emmaplume's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
ajchurch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Kicking, screaming, and crying. JASON REYNOLDS CANNOT BE DOING THIS TO ME YET AGAIN. I simply go in thinking I'm reading a fun little middle grade book, and I come out having cried! I just want the kiddos to be okay and happy and like his stories read real in a way that I can't even fully explain and I'd recommend them 100% even to people who are not children.
jaronin's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I think this story is a fun story. It is different from how other chapter books are built because every chapter has something else to be told about. For example let's say the first chapter was about cats and the next chapter was about dogs. I liked this book because of the characters. I like the characters because everyone is different from others and that was shown, the characters also had very different background stories. I rated this book a five out of five because I thought it showed how different people can be.
avery_rivers's review against another edition
5.0
I can't say how much I loved this book. I personally didn't have much of a childhood, so seeing the friendships of the characters was really heartwarming to me - it opened a door to a world I never knew and helped me better understand the experiences others have had.
mbincolor's review against another edition
4.0
Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks is a brief look at the vastly different issues children face after the school bell rings.
I enjoyed the short stories with cross-characters—it is a thoughtful way to explore the home life of students who may have nothing more in common than attending the same school. This book is a light read: it doesn’t go deep into cyberbullying, dating, sexuality, mental health, colorism or abuse; but it does capture students processing family dying, working mothers, first crushes, illness and cliques. It certainly introduces that students home life varies from child to child without overwhelming a middle-grade student with emotion or the need to have “hard conversations.” It’s what I would consider a clean read—a perfect way to add in diversity for non-black students and a relatable collection of stories for black students.
Some of the stories felt a little too long; others were perfect. Overall, Look Both Ways is a fun read that I will certainly recommend in the future.
I enjoyed the short stories with cross-characters—it is a thoughtful way to explore the home life of students who may have nothing more in common than attending the same school. This book is a light read: it doesn’t go deep into cyberbullying, dating, sexuality, mental health, colorism or abuse; but it does capture students processing family dying, working mothers, first crushes, illness and cliques. It certainly introduces that students home life varies from child to child without overwhelming a middle-grade student with emotion or the need to have “hard conversations.” It’s what I would consider a clean read—a perfect way to add in diversity for non-black students and a relatable collection of stories for black students.
Some of the stories felt a little too long; others were perfect. Overall, Look Both Ways is a fun read that I will certainly recommend in the future.
katiemayveil's review against another edition
3.0
Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds is a cleverly written book that looks at 10 different kids (or groups of kids) as they walk home from school. What kinds of things will they notice? What fun things will happen? Or will it be just another normal day?
This is a lighthearted book but still takes a look at bullying, anxiety and more. This book would be great for ages 8 and up, but could also work for younger ages if read together. This would also be a good book to talk about the issues the kids face.
This is a lighthearted book but still takes a look at bullying, anxiety and more. This book would be great for ages 8 and up, but could also work for younger ages if read together. This would also be a good book to talk about the issues the kids face.
alex_pedrianes's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
deservingporcupine's review against another edition
3.0
I appreciated this book as an adult — different stories about different kids that have shared threads. It was poetic and sweet and sad, but not much happened and it wasn’t exactly enjoyable. Some stories I liked better than others. I also wonder if middle schoolers would like this — I know my in-house seventh grader didn’t.
anniereads221's review against another edition
3.0
My faves of the short stories were:
The low cuts strike again
Ookabooka land
The Broom dog
The low cuts strike again
Ookabooka land
The Broom dog