Won't Know Till I Get There

by Walter Dean Myers

When Steve's parents decide to adopt a foster child, it seems like a good idea. And when Steve decides to show the new kid how tough he is by spray-painting the side of a subway car, that seems like a good idea too. But the foster child turns out to be a thirteen-year-old with a criminal record, and the guys in the designer jeans watching Steve spray-paint graffiti turn out to be transit police. Suddenly Steve and the whole gang are serving time, working in an old-age home with a bunch of feisty and independent senior citizens who refuse to sit still and be stereotyped - by anybody

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

pseudonyms:
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.

Reviews

[Marcus Glenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don’t read this book. It’s not worth it. It’s about a boy who has an adopted brother with a criminal record and he likes to spray paint and teach his brother new ways. This book has no action, no huge plot, story, etc. The plot is slow and there are no chapters. Meaning it’s hard to find the page you were just on. The only reason I see to get this book is if you’re in a rush and you need to quickly choose a random book, this would be the only answer. If you’re looking for a book to sit back, relax, and read, this is not the answer. Don’t read this book unless you have to, or required to by your teacher. It’s not worth it. It’s a waste of time and you’re going to end up being bored within the first 3 pages.

[Yue Pheng · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think that the book was kinda understandable, since when the part that the boy's were caught spray painting on a old train, then were sent to court, & some just had to seperate apart from each others, The books was alright & kind of random, & the books looks more like non-fiction but some parts has some fiction that kind of confusing the goal of this book.
Most parts of this book it more like a confusing ending to me since that it said that the boy & the girl would be marry even though there only teen age, & than after that it said, they would get marry once they older, which more a confusing conclusion for me whats maybe might going to happens next.

[Rafael · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Steve's parents decide to adopt a foster child, it seems like a good idea. And when Steve decides to show the new kid how tough he is by spray-painting the side of a subway car, that seems like a good idea too. But the foster child turns out to be a thirteen-year-old with a criminal record, and the guys in the designer jeans watching Steve spray-paint graffiti turn out

[Trinity · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is a very good book it's interesting

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great author.

[Kyrstin Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the little nuggets of truth buried in this book. It’s a book that is typical of Myers work. The characters are likable but I had trouble staying engaged with the plot some of the time.

[amie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Laughed out loud a few times in this, mostly at cooking misadventures. Feels dated, sadly, though I think there are many more books by this author that kids would find more relevant.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Spoiler Alert**

"I imagined having a brother would be way different than this." Were Steve's words when his parents decide to adopt a child to "share their goodness with a foster child" well in the beginning it didn't turn out quite as what they expected it turns out Earl had a criminal record and he's only 14! Steve figured that out while being nosey one day and looking threw his parents's mail and you can tell steve was freaked out. The theme of this book is realistic fiction.

Ok so the book starts as just another hot summer day with Steve playing some ball with Hi-note and his friend Patty (who aren't what you would call real friends I guess because at Steve's school they had this thing where they wanted everybody to have at least one friend so they chose to be friends and basically if it weren't for that thing they had at school they probably most likely wouldn't be friends more like aquaintences people who talk to one another but aren't necessarily friends.) who just watches and does her own thing. Then when Steve gets home his parents surprise him with the news that they are going to adopt a sun to "share there goodness with someone else".....Well it doesn't turn out that way. Matter of fact Steve got caught writing graffiti on a train trying to act cool in front of Earl because of his criminal record (aggravated assault, another aggravated assault and he was sent to a juvenile jail)then two cops came in disguise because they thought that what Steve was writing on the train was a real gang so they took him to a detention center along with Earl, Hi-Note ,and Patty (They were all there when he did that.)and their parents had to pick them up.When Steve's parents found out they were really disappointed in him because they expected more out of him. So eventually they ended up going to court and the judge sentenced them to either juvenile center or serve in a senior citizens old folk home to work off all that time which would be like half of summer break so not to harsh. But Steve's parents don't care they feel heart broken and cant believe Steve would do something like that. Later on in the story Hi-Note and Earl get into a fight and Earl beats up Hi-Note pretty bad. Steve is shocked because he's never seen anybody beat up Hi-Note like that because Hi-Note can fight pretty good. So after that Hi-Note and Steve get into it now Hi-Note beats steve but not bad because they're "bestfriends". Later Hi-Note and Steve become friends again and Earl starts to become a better child. And in the end after they do all their senior service time they live happily like a happy family.

I liked the way the author made the story it was a great book from the start i liked how the author made Steve a very bold and courageous guy i mean it took guts to right on the rain even though it was a dumb idea. I wish that Earl would've been good from the start because in the end he was not the same at all since her first came. The main character Steve was to me like a good brother the type you would want to have if you had the choice to have a brother because he watches your back and is a good person. I couldn't understand why Patty had to like fuel the fire between Hi-Note and Earl because when they were fighting she kind of urged them on which in my eyes was stupid and dumb. An interesting thing i learned from this book would be don't be so quick to judge because like Earl who had a criminal background can turn out to be the good guy sometimes and is not always the bad guy.

I cant really connect to this book personally but i can connect this book to a show my sister watches called "The Fosters" which is just like Earl's case except there are more fosters.

In conclusion i would rate this book a 9.5 out of 10 it was a great book and trust me you would not get bored the reason i say this is because something is always happening. I would recommend this book for anybody really i think this a great book for anybody to read.So if u were in Steve's shoes would you neglect Earl or be like Steve and except him after a while?

[Devin · Rating 4 out of 5]

as students read "Wont Know Till I get there" they will be very curious on why steve did some things he wouldn't do. Steve wanted to be cool around Earl to make him think he was someone specal or cool. Earl was adopted bt steves parents and had a previously record that steve had seen. steve spray painted a train on the rail road near by. steve wanted to be looked at as a gang member by earl. two police men were working the station and saw steve as he was doing it. i disliked how steve tried to be someone he wasnt.

earl is a thirteen year old with a record. steve got all his friends in touble even though none of them but steve did it. now they all ahve to serve time at a old age home working with a bunch of old age senior citizens who refuse to sit still. most kids who like crime or adventurous books would like this book its a very good book.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started to reread this book I didn't remember much about it at all other than the fact that I liked it when I was a child. The issues are still as relevant today as they were when the book was first published.

[Shatara Flowers]

looooooooooooooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it

[Coral · Rating 2 out of 5]

"It was hard for Earl to come into a family's house that he didn't know and this book had a lot of Social issues and problems"

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parts of this book are fall on the floor funny

[Laura Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in journal format. Could be used as a lit circle with Don't You Dare Read this Mrs. Dumphrey

[Imani ♥ ☮ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite a strange book to read. It was in diary form...and the main character guy was writing it. Hmm? Anyway, I can barely remember what it was even about. :(

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the students are actually quietly reading independently, I get to read, too.

[Jace S · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was a book about a boy named Steve who writes in his journal about everything that has happend that day.So one day his parents decide that the want to adopt a child.When Earl the foster child shows up Steve had looked at his records and found out he had a criminal record.Earl is 13 and Steve is 14 so Steve wanted to show earl he and his friends were tough so he spray painted the side of a sub way car.they all got caught and got to choose juvinile or to work at a old people home.so they spent a little while working at the home.

[Candice C.]

this story is about a boy named Steve and and is getting a adopted brother and they get into some trouble with the law. I did not like the book because there is no action in the book and nothing interesting happened

[Bethanie.M · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this book i am reading has a few main characters ,which names are a guy named Steve and the adopted guy named Earl .And Steve has a friend named Hi-note. One day Steve and some of his friends went and vandlized a train but then someone caught them so then they had to go to court .This is all taking place in a small town and it is in the past .I think the book

[Elyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main characters are Steve,Hi-note,Patty,&Earl.I liked this book because it is in a diary form and it is in a teenagers perspective.I also liked the book because it is about real world problems that need to be solved.it is realistic fiction and is written by Walter Dean Myers.
SUMMARY: Steve,s parents decide to adopt a foster child.At first this seems like a good idea to Steve until he finds out that he is 13 and has a criminal record. While trying to prove how tough he is to Earl he vandalizes a train and suddenly finds him self in court. Now he works at a detention center with his friends,the"ROYAL VISIGOTHS".

[Bethanie.M · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book i am reading is called wont know till i get there and the main character is Steve and he has a friend named Hi-note.Also in the story he is has a soon to be an apoted guy named Eral. And the conflict in the story is that Steve and some of his friends go in trouble with the law by vanlizing .So then later on someone found out that they did it so they then had to go to court .The setting in this is in a small town and it is in the past .I feel that this book was just a little too long and the book cover should be changed to Steve and his friends vandlizing the train and their faces should look all serious kind of .But overall the book was a pretty good book and yes i would read it agin

[Jessie.V]

smy book club book is wont know till i get there .Well i think this has the title to know if they do get to adopt earl or not well steves parents are deciding if they want earl so what they do is take him to places to see how well spends time with the family. well everything goes well with steve and earl now.back to the micheaux house they spend more time with the seniors and they are enjoying have time with the seniors and have fun.They get bad news later on during the day thta the micheax huse will be closing f