biblioemily's review
4.0
3.5 stars. Good look at toxic male friendships and how to navigate having "street cred" with being a kind friend/person; I agree with SLJ on the grades 4-7 rec. It will be most appealing to 6th graders, I think.
sc104906's review
3.0
I received this as an eARC from Edelweiss.
Bryan is a generally good kid. He likes drawing and comics. Each day after school, he goes to his mom’s work and does his homework in his “own office.” Bryan’s mother works with at risk youth and struggling families, which is how she met Mike. Bryan’s mother pushes the two together, but this friendship may not be the greatest thing in Bryan’s life. Mike pressures Bryan to steal and break the law and while Bryan does this willingly, he is concerned that he will end up like his father who is in and out of prison.
I thought this was an interesting way to show that parents aren’t always right and that tweens have the ability to distinguish what relationships are positive and which aren’t. I could see myself giving this is a young child from an inner city environment because they could see themselves in this book. It is like the junior version of a Jason Reynolds novel.
Bryan is a generally good kid. He likes drawing and comics. Each day after school, he goes to his mom’s work and does his homework in his “own office.” Bryan’s mother works with at risk youth and struggling families, which is how she met Mike. Bryan’s mother pushes the two together, but this friendship may not be the greatest thing in Bryan’s life. Mike pressures Bryan to steal and break the law and while Bryan does this willingly, he is concerned that he will end up like his father who is in and out of prison.
I thought this was an interesting way to show that parents aren’t always right and that tweens have the ability to distinguish what relationships are positive and which aren’t. I could see myself giving this is a young child from an inner city environment because they could see themselves in this book. It is like the junior version of a Jason Reynolds novel.
kjbeck01's review
4.0
A great book written from a kid's perspective, exploring how difficult standing up to peers can be while trying to maintain street cred. I found it a humbling experience to try to decipher some slang terms I'm not familiar with.
msseviereads's review
5.0
Love! This is such a great book that explores the careful balance the young people must make about doing what is right when confronted with bad influence. I really enjoyed this book and felt very connected to the main character, Bryan. I loved all the super hero talk. My students are using this book as an extension book group following, Ghost by Jason Reynolds.
shighley's review against another edition
4.0
Great example of an author trying to share some positive ideas, and food for thought for readers after finishing this. I listened to the audiobook, and it was definitely like Maldonado telling a story.
This is the second book in a row that I've listened to that was a contemporary story about a boy befriending someone older that they idolized at first, then grew to distrust. There is a type of suspense in that you are not sure what is going to happen, and if things will go so far that injury or even catastrophe will result. Both books have loving parents and siblings, and stress the importance of genuine friends.
Even though I am not a comic book fan, I know that this aspect of the story will create even more interest among readers, and can lead to some interesting discussions-- even fun arguments over the best superhero, superpower, etc.
This book is accessible to middle and upper elementary students; I realize that in real life, profanity would probably be much more prominent, but by omitting it, Maldonado has made this available for more readers.
This is the second book in a row that I've listened to that was a contemporary story about a boy befriending someone older that they idolized at first, then grew to distrust. There is a type of suspense in that you are not sure what is going to happen, and if things will go so far that injury or even catastrophe will result. Both books have loving parents and siblings, and stress the importance of genuine friends.
Even though I am not a comic book fan, I know that this aspect of the story will create even more interest among readers, and can lead to some interesting discussions-- even fun arguments over the best superhero, superpower, etc.
This book is accessible to middle and upper elementary students; I realize that in real life, profanity would probably be much more prominent, but by omitting it, Maldonado has made this available for more readers.
zoes_human's review
3.5
Tight is contemporary middle-grade fiction about choices. In a world of literature inundated with middle-class voices, it's a breath of fresh air to find juvenile fiction that depicts a child from a lower-income environment dealing with real-life challenges. The book offers an honest examination of how friendships can go wrong, and what we can do about it.
sigalwilnai's review
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
suzannedix's review
4.0
Read by the author, the narration was awesome. A story about testing the boundaries and finding out what kind of person you want to be in this world.
Grades 6 and up.
Grades 6 and up.
akossket's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0