He Said, She Said Book Review


















1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alexander, K. (2013). He Said She Said: A Novel. Amistad.  ISBN: 9780062118981


2.  PLOT SUMMARY

When Omar “T-Diddy” Smalls tries his usual seductive ways on studious Claudia, he falls short but doesn’t count himself out. Realizing he can work another angle with leading a protest, Omar not only develops feelings for Claudia but also brings attention to budget cuts. Mixed with social media and feelings, do these two actually have a chance at real feelings?


 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The characters in He Said, She Said are authentic and representative of black teens in several ways. Omar is a stereotypical football star that is obsessed with the opposite sex. He begins a protest in hopes to win Claudia’s affection but learns through the experience that he is concerned with social issues. Claudia is the studious type as valedictorian and on the school newspaper. She fights for those in her community and plays an activist role in social issues. Their friends and them are representative of modern teens through their interactions with each other in person as well as on social media. 

The setting in this story is in the south right outside of Charleston, South Carolina. It takes place between the high school, homes, and community of Charleston. 

There are several references to African American culture in this book. The dialect is authentic but changes from casual and slang when around friends and family to more formal when speaking to authority figures. The description of girls’ figures by the boys mirrors how African American females are portrayed. Omar’s uncle and other black community members talk about the Civil Rights Movement and how the kids have an opportunity to protest peacefully like Martin Luther King and other activists. Rap and hip-hop are referenced throughout the books as well. Omar calls Claudia Beyonce several times. Omar’s success as a football player is linked to the importance of athletics in many black communities. Sports are a ticket to success. This novel highlights tight-knit African American families and the roles the adults play in shaping the kids’ values. Claudia is very close to her parents, and Omar’s family sent him to live with his uncle in hopes of having better football opportunities in the south. 


4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

  • Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 12/01/13

  • Horn Book Magazine, 11/01/13

  • Horn Book Magazine, 04/01/14

  • Kirkus Reviews, 05/01/13

  • Publishers Weekly, 10/14/13

  • School Library Journal, 12/01/13


Full-Text Reviews
  • Horn Book Magazine (November/December, 2013)

  • After leading the team to a state championship, quarterback Omar “T-Diddy” Smalls has the West Charleston High student body eating out of his hand. Claudia Clarke—sharp, opinionated, and Harvard-bound—is the only girl in school who isn’t impressed; football frenzy distracts attention from budget cuts and teacher layoffs, and she finds T-Diddy’s macho antics immature at best. Omar takes a fifty-dollar bet that he can win Claudia over, and when his usual seduction tactics fail, he applies his social clout to Claudia’s cause du jour. Inspired by stories from the civil rights movement activists who hang around his uncle’s Library of Progress community center—and by his deepening feelings for Claudia—Omar rallies his classmates with clumsy but spirited speeches and organizes a sit-in. His burgeoning social awareness and subsequent transformation from carefree jock to true campus leader are satisfying and convincing, making Claudia’s thaw all the more believable. The wager, the opposites attracting, and the will-they-or-won’t-they courtship are familiar teen-comedy fare, but Claudia and Omar, with their entertaining and distinctive narrative voices, are a couple worth rooting for in this lighthearted, socially conscious romance. Jessica Tackett MacDonald


  • 5. CONNECTIONS

Related Books:


George, M.. (2012). The Difference Between You and Me. Viking. ISBN: 978-0-670-01128-5

Watson, R. (2017). Piecing Me Together. Bloomsbury. ISBN: 978-1-54900-949-5 

Draper, S. (1994). BON VOYAGE, MISTER RODRIGUEZ. Atheneum. ISBN: 978-0-689-31878-8

Activities:


Research local and national protests of interest to the student.


 

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