Interracial dating and marriages and the challenges that brings are a common part of everyday life but there is not always much conversation about interracial dating among teens and young adult. “Romiette and Julio” by Sharon Draper is a book for teens that ventures into this topic.

Romiette and Julio is a story about African American Romiette and Hispanic Julio and the challenges they face as a young interracial couple. “Romiette and Julio” is a story that intentionally references the Shakespearean classic Romeo and Juliet and perhaps it even more directly references West Side Story with its focus on gangs and race.

Julio Montague is a sixteen year old Hispanic male whose parents move to Cincinnati in order to remove him from the gang-ridden atmosphere of his school in Texas. Romiette Cappelle is a sixteen year old African American girl with successful parents and grandparents. Julio and Romiette meet on the internet and quickly fall in love. Julio soon finds out the love of his life actually attend the same high school as he does and they meet. However, problems ensue for the two love birds.

Romiette and Julio not only have to deal with the disapproval of their prejudiced parents but they also have to deal with threats from a gang who are against the interracial coupling. The gang relentlessly harasses the couple to a point where both of their lives are put in danger.

This contemporizing of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is effective at times and considering the names of the title characters, the reader may expect an ill-fated conclusion. However, everything in the tale is tied up very nicely and the teens have their happily ever after.

Though predictable, this story of teen romance is carefully plotted and gives a realistic take on how teenagers interact with each other and their parents. The book also explores how gangs operate and how they gain control over others.

“Romiette and Julio” a good novel to tie in to Romeo and Juliet but it is also a great stand alone novel for teens.

Sharon Draper is an award-winning writer who has also published Copper Sun, Forged by Fire, and Tears of a Tiger. She is also the author of “November Blues” and “The Battle of Jericho” for which she won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe award.

Ms. Draper is a former high school English teacher and speaks at conferences where she addresses various literary and educational group across the country and internationally.