Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Reviewed by Maansi C.
Grade 10

In the book, Long Way Down

by Jason Reynolds, the author explores the thoughts of a young man before seeking revenge.

Long Way Down explains the thoughts of a character named Will seeking revenge for his brother who has been shot. All the thoughts that are explored in this book are all the thoughts he is experiencing in the elevator on the way to get his revenge for this brother. His brother was part of a gang, and that is why he was killed. It is written in a series of poems and poems correspond to the different floors that he is reaching in the elevator on the way to get revenge. He is also visited by the ghosts of other people that he knows that have died telling him he probably shouldn’t do it.

Jason Reynolds, the author, writes this book in a series of poems so that the audience can understand what is going through Will’s mind at the time. It is interesting to see what goes through this teenage boy’s mind on the way to get revenge. This gives you a better understanding of what happens when people in a gang die and other people want revenge for it.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone. I read it in one sitting because it was so interesting to read the thoughts of his teenage boy. Jason Reynolds does a really good job relaying his thoughts through the poems in the book.

Ebook available through Overdrive.

There There by Tommy Orange

Reviewed by Maansi C.
Grade 10

There There is told from many characters' points of view and connects at the end in the big powwow in Oakland. The characters in the book tell their Native American stories throughout. Each character has two or three chapters written in different points of view. They grapple with their Native American identity and stories that make them who they are. They also deal with addiction because many of the Native Americans that live on the reservation drink and are addicts. They also deal with mental health such as OCD. There are symbols throughout the book that relate to each character. Some are part of the gangs and others research Native American life. They all meet at the end of the book at the big powwow in Oakland.

Tommy Orange, the author of There There, wrote this book to show how Native Americans deal with life in Oakland. The way that he decided to write the book in many points of view allows you to better understand their lives. Each character is a different age and has a different story that is related to them. This gives a better understanding of the life they live.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It was interesting to learn about Native American life from people of different ages and backgrounds. It gave you a better understanding of the life they live. Tommy Orange does an amazing job elaborating on their lives throughout this book.