Romiette and Julio, by Sharon Draper

"It was a love story . . . just as good as Romeo and Juliette!" Reviewed by Bria, loyal Hemphill Branch teen reader!

"A contemporary retelling of the Romeo and Juliet story with a happy, upbeat ending. Sixteen-year-old Julio Montague's parents have moved their family to Cincinnati, OH, in order to get their son out of his gang-ridden high school in Corpus Christi, TX. Romiette Cappelle, also 16, is the daughter of successful African-American parents and the granddaughter of college professors. When these two young people, both from proud heritages, begin a romance, they must deal not only with their parents' prejudices but also with the threats of a local gang" School Library Journal