Push by Sapphire

Claireece "Precious" Jones leads a tough life. She is abused by her mother, raped by her father, she is poor, angry, illiterate, fat, unloved and mostly unnoticed. She is pregnant by her father with her second child. She is 16 years old and still in Junior High School.

When a school administrator finds out that she is pregnant again - they quickly try to find another source of education for her. She is sent to alternative school. It is in this new school where Precious meets her new teacher, Ms. Rain. Ms. Rain is the first teacher who has ever taken the time to understand and really help Precious - along with some of her classmates. For the first time in her life, Precious feels like she belongs somewhere. She connects with her classmates, but especially with her teacher. Here she experiences the kindness of others, something completely foreign to her. She also comes to realize that she is not alone.

To be honest, I had never heard of this novel before I began to hear of the movie "Precious". I like to read the novel before I watch the movie, so when I began to read all the reviews on Precious I quickly ran out and purchased a copy of Push.

I really didn't know what to expect - but to be quite frank, I was really taken in by this novel. I did find it a little disturbing to read - here's a sample of how most of the book read:

“ I was left back when I was twelve because I had a baby for my fahver. That was in 1983. I was out of school for a year. This is gonna be my second baby. My daughter got down sinder. She’s retarded. I had got left back in the second grade too, when I was seven, cause I couldn’t read (and I still peed on myself). I should be in the twelf’ grade so I can gone 'n graduate. But I’m not. I’m in the ninfe grade”.

Once I got past the grammar and spelling issues - I was basically moved to tears. Precious' struggle is so raw, disturbing, sad... and yet there was hope within it too. I could not put it down and read the whole thing in one sitting. The whole time you're reading this you can't help but think that there are people out there who have lived this sort of life - and it makes it even more heart-breaking to read.

This is a story that will stick with you long after you have put it down. It will open your eyes to the reality that these issues do occur and will make you rethink your own problems (which seem so insignificant when compared to a life like this). But as you close the cover you will come to realize that you will never forget Precious Jones.