Sheree's naive, unrealistic attitudes regarding men and life drove me up the wall BUT...this is a voice and reality that will appeal to teens who enjoy urban fiction.

Sheree, or Ree Ree, has a tough-girl facade but a lack of self-esteem on the inside. Her biological father Roc has never really been a part of her life. Her mother works a hospital job and parties at Regal's bar at night, bringing home a variety of men and boyfriends over the years, one of whom sexually molested Sheree. Sheree is desperate to have some kind of love in her life but she goes chasing it down in Damon, a young man who will obviously never return Sheree's love or attentions, and especially not when she gets pregnant with his third child. The story is told in three letters, one from Sheree to her mother, one from her mother to Sheree, and one to her baby boy for when he's older; they outline the ups and downs of Sheree's life and her need for love, family, self-acceptance and learning from mistakes.
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Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Sheree, or Ree Ree as she is known to her family and friends, has the odds stacked against her. Growing up with her single mother and not having much of a relationship with her father hasn't given Ree Ree the best start in life. Her dreams are big, but her chances are small.

Life isn't easy, but Ree Ree has people who care about her and try to steer her in the right direction. Her mother was just fifteen when Ree Ree was born. It was a case of one-sided love. Her father had other ideas about how to spend his time besides hanging around being a dad. Now when Ree Ree needs him most, he's the father of several more children and living with a new woman who doesn't have any use for a wayward teenage stepdaughter.

Ree Ree's mother and grandmother have tried to keep her focused on school and a decent future, but it's not easy with all the temptations out on the streets. Her mother is a nice-looking woman with an eye for men and spends most nights at the local bar. Although she sets some serious rules and expectations, as a role model, she definitely lacks authority.

BABY GIRL is written as three letters. The first is Ree Ree's description of what has gone wrong in her life, and her attempts to stay connected with her mother and reconnect with her father. The second letter is her mother's view of raising Ree Ree and dealing with a daughter who repeats the mistakes of the mother. Finally, the last letter is Ree Ree facing her son and the consequences of her own decisions.

Lenora Adams uses the language of the streets to create a realistic drama about an attempt to break free of the past and build a better future. But as the quote on the cover asks, "What happens when life isn't what you expected?" ( )

I can’t say I didn’t like the story—I did—but it’s obviously the voice of an educated adult trying to sound like an uneducated teenager. Furthermore, it's overly didactic, obviously a cautionary tale about what happens to girls who get involved with dirtbags and get pregnant. Perhaps Adams will get better with practice, but in the meantime, there are loads of other, better young adult novels on urban black girls and teen pregnancy. ( )

Sheree who is taking care of herself she winds up pregnant but gets an abortion. She tells her mom the whole story. She has a boyfriend and live in an apartment but never pay rent so they both decided to get a job and actually pay rent. I liked it but it's more a girls type of book then a boy. A girl will enjoy it more.
M.W.