Title: JJ Kapok
Author: John Gary
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 1643614339
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 298
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington
Hollywood Book Reviews
John Gary’s JJ Kapok follows the story of JJ Kapok, Tommy, Jimmy, Billy, and their friends as they try to survive in Baltimore suburbs. The friends’ love for baseball was admirable. The sport brought them together and enabled them to help each other. I enjoyed following their conversation as they discussed past games and how they would beat other teams. One could feel the tight bond among the friends as they passed time. The boys looked out for each other in everything they did. Their chemistry was laudable. The book is set in a blue-collar community where residents live post World War II. Through the lives of the main characters, the reader sees the impact the war had on the economy and the ups and downs of existing in a suburb. JJ Kapok revolves around the lives of young people as they go through school and finish to fend for themselves.
Major themes in the book include poverty, education, sports, race and friendships that are formed in communities. Reading about Charles’ scholarship to either the University of Maryland or to the University of Baltimore to take two years of Law was one of my favorite parts in the book. JJ and his friends were politically conscious. One could see that the young boys tried to understand the dynamics in the political world and followed how the government upheld its mandate. One funny conversation between JJ and Charles was when JJ said that he would have loved to go work in Russia after his studies, which surprised Charles. Their talk about spy agents and communism showed how parents sometimes influence their children’s way of thinking. Martin, being the only black person at the navy flight training class, brought in another major theme; lack of diversity in some parts of the United States.
I enjoyed the character development because each one of them had a unique trait. Charles was among my most favorite characters because he truly cared about his friends. One could see that he took time to learn about those he was around, and knew what they liked. JJ Kapok is both an entertaining and educative book. There are a lot of things which can be admired in the lives of the characters. The reader also learns that the environment one is raised in can influence the path a child takes when they grow up. It is a good thing for young adults to have mentors, as they will guide them in the right path. Mentors also help young ones make major decisions.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading historical fiction that is blended with a little inspiration. Americans are known to be hardworking. The book shows the dedication and determination Americans put into whatever they are working on. It is encouraging how average citizens never lose hope even during the hardest times. I enjoyed reading the storyline because of how well the characters played their role. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the ending, which was more of an update of what each of the friends was doing in their later years. Reading this book was a fun experience as I journeyed with each character as they discovered themselves.