73 pages • 2 hours read
Brenda WoodsEmako Blue
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2005A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Emako Blue by Brenda Woods follows the story of a talented teenage girl, Emako, whose promising future is tragically cut short by gang violence in South Central Los Angeles. Her friends and classmates narrate their experiences leading up to her death, highlighting the impact of poverty, crime, and violence on their community while reflecting on their own lives and choices in the aftermath of tragedy. This book depicts graphic scenes of gang and gun-related violence.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Emako Blue by Brenda Woods delivers a poignant, character-driven narrative that captivates readers with its emotional depth and relatable themes of friendship and tragedy. The prose is praised for its simplicity and beauty, appealing especially to young adult audiences. However, some critics find the character development lacking and the plot somewhat predictable.
Who Should Read Emako Blue?
Readers who would enjoy Emako Blue by Brenda Woods are typically in middle school or high school, with an interest in realistic, emotionally impactful stories about urban life, personal struggle, and deep friendships. Comparable titles include Tears of a Tiger by Sharon M. Draper and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.