Super Short Summary

In Todd Strasser’s 2009 YA novel If I Grow Up, DeShawn navigates the gang-ridden streets of the Frederick Douglass projects in Chicago, striving to avoid the violence that took his mother’s life while aiming to secure a better future. Despite his academic potential and opportunities to escape, DeShawn grapples with loyalty to his roots, familial responsibilities, and the lure of gang membership, culminating in life-altering choices. The book addresses sensitive topics such as gang violence, child poverty, and systemic inequity in inner-city life.