Reviews

A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée

book_lover1008's review against another edition

challenging inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

carolynlovesbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny informative medium-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? Yes

4.0

lavenderluvsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

☮ I saw myself in a lot of the characters at their age and even now. I remember as a child when I became aware of the injustices surrounding black people. During Trayvon Martin's murder trial and when the verdict was wrong how I felt sick and cried. I grew up having mainly black Caribbean African friends but watching Hannah Montana and listening to Justin Bieber. I never considered myself not black or an oreo but many people made assumptions about me because of my interests and hobbies like reading. The trial changed how I felt and saw others. I was never the same again. I still have diverse interests and friends but I'm more aware now of things.
🖤 I too saw myself as unattractive compared to my peers. Always crushing on people who were not interested in me. I was just being myself and that never seemed to be enough. To this day that stands to be true. I've come a long way with my confidence and emotions. I am shayla, hana, Isabella, julia, Angie, Tyler, etc. All the characters in the book showed me something forgotten. 

allison_sirovy's review

5.0

This book is a wonderful middle grades book! I highly recommend it. Shay, the main character . . . Kids will definitely relate to her. Social issues, teen issues, life issues . . . You won’t be disappointed.

librarydancer's review

4.0

When this book started *slowly*, I couldn't figure out the buzz and almost put it down.

I'm glad I gave it more of a chance -- this is a thoughtful book (probably best for middle schoolers) about the choices to be made about the issues one feels strongly about.

I have some minor issues with some details of the book -- a 7th grade class would not be reading To Kill a Mockingbird, for instance -- but this book is an excellent one to suggest for book discussions's, and certainly worth reading.

bookgirl1209's review

3.0

Shayla is a twelve year old who does not like to be involved in trouble. In her first year of junior
high all she wants is to hang with her two childhood friends and fly under the radar.
But junior high has all kinds of pitfalls that are unavoidable and Shay is pretty sure trouble is
coming her way and this makes her afraid - afraid of losing her friends, afraid of not being true
to herself, afraid of standing out and afraid of fading into the background.
After she attends a powerful silent Black LIves Matter protest Shayla starts to think that
sometimes doing the right thing is more scary than doing the wrong thing. But it needs to be
done anyway.
Lisa Moore Ramee has done a good job portraying the unsureness of twelve year olds without
being condescending and while BLM is certainly featured it is not the focus of the novel. A good
one to open communications about racism, individuality and friendship.

megpancoast's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

brylkayyy's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

grecia_r's review

5.0

A cute read. I often like examining today's issues through the lense of explaining it to children in a much more relatable, almost simpler ways. It all ends up seeming bittersweet. There's none of that self-enhanced prose that adults can get into when they're examining problems with none-too-simple answers. I like the journey that all of the characters underwent.

kathleenes's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

A great junior fiction book about BLM and standing up for one’s self. Loved it.