We Could Be Brothers


Release date: November 1st, 2010

ISBN-10: 0545135737
ISBN-13: 978-0545135733

Pages: 178

Order your advanced copy online today!:

Amazon
Borders
Barnes & Noble

This will be my first hardcover release and I am so excited about this story, and the hundreds of thousands of young men that this book speak directly to. Being raised in a single parent household without a father, and now being the father of three beautiful, brilliant young men, I have the most fortunate opportunity to give a bird's eye perspective from both sides. I have high expectations for this project; my hope when crafting the characters and the story was to use the voices that are touched the most by a lack of strong masculine influences in our communities---the young men themselves. How do Black boys interact amongst themselves when they come from seemingly polar opposite households and family structures? What do they have in common? How does having a man to help them on a daily basis, to navigate the tumultuous waters of life differ from their counterparts without that same influence? These are the core questions  tackled in WCBB. I hope you enjoy it.

Praise for We Could Be Brothers:


“We Could Be Brothers by Derrick Barnes is that rare coming-of-age story that not only takes readers on a journey of self-discovery, but it also inspires you beyond the pages of this book to talk with and listen to characters like Pacino and Robeson. These are young males we all know, mentor, love, and raise, but who we often do not see or hear. Barnes, a very gifted writer, masterfully mixes the themes of class, internalized racism, and the myths and meanings of manhood. You want solutions to the many crises affecting young Black males? Then read this book. Now!”
-Kevin Powell-Activist, public speaker, author, editor of The Black Male Handbook: A Blueprint for Life


"Derrick Barnes has created a gripping portrayal of urban life, and the hard, but hopeful road boys travel to manhood.”
-Coe Booth – Young Adult Author (Tyrell , Kendra)


“Derrick Barnes brings a fresh perspective to literature as he writes about the emotional, social, and cultural collisions of young people and the difficulties and rewards of each when they remain true to their beliefs. This is a text that young people will appreciate. “
- Dr. Alfred W. Tatum- Associate Professor and Director of University of Illinois at Chicago Reading Clinic


“We Could be Brothers is a realistic look at the harsh realities facing all young black males, with life-changing lessons about the importance of family, community, respecting others and being true to yourself.”
- Ivory A. Toldson, Ph.D. - Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Negro Education Howard University



Two thirteen-year-old African-American boys become friends during a three day stint in an after school suspension. They were both involved in two unrelated incidents with the same person, the resident menace at Alain Locke Middle, Tariq Molten. Robeson Battlefield is from a two parent household, where both parents are highly successful and educated. Academic achievement, social consciousness and responsibility are reinforced daily in the Battlefield household. Pacino Clapton comes from a single parent household; his mom works two fulltime jobs. Pacino has a ton of responsibilities, including cutting hair to help pay bills, and taking care of his twin five- year-old sisters.

During this three day span, the young men visit each others home, and "chop it up" on a multitude of subjects including respect of self and Black women, the dire state of hip-hop music, the use of the dreaded "N" word, and masculinity. Before long, the three boys are on a collision course. And when they do intersect, their lives are changed forever. We Could Brothers addresses the presence and lack of positive male leadership in the home, and how it dictates the way young African American men view themselves, each other, and the world around them. Mentorship, brotherhood, and an emphasis on that old adage "each-one-teach-one" are very real and tangible themes in this new YA literary masterpiece.