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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
A wonderful YA book that captures the creativity and emotions of a young boy growing up in Harlem. I thought the author did an excellent job of telling this story, allowing the reader to truly listen and absorb the thoughts of this young man.
Powerful story. I truly enjoyed this book and the characters.
Moore gives us a glimpse into the middle school mindset of a boy in the projects of Harlem. Not written above Lolly’s level, we see his unique ability to reason and make choices that make you root for him and his band of after school classmates.
I am about as familiar with Harlem as I am with the surface of the moon. This book opened my eyes to what life might be like there. Because of my unfamiliarity I had a hard time relating to the characters. Some parts seemed unrealistic to me. But I did love the ending.
Beautiful and moving. A great alternative for younger readers who may not be ready for THUG.
A great middle-grade read full of diverse characters and perspectives that many of us are blind to. While not with the same fluidity as Angie Thomas' "The Hate U Give," David Barclay Moore does an admirable job of weaving African American Vernacular (aka Black English) into a story about the choices we make and ways we can heal with hope. I'd strongly recommend this book for any young reader navigating grief and/or anger, as well as reluctant readers.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this realistic look at loss, healing, and hope. Lolly, a teenager growing up in the housing projects of Harlem, is feeling from his older brother’s death just months ago. With pressure to join a “crew” mounting, he must decide which path he wants to take. A surprising gift gives him a chance to heal in a way he never thought possible.
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This book really gives you an open door into the situations of MANY of the neighborhoods in the United States. Yes, elsewhere too of course, but here in the United States, people just don't think about these neighborhoods and how miraculous it is for kids to actually RISE UP OUT OF THEM.
It takes luck, and determination, and HELL OF A LOT of love from the right places, and when you don't have even one of those things, you can be absolutely stuck for life in an endless circle of crap, and the only way out is often times being take out, or taking yourself out, and I don't mean by train.
I appreciated the raw view of the situation that Lolly is faced with, and has dealt with, since his brothers passing. It takes so much effort to bring ourselves up out of this sort of grief, especially when there are secrets at play.
I absolutely adore the positive lgbtqia relationships shown here, and I definitely believe this is a book that everyone could use reading.
- CJ
It takes luck, and determination, and HELL OF A LOT of love from the right places, and when you don't have even one of those things, you can be absolutely stuck for life in an endless circle of crap, and the only way out is often times being take out, or taking yourself out, and I don't mean by train.
I appreciated the raw view of the situation that Lolly is faced with, and has dealt with, since his brothers passing. It takes so much effort to bring ourselves up out of this sort of grief, especially when there are secrets at play.
I absolutely adore the positive lgbtqia relationships shown here, and I definitely believe this is a book that everyone could use reading.
- CJ
Wallace ("Lolly") is dealing with the recent death of his older brother and doesn't know how to best cope with that loss. When his mom's girlfriend brings home two garbage bags full of Legos he remembers the love he had for building and starts to create a masterpiece. When his apartment gets too small for his creation, he moves it to his after school program building and a silent girl, Rose, starts to build her own creations with him. At first he doesn't like this, but they eventually begin to see their commonalities and become friends. All of this is happening while Lolly is also facing harassment from older boys in the neighborhood and his best friend Vega starts to want to fight back.
Overall I liked this book, but for some reason it dragged for me. Lolly and Rose's unique friendship was the highlight of the story for me. I also enjoyed watching Lolly deal with his loss and how the Legos and Rose helped him through the grief.
Overall I liked this book, but for some reason it dragged for me. Lolly and Rose's unique friendship was the highlight of the story for me. I also enjoyed watching Lolly deal with his loss and how the Legos and Rose helped him through the grief.