Friday, November 10, 2017

As Brave As You

As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds (ISBN: 978-1481415910)

Guys, can we talk about how much I love Jason Reynolds? (Is he the next Walter Dean Myers... we shall see.)  Also, anyone who knows me knows I love a good Schneider Family Book Award winner.  So this book is the perfect formula for "a book Katelynn will love."  

Set in Virginia (the rural version) in the summer of (insert recent year here), Genie and Ernie have to spend several weeks with their grandparents so that their marriage-on-the-rocks parents can spend alone time fixing their relationship.  The boys are used to the streets of their native Brooklyn, not the hills and knolls of the South.  To make matters even more complicated, their grandfather is completely blind and never really ventures outside of his house.  While inside, you'd never guess that Grandpop is visually impaired; however, outside, a simple thing like walking through the grass can be an anxiety-inducing activity.  Genie always thought his Grandpop was pretty brave, but some of his thinking shifts when he realizes how limited his grandfather's life really has become.  

A young girl down the street inspires the boys to venture into the woods, where they uncover other family secrets about their deceased veteran uncle, and the tension between their dad and his father.  Needless to say, there is a lot to be unpacked in this generational story about young African American boys figuring out how to function in the world and in their own family.  The book addresses what true bravery really is, and how to be courageous in our relationships with each other.  It will make you smile, and cry, and long for more pages at the end (why must good books always end??).  It was a five out of five stars book for me, and I can't wait for students to read it too!

PS - it won a bunch of other awards too.  Like... a bunch.

Want more? There are so many great videos of Jason Reynolds accepting awards and talking about reading, and just being generally awesome.  But check out this one about why he thinks it's important that kids read:


Homemade tees: This book teaches the lesson that we can all learn from each other what it means to be brave through the situations of our lives.  Check out this t-shirt for a beautiful visual reminder of this fact -