Bunting, Eve. Your Move. Illustrated by James Ransome. Harcourt Brace, 1998. ISBN 0-15-200181-6. $16.00. 32 pp. A 3-8 FI PB Reviewed by Rachael W. Galvez Ten-year-old James is excited to prove himself so that he can join a neighborhood club. He brings his little brother Isaac along, because he is responsible for taking care of him while their mother works evenings. He goes along with the dare to spraypaint on a freeway sign, but grows uneasy when members of the club mention the take-it game they play in the mini-market. When the group cross paths with a real gang of older kids, James realizes the danger he is getting himself and his brother into. When a member of the club comes over the next day to offer James a Lakers cap that signifies he is in, James courageously declines. The message of this book is clear: kids can make the choice not to become part of the gang culture. It is also startling, because it reveals how early in life many children have to make such a choice, and what strong influences they must resist. The portrayal of the relationship between James and Isaac is also marvelous, showing the way Isaac looks up to James, while James watches out for Isaac. Knowing that Isaac will follow whatever he does, James makes a decision that will save both of them from a lot of trouble. The illustrations, done in oil paint, give a vibrant reality and deep personality to the story as well.
