The Playlist, (Paperback)

The year is 1990, and 12-year-old, Ken is at that awkward stage in his life where girls are becoming his only reason to exist. Being one of the few black students in his school, Ken battles to overcome his shyness to gain the attention of the opposite sex. He finds minor success as he works through several middle school relationships that, unknowingly to him at the time, change the course of his life. Just as things are starting to settle down for him, his family relocates from the safe haven of the Kansas military life to the grim inner-city life of New Orleans, forcing Ken to grow up a lot more quickly. His innocence and worldly outlook change with the move as he deals with racism, stereotypes, and puberty, all while trying to adjust to the new culture he's faced with.As Ken works through his struggles in high school and beyond, each new experience in life adds a song in Ken's songbook, which he started back in Kansas. Each crush and each girlfriend are all represented in the book by a song that best describes moments. Such as his first heartbreak, his first kiss, and his first sexual encounter. Music is his way of dealing with the world and can take him back to any moment in his life, good or bad.Taking place throughout 9 years, this is a coming of age story. Look at the life of a once young, innocent teen, who is not only trying to find his way in the world, but also trying to connect to that special someone amidst all the death and racial tension that surrounds him.