If I Was Your Girl by Ni-Ni Simone

Toi and Shanice have one thing in common: Quamir is their babies’ father. He treats them both like dirt, but even though Toi can see that he’s not a great guy, really not even an okay guy, she can’t help but want the relationship to work. That is, until she meets Harlem. For the first time in her young life, she’s swept off her feet by a guy who treats her like a lady, including long conversations and Chinese food deliveries to her door. But how will Harlem react when he finds out she has a baby? While the story is often predictable, and the dialogue can be trite, students looking for an urban, “real-life,” book will be happy to find this on the shelf. Written for teens and with plenty of slang and drama, it is Toi’s character development that sets this story apart from others in the genre. Teens who can relate to Toi’s challenges appreciate the courage she demonstrates at the close of the story.

Simone, Ni-Ni. If I Was Your Girl. New York: Dafina Books, 2008.