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megatsunami's review against another edition
5.0
Loved, loved this "day in the life" novel about a teenage boy in Bed-Stuy. So well written and well characterized. This story is all about love and loyalty and how communities take care of one another.
tx2its's review against another edition
2.0
Reading 2019
Book 26: When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds
The problem with trying to read all of the books by a favorite author is that not all of them will live up to your high expectations. Long Way Down is the stick by which I measure all of Jason's books, and this one did not measure up.
The book was okay. I kept expecting something to more to happen in the book, the development of the story was slow. Maybe if there had been more pages in the book there could have been more to give the reader. What happened to Ali's phone? It was never discussed. The end was tied up quickly, neatly, and happily. After a few book break, it is on to the next Jason Reynolds book.
Book 26: When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds
The problem with trying to read all of the books by a favorite author is that not all of them will live up to your high expectations. Long Way Down is the stick by which I measure all of Jason's books, and this one did not measure up.
The book was okay. I kept expecting something to more to happen in the book, the development of the story was slow. Maybe if there had been more pages in the book there could have been more to give the reader. What happened to Ali's phone? It was never discussed. The end was tied up quickly, neatly, and happily. After a few book break, it is on to the next Jason Reynolds book.
aoibhinnannwn's review against another edition
4.0
I have a problem with the cover- and that is that the gun is clearly crocheted and not knit.
opticflow's review against another edition
5.0
I had pretty low expectations going into this, because wacky nicknames? Boys knitting in the hood? It sounds like a book an adult foists on a kid to teach a moral lesson. But as this progressed it got better and better. I loved Ali's family, I appreciated that everyone screwed up at some point, I thought the nod to Muhammad Ali was clever, and the ending was a wonderful surprise. An all-too-real premise where teens act older than they are and get in over their heads.
mindfullibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Crazy, crazy good YA novel. Gritty but sweet, lots of action and lots of lessons. Highly recommend, especially for reluctant HS readers. Couldn't put it down, and didn't want it to end.
danacoledares's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent characterization and narrative voice. The plot had some twists that could have easily headed into cliché or melodrama, but didn't, keeping things interesting and yet still believable. A smooth, fast read.
debi_g's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
Noodles lost me after the haircut scene, and I was so fearful about what might happen at the party that I had to take a long break before I could face it. I’m glad my prediction was wrong, and I’m glad that I grew so fond of John, Ali and Jazz’s father.
Noodles lost me after the haircut scene, and I was so fearful about what might happen at the party that I had to take a long break before I could face it. I’m glad my prediction was wrong, and I’m glad that I grew so fond of John, Ali and Jazz’s father.
gabriella_batel_author's review against another edition
5.0
I am yet again floored by Jason Reynolds' power to spin a fresh, impactful tale and tell it to us through characters that melt my heart, each so deep and unique that I believe they're real.
You can watch the full details of my thoughts in this video! (Start at 13:15 or feel free to watch the whole thing!)
https://youtu.be/188emVCHAVc
You can watch the full details of my thoughts in this video! (Start at 13:15 or feel free to watch the whole thing!)
https://youtu.be/188emVCHAVc