Street Love

In what ways does Walter Dean Myers’s use of free verse poetry contribute to the novel’s impact?

What role does Sledge play in the novel? How does he create conflict?

In Romeo and Juliet, the character of the Nurse provides Juliet with guidance. Does Junice have a companion who fulfills a similar role? How so? If not, how is Junice impacted by this lack of a friend?

Though Chapter 17 features Damien and Junice’s fathers, they are otherwise absent from the novel. What impact does this absence have?

Compare and contrast two mother figures in the novel. To Myers, what makes a good mother?

When Junice pleads with social worker Rachel Davis to allow her to remain in her grandmother Ruby’s care, she insists the decision is beyond her control (5). Is there evidence that supports or refutes this claim?

Myers is known for writing about the African American experience in urban settings. Compare and contrast Damien with another of Myers’s protagonists. How do these protagonists’ settings impact them?

If you were to write a sequel to Street Love, what plot points would you include? What challenges might Junice and Damien face in Memphis?