Saving Kenny

By Corinne Gaile, Charlesbridge Moves, 2024

Corrinne Gaile grew up traveling between New England states and cities, appreciating the beauty of life experienced artistically, through dance, art and sculpture. Battling an auto-immune disease Corinne lost the ability to spend hours dancing so she replaced it with writing and drawing characters that exemplified her truest desires. As a 2019 recipient of the Nikki Grimes Artist in Residence Scholarship, Corinne has had opportunity to explore African American history and culture through writing.

Saving Kenny is coined as Corinne’s debut book exploring life in 1960’s Boston through the eyes of a preteen struggling to deal with an abusive home life and taunting from peers about his key interests in art and design. Growing up in Roxbury, also often referred to as ‘Black Boston’ the author vividly tells Kenny’s story of oppression and resilience amidst the background of the black panther movement and the rich, diverse history of jazz, the arts, and civil rights. Life as a middle schooler can be challenging at any time, but Kenny’s life is made more difficult by his abusive home life. As a single mother struggling to cope with raising three teens, limited higher education, low paying wages and a mental health disease, Kenny’s mom resorts to yelling, hitting and other forms of physical and mental abuse to express her frustrations. The story unfolds as it
reveals the support of the community in creating a safe, nurturing environment for Kenny to be true to his own self and gain the confidence to speak up for himself.

What Works: Corinne’s life experiences in Boston support the story structure, as she artfully paints a picture of a family living in Boston in the 1960’s learning to overcome through community, and culture. Family ties severed by society’s ills and pressures are picturesquely presented through explosions of frustration, comfort of siblinghood, and the empathy of community.

What does not work- The role of Kenny’s older brother as a black panther member and his escape to Canada versus accepting the call to be drafted. Providing more clarity between his involvement in the Black Panther Movement to better understand the choices he made to separate from his family.

Get it- This book provides a candid look at the life of a middle grade reader, seeking to find a place in life that they belong in their full essence. Kenny’s voice throughout this book gave the reader an instant attachment to the character and a desire to understand the ability to wade through this type of a situation.