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Romiette and Julio would be a wonderful curriculum tie-in book, but it also stands alone as a first-rate novel about contemporary teens. Draper is a andlt iandgt New York Timesandlt /iandgt bestselling author and recipient of the Margaret A. All of the characters have unique voices and the writing style shifts according to the action. Comment on this title Synopses & Reviews ISBN13: 9780689842092 ISBN10: 0689842090 Condition: Standard All Product Details. The book also examines how gangs can gain power and take control. Draper gives a realistic portrayal of the interactions among high school students as well as their relationships with their parents. Nonetheless, this novel is more than simply a carefully plotted teenage romance. At other times, the allusions to the play are obvious and heavy-handed. Julio's friend, Ben Olsen (read Benvolio), who looks like a punk rocker, has an optimistic and irreverent attitude that balances Julio's passion and volatility. The young couple meet, not at the Capulets' feast, but in an Internet chat room.

At times, Romiette and Julio effectively parallels and contemporizes the original story. When these two young people, both from proud heritages, begin a romance, they must deal not only with their parents' prejudices but also with the threats of a local gang called The Family. Romiette Cappelle, also 16, is the daughter of successful African-American parents and the granddaughter of college professors. Sixteen-year-old Julio Montague's parents have moved their family to Cincinnati, OH, in order to get their son out of his gang-ridden high school in Corpus Christi, TX. Grade 6-10-A contemporary retelling of the Romeo and Juliet story with a happy, upbeat ending.

Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper