Here’s what one conversation about Black & White by Paul Volponi sounded like.
K (yelling from her room): This book is scary.
Z (yelling back): No, it isn’t.
K (still yelling): Did you know the author taught juvenile prisoners on Rikers Island?
Z: No.
Conversation 2
K (She barges into Z’s room while he’s reading Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia): Is White going to let Black take the fall for this? (White and Black start sticking up old people and Black gets caught.)
Z: (He hesitates as if he is about to say, “You have to keep reading and find out”.) Uh, they both get caught.
K: Oh.
Z: The end is strange. You don’t really know what happens.
K is wondering why Z seems to want clear, literal endings. She is also wondering why they are not talking about books much these days.
