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Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty

By G. Neri
Illustrated by Randy DuBurke

Paperback: $16.95

Ebook

Eleven-year-old Roger is trying to make sense of his classmate Robert "Yummy" Sandifer's death, but first he has to make sense of Yummy's life. Yummy could be as tough as a pit bull sometimes. Other times he was as sweet as the sugary treats he loved to eat. Was Yummy some sort of monster, or just another kid?

As Roger searches for the truth, he finds more and more questions. How did Yummy end up in so much trouble? Did he really kill someone? And why do all the answers seem to lead back to a gang—the same gang Roger's older brother belongs to?

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty is a compelling dramatization based on events that occurred in Chicago in 1994. This gritty exploration of youth gang life will force readers to question their own understandings of good and bad, right and wrong.

Jason Low: From Comics Fan to Children's Publisher

"Murder in Miniature," the original Time Magazine article on Yummy's life and death

Yummy Book Trailer

Read about G. Neri's visit to one New York City middle school and how he is inspiring the next generation of writers.

Check out activities and discussion topics for Yummy in the Coretta Scott King Book Awards 2011 Discussion Guide created by the 2011 CSK Book Awards Committee.

About the Creators

Thumb_g_neri_new_photo_resized G. Neri - Author

G. Neri is the Eisner-nominated, Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author of Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty, which CNN and Flavorwire hailed as one of the top 25 essential graphic novels of all-time. He has written thirteen books for young people, including Ghetto Cowboy, which was made into the movie, Concrete Cowboy, starring Idris Elba, debuting at #1 on Netflix. His books have been translated into multiple languages in more than 25 countries. In 2023, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from SUNY for his literary output. Mr. Neri lives on the Gulf coast of Florida. For more information, visit his website at gneri.com.

Thumb_thumb Randy DuBurke

is a full-time artist, whose work has appeared in books for young readers, DC and Marvel comics, The New York Times, and MAD magazine. A native of Brooklyn, New York, DuBurke now lives in Switzerland with his wife and their two sons. His Web site is randyduburke.com.