think he will gain respect and a promotion in the gang by killing a rival gang member. So one day, he goes hunting for one. But instead of hitting a rival member, he hits 14 year old Shavon Dean, an innocent girl. As soon as this happens, Yummy panics and is on the run. The news goes all the way around the nation and a manhunt is called. This book is interesting in the way that it is told by an emotionally confused boy named Roger who is trying to grasp the whole situation. As I keep reading, I got more and more engaged in the novel.
I loved this graphic novel so much. I thought it gave a great perspective of what it is like to be around the gang life. You see how kids as young Yummy are dragged into the thug life. “If a kid goes down, there’s another waiting in line. You make it past 19 these days, you a senior citizen around here.”(pg. 46) But the narrator wasn’t one of the gangbangers; it was from a boy that was just a normal kid. As I read this novel, I thought Yummy was a terrible, cold hearted kid. But as Roger started to tell me about what he had been through, I started to feel bad. It was almost as if he was set up for failure. By the end of the novel, I wasn’t quite sure what I thought of Yummy.
I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone who likes stories about gang life. This book accurately describes what it is like to be in a gang, or just live around it. The pictures in the graphic novel helped you grasp what the characters go through, and if you don’t like real talk in your books, this wouldn’t be right for you. However, if you like non-fiction graphic novels, this is right for you
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Sep 29, 2011 Beaverton City Library Teens rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, realistic

In 1994, Chicago gangbanger Robert "Yummy" Sandifer (nicknamed for his love of sweets) was gunning for a rival gang member in an effort to prove himself in his Southside neighborhood. Instead, he accidentally shot and murdered Shavon Dean. He was 11. She was 14. Within a few days, Yummy would also be dead - shot through the head under an aqueduct by two members of his gang who were unhappy with the heat his crime was bringing to them. Yummy's story became national news for a time, making the cov...more

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Sep 21, 2011 Crista rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, teen, african-american

Wow, what an amazing book. The story is so powerful and moving that you almost forget that you are reading this in graphic novel format. The black and white images are imperative to the story by not only adding to the supreme existence of the featured gang, the Black Disciples, but also to tame the violence and bloodshed. I had no prior knowledge of this story prior to picking the book up at the library. After reading just the introductory paragraph, I was motivated to go online and research not...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Britt rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, graphic-novels, life-and-death, identity, non-fiction, psychology, ya

This is the story of an 11 year old child who kills and is killed. It is based on the true story of gang violence in Southside Chicago in 1994 and is narrated by Roger, a classmate of Robert “Yummy” Sandifer, as he tries to make sense of what happened. Yummy was part of the Black Disciples, and while trying to impress his fellow gang members he accidentally kills a 14 year old girl.

The narration is more of an unemotional news report than an 11 year old trying to understand a tragedy. Still, it s...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Daniela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, american, award-winners, biography, graphic-novel, historical, non-fiction, social-commentary, young-adult, african-american

Summary:
In this non-fiction graphic novel, author G. Neri takes an honest look at what happened to 11-year-old Robert Sandifer, known on the streets as Yummy. Raised in a broken family and in and out of social assistance housing, Yummy learns fast that it’s everyone for himself in his gritty Chicago neighbourhood.

Soon enough he’s dabbling in illegal acts like stealing cars and armed burglary. When he’s taken in by the gang group the Black Disciples, Yummy feels that he finally fits in. But his l...more

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Mar 23, 2011 Jono Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars

It is 1994 and a gang-related murder in Southside Chicago’s Roseland district is the talk of the nation. 11-year-old Robert “Yummy” Sandifer is hiding from police and his own gang, the Black Disciples Nation, after accidentally murdering a 14-year-old neighbor, Shavon Dean, while hunting down a rival gang member to satisfy a gang initiation rite. Robert, a fictional classmate, recalls and contrasts Yummy’s toughness with his childlike nature (teddy bear, taste for sweets), composing a biographic...more

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Mr. Rossi: EIIHJ ...: Beginning	1	1	Nov 21, 2012 08:34am
108A TE Fall 2011: Yummy to Me	1	8	Sep 30, 2011 08:51am

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