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A review by southern_librarian
Take Back the Block by Chrystal D. Giles
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This was a fantastic middle grades read! I truly enjoyed it. Not in a this-is-good-for-a-middle-grades book way, but in a truly this-is-good way. I went into it knowing that the author is from Charlotte, NC, and I totally "saw" Charlotte all over this book, which I think made it a little extra fun for me. Also: Community Read 2022 middle grades pick. Theme: gentrification/finding home.
Wes is an 11-year-old living in an older neighborhood near downtown. His mom is a part-time activist on the weekends and drags Wes along to marches and service work. He has a great life, even if they don't have a huge house, with two supportive parents and a tight group of friends. One day all of that is threatened when his family and all the other families in his neighborhood get fantastic offer letters from a company. The company wants to buy all their houses and build fancy condos. This sets Wes off on a path to learn more about gentrification and what he can do to take back his block.
I loved how very authentically all the characters were written. It was perfect. None of the dialogue felt stilted; none of the relationships felt flat. There were many secondary characters and none felt superfluous or underdeveloped. Chrystal Giles is amazing and I am already looking forward to seeing what she does next.
Wes is an 11-year-old living in an older neighborhood near downtown. His mom is a part-time activist on the weekends and drags Wes along to marches and service work. He has a great life, even if they don't have a huge house, with two supportive parents and a tight group of friends. One day all of that is threatened when his family and all the other families in his neighborhood get fantastic offer letters from a company. The company wants to buy all their houses and build fancy condos. This sets Wes off on a path to learn more about gentrification and what he can do to take back his block.
I loved how very authentically all the characters were written. It was perfect. None of the dialogue felt stilted; none of the relationships felt flat. There were many secondary characters and none felt superfluous or underdeveloped. Chrystal Giles is amazing and I am already looking forward to seeing what she does next.