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wren_in_black 's review for:
Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks
by Jason Reynolds
I know, I know...
It feels a little bit like blasphemy to give a Jason Reynolds book three stars. But, that's where I am with this one. Now, keep in mind, on Goodreads, three stars means "I liked it". That mean's it's better than okay, but not to the point of, really liking it. This is probably where an average book falls for me.
I suppose I was expecting more narrative. This reads more like ten short stories that are tangentially connected. The first story was very funny. The rest were not nearly as effective for me. The tone of about eight of the ten stories felt like I was reading [b:Ghost|28954126|Ghost (Track, #1)|Jason Reynolds|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1468787024l/28954126._SY75_.jpg|49179183] by the same author. These stories cover some intense topics, from parents with cancer to homophobia to life threatening diseases. I think I just wanted one book about one or two of these topics instead of ten introductions to what could be books that cover so many topics but barely scratch the surface. These topics deserve more than stories that feel incomplete.
That said, this book could make a cool project for a blooming writer. Teachers or parents can have their student pick their favorite story and then flesh it out - outline it for a full book, or even write that book if they want to be ambitious. There's definitely potential for educational purposes and great family conversations here.
I feel like this one will be hit or miss for readers, but if you're looking for something you can read in short chunks of time, this will be a good fit.
** For parents and teachers - this book does cover some heavy topics, but in a very light-handed way. There are a couple of kisses in the book; nothing serious in the way of sexual content. Many of these topics may require some guidance for younger or less mature readers. I would put this one at a solid junior high level. **
It feels a little bit like blasphemy to give a Jason Reynolds book three stars. But, that's where I am with this one. Now, keep in mind, on Goodreads, three stars means "I liked it". That mean's it's better than okay, but not to the point of, really liking it. This is probably where an average book falls for me.
I suppose I was expecting more narrative. This reads more like ten short stories that are tangentially connected. The first story was very funny. The rest were not nearly as effective for me. The tone of about eight of the ten stories felt like I was reading [b:Ghost|28954126|Ghost (Track, #1)|Jason Reynolds|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1468787024l/28954126._SY75_.jpg|49179183] by the same author. These stories cover some intense topics, from parents with cancer to homophobia to life threatening diseases. I think I just wanted one book about one or two of these topics instead of ten introductions to what could be books that cover so many topics but barely scratch the surface. These topics deserve more than stories that feel incomplete.
That said, this book could make a cool project for a blooming writer. Teachers or parents can have their student pick their favorite story and then flesh it out - outline it for a full book, or even write that book if they want to be ambitious. There's definitely potential for educational purposes and great family conversations here.
I feel like this one will be hit or miss for readers, but if you're looking for something you can read in short chunks of time, this will be a good fit.
** For parents and teachers - this book does cover some heavy topics, but in a very light-handed way. There are a couple of kisses in the book; nothing serious in the way of sexual content. Many of these topics may require some guidance for younger or less mature readers. I would put this one at a solid junior high level. **