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As a tribute to her son, Harris has collected his poetry, journals, and essays that he wrote either in his college courses or while incarcerated at a juvenile detention center when he was a teenager. Grieving the loss of her son and seeking solace by helping others, she shares the words and insights of her beloved Freddy as he writes honestly and movingly about his troubled life. Ultimately, Harris hopes to convey through her son’s words the lesson that actions have consequences. She also believes parents struggling with difficult teenagers can be encouraged through Freddy’s writings to keep trying to reach out and understand their sons and daughters no matter the situation.
Written in compelling and evocative prose, the real and raw voice of Freddy Harris chronicles his feelings and experiences throughout his young life. He reflects on his childhood, family relationships, and criminal acts that land him in the detention center. He also vividly describes his life inside the detention center as he encounters authority figures and other inmates. The journal entries include responses and feedback from his counselor-teacher, who clearly sees the best in Freddy and encourages him every step of his journey to find a better life. This powerful collection of writings offers an honest portrayal of a young man struggling to find his way through his bad decisions and circumstances to a second chance. Fearless in his willingness to analyze his life, Freddy doesn’t flinch from the reality of his situation. He keeps writing and hoping, working his way through to a new day of freedom.