Monserrat Urena (Children's Literature)
November Nelson lost her boyfriend Josh a few months ago. His sudden death during a pledge stunt was a shock to everyone. His family members are dealing with their grief in their own way. His mother is wasting away while his father is frantic with energy. His cousin Jericho has lost interest in his music and is struggling with day-to-day life without Josh. But just as life is more or less moving on, November discovers she is pregnant. Josh is the father. This unexpected pregnancy changes everything in the teenager’s life. She must now find the courage to take responsibility and face her uncertain future with all her strength. This compulsively readable book deals with the all-too-true reality of teenage pregnancy and accords it a dignity that is not found in many books. The rich tapestry of characters brings the story to life with the palpable strength of human emotion. It shows the consequences of our actions, but it also points out to the ease with which mistakes are made. The unexpected ending is an all-too-real possibility. 2007, Simon & Schuster, $16.99. Ages 12 to 18.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, October 1, 2007 (Vol. 75, No. 19))
Sixteen-year-old Josh Prescott dies jumping from a second-story window in a high-school hazing ritual and leaves behind a mess. His girlfriend, November Nelson, is pregnant, his cousin Jericho has lost his best friend and his parents hire a lawyer to try to convince November that they ought to raise their grandchild. November is her mother's "perfect princess," the one who's going to make it, and it's this mother-daughter relationship that is the heart of the novel. With its effective depiction of the difficulties of having a baby—the health issues, the damaged relationship with her mother, the tricky dynamics of school life—this is clearly a cautionary tale about teen pregnancy. Though the dialogue sounds stilted at times, the story is well-plotted, realistic and matter-of-fact, and November and Jericho are well-drawn, likable characters. Though a companion to The Battle of Jericho (2003), this stands well on its own. 2007, Atheneum, 320p, $16.99. Category: Fiction. Ages 13 up. © 2007 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Robin Burns (Kutztown Book Review, Spring 2008)
November Blues is the follow up novel to Battle of Jericho and follows the events in November Nelson’s life after her boyfriend’s tragic death in a pledge stunt. The story is told by November and Jericho Prescott, Josh’s cousin, who both must deal with the loss of a loved one in two very different ways. Jericho finds strength in playing high school football just as his cousin did in life. November finds strength in both herself and those around her when she discovers she is pregnant with Josh’s child. November is forced to decide between raising the baby as a single mother or allowing Josh’s parents to adopt the baby and raise it as their own. I was already a fan of Sharon Draper and found the portrayal of teen pregnancy to be both honest and touching. Both the main characters are damaged by loss and deal with life after Josh in two different ways. I think this story would be good for either boys or girls at the teen level because the story is split into two viewpoints. Jericho’s story centers around football and finding himself as a man whereas November’s story is about impending motherhood. The tough choices both characters must make will translate to teens on many levels. Category: Realism. 2007, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, $16.99. Ages 13 to 18.

Bonnie L. Raasch (Library Media Connection, November/December 2007)
In this sequel to The Battle of Jericho (Atheneum (Simon & Schuster), 2003), in which a tragic hazing accident caused Josh's death, his girlfriend, November, finds out she's pregnant. Without the support of her friends, November doesn't know what to do. Josh's parents and their lawyer offer to take custody of the baby and to pay for all of November's college expenses. Before November has made up her mind, she goes into labor. With the baby being born two months prematurely, Josh's parents coldly announce they don't want the baby until it is proven she's normal. The story ends with Sunshine at two months old, weighing five pounds and still uncertain about her future health, possibly laying the groundwork for continuing the story. This novel can be read independently, but background knowledge of the characters and previous events lend more understanding. Chapter titles are in diary format and labeled with the different characters' viewpoints. Recommended. 2007, Atheneum (Simon & Schuster), 320pp., $16.99 hc. Ages 12 to 18.

Anjeanette C. Alexander-Smith (The ALAN Review, Winter 2008 (Vol. 35, No. 2))
November Blues is the sequel to Draper’s The Battle of Jericho. Josh’s death has affected so many of his friends and family. Jericho, his cousin, has given up his first love-- playing trumpet. November, his girlfriend, grapples with his disappearance and the new addition he has left behind--his unborn daughter. Jericho tries to deal with his grief by trying out for the football team. November tries to hide her pregnancy for as long as she can. Josh’s parents segregate themselves from everyone until they find out about the pregnancy. They see the baby as a way to have a piece of Josh in their lives and hire a lawyer to create documents to allow them to adopt November’s baby. November is at a crossroads. Is giving the baby up the right thing to do? This book is recommended for middle and high school students. There are no instances of profanity or sexual scenes. Draper has written another fine book that addresses the choices adolescents must make and their consequences. Category: Teen Pregnancy/Death. YA--Young Adult. 2007, Atheneum, 316 pp., $16.99. Ages young adult.Tallahassee, FLA

Marla K. Unruh (VOYA, October 2007 (Vol. 30, No. 4))
Eleventh grader November Nelson feels queasy and ill much of the time. Alone in the house, she pulls the test kit out of her backpack, knowing before she sees the results that she is pregnant. Still grieving for her boyfriend-Josh died in a hazing mishap in The Battle of Jericho (Atheneum/S & S, 2003/VOYA August 2003)-November must now grapple with a radically altered future. Not the least of her woes is the realization that she has destroyed her mother's dream of sending her to college. Her friends try to support her, and Jericho Prescott, Josh's cousin, vows to stand by her. More troubles come her way when her doctor expresses growing concern about her high blood pressure, and when Josh's parents try to force her to give them the baby. Little Sunshine is born too early, and November must face the possibility that her daughter might have developmental problems. Despite these obstacles, her love for her child provides a hopeful ending. Teen pregnancy takes center stage in this novel and even slows down the story a bit as the author illuminates the consequences of a few minutes of abandon. Her teen characters are thoughtfully drawn, some coping with adversity and others seeing only themselves. They act like teens, though, one minute laughing as they playfully toss junk food into their grocery cart and the next minute soberly contemplating the price of baby formula. Their world is the urban high school, but their struggles will resonate with teens everywhere. VOYA CODES: 4Q 5P M J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2007, Atheneum/S & S, 320p., $16.99. Ages 11 to 18.