Steet Lit

The appeal of urban fiction to my high school students in Boston was undeniable. Sometimes raw and shocking to those of us who didn't come up on the streets, urban teens see themselves in it, along with hope that they will come through like the characters in the books. We had several copies of Teri Woods' True to the Game in my library, but once they went out, they were rarely returned - and if they were, they were dog-eared and tattered. I resorted to buying gently used copies to continually replenish our collection. My students acquainted me with other authors in this genre and their books also flew off our shelves.

I was intrigued when I saw a session on the program on Street Lit. It turned out to be a panel of three authors - Darren Coleman, T.N. Baker and none other than Teri Woods herself. My students would be beside themselves if they knew I had met Teri. She has an inspiring story for kids who are growing up on the street. Determined not to go down the same dead-end road as her peers, Teri self-published True to the Game in 1999 and sold it out of the trunk of her car. Over 1-million copies have now been sold. Her fans will be happy to learn that True to the Game II will come out in November. "People think street lit is too gritty, too explicit, but it was okay for me to live that life. I hope it opens up a bridge for communication for people that are living that lifestyle." Fiery, determined and outspoken, Teri has high expectations for herself and her readers. It was a delight to see and hear her in person.