A riveting tale about a back-room abortion that has devastating consequences for two teenage girls on a close knit Philadelphia block circa 1972 Block parties were king in this West Philadelphia neighborhood, especially the year Cecil Street decided to have two. These energetic, sensual street celebrations serve as backdrops to the story of best friends Neet and Shay and their families. When Neet becomes pregnant by one of the corner boys, Shay arranges an abortion that goes terribly awry when Neet begins to hemorrhage. Neet is left unable to bear children and to Shay’s horror slips under the spell of her mother Alberta’s severe, esoteric religious beliefs. Shay is left to struggle with the grief of losing a cherished friendship, while she also bears witness to the the disintegration of her parents’ marriage. The story climaxes during the second block party, during which time it is discovered that Neet and Alberta have disappeared from Cecil Street―the holy-roller mother, Alberta, having finally been set free from the shackles of her church by none other than Shay’s father. Adult/High School–Joe and Louise and their 17-year-old daughter, Shay, are a well-respected family in a close-knit, working-class, black neighborhood of Philadelphia in 1969. Joe is a frustrated jazz saxophonist who gave up his musical career to please his stern and domineering wife early in their relationship, but now he rebels in quiet ways–such as having an affair with a beautiful newcomer to Cecil Street. They live next door to Shay's friend Neet, whose mother, Alberta, is a devoted follower of an extremist religion. The woman tries to make Neet conform to her strict lifestyle, but her emotionally scarred daughter sneaks out of the house regularly. When she ends up pregnant, she decides to abort the baby. Since abortions are not yet legal, Neet falls victim to a botched job by another teen. The author sensitively depicts this traumatic event, as well as pivotal events in other characters' lives that explain the complex, secret, and often painful connections among them. This richly poetic novel offers a vivid depiction of urban life during the early post-civil-rights era. The theme of how abortion rights (or the lack thereof) can impact the lives of teens could serve as a journal-writing prompt. Some students may also benefit from reading about how these characters struggle through sexual molestation or the death of a beloved parent, yet eventually heal. Students who liked Tumbling (Morrow, 1996) will find this story compelling. –Joyce Fay Fletcher, Rippon Middle School, Prince William County, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Two block parties held in a middle-class black neighborhood in west Philadelphia in the summer of 1969 frame the intricate complexities of neighboring families. Joe, a steadily employed family man, is occasionally haunted by a longing for his former life as a saxophone player. His wife, Louise, is watching her beauty fade and questioning choices she and Joe made in their youth. Their teenage daughter, Shay, struggles to help her best friend and next-door neighbor cope with an unwanted pregnancy and a fanatically religious mother. All the while, a mentally ill woman is living in their basement. Half-clothed, dying of cirrhosis, looking for her long-lost daughter, and taking the emotional temperature of the block, she unknowingly threatens to unearth secrets. McKinney-Whetstone offers finely drawn characters and an evocative setting while exploring human relations in a close-knit black community. Vanessa Bush Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “Heartfelt fourth from McKinney-Whetstone, who has a true talent for strong characters, effortlessly natural dialogue, and prose that flows.” — Kirkus Reviews “Wistful, melodious, contemplative, McKinney-Whetstone’s prose feels inspired by the tenor sax central to this story…McKinney-Whetstone’s fourth novel is remarkable for the rich development of all its characters” — Publishers Weekly “Leaving Cecil Street pays tribute to the beauty of a community whose strength is proven by the tragedy in its midst…A 1969 Phildelphia summer alive with block parties, front porches and bare feet is Whetstone’s backdrop for the intricately developed characters she weaves into a story of lasting impression.” — Philadelphia Magazine “McKinney-Whetstone’s portrayal of African American family life is sensitive and compassionate, with characters who love, work, live, and die without veering into soap opera. As in her previous novels (e.g., Tumbling), ordinary people find a strength in themselves and others that enables them to live and love more fully.” — Library Journal “McKinney-Whetstone’s portrayal of African American family life is sensitive and compassionate, with characters who love, work, live, and die without veering into soap opera.” — Library Journal “Leaving Cecil Street pays tribu