A Newbery Honor Book, this novel by Jason Reynolds takes place in 67 seconds, in which a kid decides whether he’s going to kill the guy who killed his brother. Fifteen-year-old Will’s big brother has been shot to death. According to the rules that Will has been taught, it is now his job to kill the person responsible. He easily finds his brother’s gun and gets on the elevator to head down from his eighth-floor apartment. But it’s a long way down to the ground floor. At each floor, a different person gets on to tell a story. Each of these people is already dead. As they tell their tales, they also force Will to face the questions he has about his plan. As each “ghost” speaks, Will realizes how much of his own story has been unknown to him and how intricately* woven they are. Reynolds’ concise* verses echo like shots against the white space of the page, their impact resounding*. He peels back the individual stories that led to this moment in the elevator and exposes a culture used to violence because poverty, gang life, or injustice has left some people with no other option. Throughout, readers get a vivid picture of Will and the people in his life, all trying to cope with* the circumstances of their environment while expressing the love, uncertainty and hope that all humans share. This title is fabulistic* in its simplicity and begs to be discussed. The unique narrative structure makes it an excellent read. (SD-Agencies) |