I enjoyed Sharon G. Flake's books The Skin I'm In and The Life I'm In and was excited to continue this series by reading her newest book The Family I'm In. While the first two books in the series were quick, powerful reads, this one was very slow going for me. This is a young adult novel about 2 Black teens who are best friends. John and Caleb are both great kids, trying to do well in school, follow the rules, and become successful young men despite what many of their peers are doing. I liked both characters, but the main character, John, seemed so whiny to me. He constantly referenced how his dad divorced his mom, but his dad was still very much involved in his life. Yes, his dad wanted John to be a bolder and more outgoing person than he naturally was, but it was the focus of the book which got old after a bit. The other character, Caleb, had much bigger things to be concerned with. His dad suffered a stroke, and Caleb had to work several jobs to help provide for his family. While both of the boys' situations were realistic, I found Caleb's issues to be far more pressing than John's and wished the story had focused more on him.

Thanks to Scholastic Press and NetGalley for a review copy of The Family I'm In.

3.5 Stars rounded to 4

The Family I’m In is the third book in The Skin I’m In series. Some of the characters in The Family I’m In are in the first two books, but this book can be read as a standalone novel.

The Family I’m In follows John-John and Caleb in a high school setting, offering readers a glimpse of teenage life. Author Sharon Flake explores family dynamics, mental health, relationship complexities, and actions vs consequences from a male perspective. Father-son interactions are the highlight here.

Flake’s pacing is strong for what I consider a fairly quiet book. The story is authentic and should appeal to teen boys in particular.

Part of a long-running series, Flake revisits the world from The Skin I'm In and The Life I'm In with now, The Family I'm in centering John-John and Caleb- two Black boys that have differing relationships with their fathers. John-John specifically is a quiet, unassuming kid that's bookish and sporty and isn't lining up girls to date. He's reluctant and shy. This is a stark contrast to his father so they have to figure out how to relate to one another, in the same way John-John's friend Caleb is in a different experience with his father and must do the same.

It's a quieter story and I was disjointed reading it. I think I was distracted by subtext or looking for more? I'm a little indifferent at the moment about my overall feeling, is it one that I'll think about more and it'll grow on my more? I could be looking for internal dialogue that isn't quite quite there the way it melded in [b:Darius the Great Is Not Okay|37506437|Darius the Great Is Not Okay (Darius The Great, #1)|Adib Khorram|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1520460519l/37506437._SX50_.jpg|58014975].

John-John has had trouble relating to his father, who he never seems to measure up to. It is the end of his junior year, and everyone wants to know who he will take to the prom and where he will work this summer. If it was up to his dad, John-John would work for him and have lots of girls in his life. That is NOT what he wants, though. His friend, Caleb, struggles to make money to help his family after his father cannot work. These teens may be dealing with issues on opposite ends of the spectrum, but they both must learn to cope with the expectations of those in their lives.

The Family I’m In is the third book in The Skin I’m In series. Although it does include characters from the first two books, this is more of a shared universe series than a direct continuation of the story. Events from the first two books are mentioned, but this story could be read as a stand-alone novel. The characters deal with hard issues (family illness, mental health, and hybrid families just to name a few) and Flake covered these issues fairly without watering them down. The Family I’m In would be great for all readers, teens and adults alike.

The Skin I'm In was the novel that put Sharon G. Flake on my radar, so I was excited to read about another kid from this neighborhood. Seeing the characters age and meet new challenges in high school was nice. I loved having a male perspective this time and watching the boys grapple with problems I wouldn't face as a female. It was a glimpse into a teenage boys life that shed light on their actions for me. I also enjoyed the female commentary from friends and parents that helped these boys navigate relationships. Watching the father-son bond mature was heart warming, and I appreciated the depiction of parents being flawed. I'm not sure how I felt about the climax and falling action. The book read at a steady pace, then we didn't really get a good look at the consequences of the boys' actions be them justified or not. Overall I enjoyed this book and think my students will also.

Flake revisits the characters in "The Skin I'm In." They are now in high school, and the book centers around John-John. This book redeems him as a character and shows that people can grow and change. The focus on male friendship and father-son relationships in this book is excellent. Fans of the other two books in this series will be drawn to this, but as a stand-alone book, it was just okay.

This is more of a 3.5 stars. For me, this didn't have the same emotional pull as her other two books in the series, and the ending felt so abrupt that I was shocked when that was all there was. I appreciate that this has a boy main character and we get to hear John's story, but it didn't seem to stand out from any of the other African American teen male protagonist books out there. Still, it was a good read and will be recommended to my students.

Great novel by Flake. Perfect for all readers especially teen males. Great novel by Flake. Perfect for all readers especially teen males.

It was really nice to see Maleeka and Char again, and this is a fantastic sequel to the "Skin I'm In" series. I believe book 3 will be easy for readers to pick up right away. Although I haven't read the second book in the series, I have read Book 1. I had to pick up the talks that described Char's changes after remembering where she was when I left off. However, seeing so many characters go through a redemption arc made me pleased.Families might look very different or have their own problems, which is not a new concept in literature. However, readers will relate to families that are depicted in a violent area and must make tough choices.

The school rivalries, family issues, school resource shortages, and impoverished communities will all seem familiar to readers. The tenacity of John and his companions will also inspire and give them hope. John's tale made me very pleased, and I will tell students about it in the library and in schools.

I read the first book in this series 20+ years ago and it stuck with me all these years. I was delighted to find out there were more books in the series.

I’m happy the author humanizes and redeemed characters who most people had come to dislike because of how they were portrayed in the first book. The true meaning of hurt people hurt people.

So many themes were touched upon with black son-father relationships, grief, parentification and mental health being major ones throughout the book. I’m happy characters from previous books were still friends and able to build healthier relationships with one another. It’s refreshing to hear this story from a male pov which doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves. Definitely would recommend the whole series to all.
Also, I appreciate all the books being uniquely their own stories within the universe the author has created.

This is a great follow-up to the "Skin I'm In" series, and it was great to revisit the characters of Maleeka and Char again. I think readers will be able to jump into book 3 without any trouble. I read Book 1, but haven't read the second book in the series. I had to recall where Char was when I left off, then pick up the conversations that explained the ways she has changed. Nevertheless, I was happy to see the redemption arc of so many characters.

Readers will feel seen with the school rivalries, family complications, lack of resources in schools, and rough neighborhoods. They will also find hope and encouragement in the resilience of John and his friends. I was so happy to see John's story, and will recommend this to students in schools and at the library.

The Skin I’m In played such a major part in my childhood. Maleeka lived within from the moment I picked that book up in the 5th grade.

I love how Flake’s writing took me right back to that moment. But this one is for the boys. The boys with complex relationship with their fathers. The boys who just don’t quite fit in. The boys who rather read than throw a football. The nice boys. Our Black boys finding their place in a world that’s so unkind to them.

Caleb and John-John had completely different struggles with coming into their own within their families and societies. And I enjoyed the ride the book took us on with them. The fighting like strangers on the streets & then right back to being brothers 😭

My favorite thing about Sharon G. Flake’s writing is always just how real it is. And this one was real.

This story was captivating from the first few chapters. Readers of The Skin I'm In and/or The Life I'm In will be thrilled with this continuation piece. Caleb and JJ experiences will resonate with today's young men and they totally deserve to see their representation in print. Ms. Flake has done it again!

Another favorite by this author who never disappoints this author always explores hard topics and often the black community can relate to.

This brought a strong concept and voice from the previous two books from Sharon G. Flake that I read. I enjoyed the realism that was going on and that it showed a humanity between fathers and sons. I was invested in what Sharon G. Flake wrote and the characters were everything that I was looking for.