Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Pages: 306

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Novel in Verse

Notes for Parents: Contains some coarse language, violence, and mature scenes.

The Inside Cover

Sixty seconds.

Seven floors.

Three rules.

One gun.

Will’s older brother, Shawn, has been shot. Dead. Will feels a sadness so great he can’t explain it. But in his neighborhood, there are THE RULES:

No. 1: Crying

Don’t.

No matter what.

No. 2: Snitching

Don’t.

No matter what.

No. 3: Revenge

Do.

No matter what.

But bullets miss. You can get the wrong guy. And there’s always someone else who knows to follow the rules.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Long Way Down won a 2018 Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Author Honor, and Michael L. Printz Honor. 

What’s good?

This is a short but powerful story. As Will travels down the elevator, on his way to kill his brother’s murderer, he’s reminded of the people and events of his past that have influenced the person he has become. His anger and grief and desire for justice – and, not to mention, the rules – are juxtaposed with his desire for change. Authoritative and eloquently crafted, this is a well-paced, timely story of one boy’s personal struggle.

Best Part: The end.

What isn’t good?

I find it difficult to find fault in this story. If I have to find something, it would probably be that some readers won’t be able to identify with the sheer volume of tragedy Will has experienced in his short life. But this shouldn’t be a deterrent since it is by no means an unrealistic representation of life for teens in vulnerable communities.

Worst part: None.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺(4.5/5)

This was a complex story stripped down to it’s bare essentials, told in an easy to read, difficult to ignore format. It exposed the impossible choices faced by those who live with violence every day. It’s a story that shouldn’t be disregarded. Highly recommended.

Reynolds, Jason. Long Way Down. New York: Atheneum, 2017.

A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman

Pages: 307
Intended Audience: Mature Tweens
Genre: Novel in Verse
Notes for Parents: There are some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Veda is a prize-winning dancer, skilled in the fine art of traditional Indian Bharatanatyam.
Then she is injured in a bus accident, and her right leg must be amputated below the knee. Her dance teacher does not believe she will ever dance again.
But Veda is too passionate to abandon her dream and finds a new teacher who shares her hope. And though she must relearn even the most basic of steps, his faith in her allows her to reclaim the art form that has brought her so much joy.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The author was born in India and now lives in the United States. She is a trained oceanographer.

What’s good?

This is an emotional story told lyrically in verse about a dancer who loses her leg in an accident. It’s a beautiful portrait of a culture, a country (India), and a dance form (Bharatanatyam). While the narrative focuses on perseverance and resilience, this is also a story about Veda’s relationships with her family, her friends, and her teachers. It also develops into a sweet love story. Characterization is well down, the plot is simple, and the writing is strong.
Best Part: Veda is an inspiring character.

What isn’t good?

My only complaint is that the story moved a little slow. This was a character-driven story that relied on emotion, so the pace was a gentle flow of grief and determination rather than a heart-pounding adventure. The outcome was fairly predictable.
Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation þþþþo

This was a simple and easy-to-read tale about a girl dealing with adversity. Rhythmic, expressive, and passionate, this story was beautifully told. There is no action or adventure, it’s a story about struggle, passion, and hard work. Readers who can relate to those things will enjoy this novel. Recommended.

Venkatraman, Padma. A Time to Dance. New York: Scholastic, 2014.

Audacious by Gabrielle Prendergast

Pages: 327
Intended Audience: Mature Teens
Genre: Book in Verse / Social Issues
Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language and mature content.

The Back Cover

Wrong hair.
Wrong body.
Wrong clothes.
Wrong attitude.
Nothing is simple for Ella. Not family. Not friends. Not school. And especially not romance. Ella can’t do anything right, except draw. But even her art is wrong—and more dangerous than she could have imagined.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This novel is written in verse. There’s a sequel called Capricious.

What’s good?

This novel, written in verse, in an engaging story about a girl who tries to reinvent herself when she starts at a new school. Beautifully written, the lyrical prose wends the story around a multitude of themes, including love, religion, self-esteem, artistic expression, censorship, eating disorders, and prejudice. The verse style makes this a fast read, but it never feels rushed. Ella is a provocative main character who searches for her identity by pushing limits and challenging norms.
Best Part: The ink of night fades into pink lemonade / A line of orange slices the horizon (p.21). The writing is absolutely stunning.

What isn’t good?

Like graphic novels, the verse format doesn’t allow for a lot of depth or backstory. I’m not sure how much it matters with this story, but I did find many supporting characters bled together, especially the school friends, and many heavy topics in the background are only touched on lightly in favor of Ella’s storyline.
Worst part: The end was a bit…odd, but I suppose that leads us into book two.

Recommendation þþþþo

I can almost give this one five checkmarks. I may not agree with several of the decisions the main character makes, but her search for self is engagingly raw and dark. Her behavior is not gratuitous, but rather the cost of getting to know herself and what she’s willing to do to be genuine. Definitely recommended.  

Prendergast, Gabrielle. Audacious. Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2013.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Pages: 537
Intended Audience: Mature Teens
Genre: Real life / Drug abuse / Novel in verse
Notes for Parents: Deals with many mature issues including drug use, sexuality, date rape. Includes some coarse language.

The Back Cover

Kristina is the perfect daughter: gifted high-school junior, quiet, never any trouble. Then she meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild ride turns into a struggle for her mind, her soul—her life.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a novel written in verse and is loosely based on the author’s own daughter’s experience with crystal meth, or “crank.”

What’s good?

It’s almost painful to witness Kristina, a young, teenaged girl, as she makes the poor decisions that draw her into a world of drug use and abuse. Told in verse, this is a quick but potent read with an even plot and a powerful message. The role that family and friends play in Kristina’s downward spiral is delicately balanced with their equally important role in a hopeful future. It’s tragic to see how easy it is to be seduced by the freedom drugs promise, but this is an excellent cautionary tale about the consequences of that choice.
Best Part: The end—not perfect, but hopeful.

What isn’t good?

Due in part to the verse style but mostly because of the first-person perspective, the entire story lacks depth. There is very little development of secondary characters, and even the main character offers us no detailed understanding as to why she makes all of those bad choices. There are no opposing perspectives, no inside information, and everything happens exactly the way we expect.
Worst part: The style. Verse just did not work for this story.

Recommendation þþþoo

The story was not as edgy as I expected. I’ve been hearing about this novel for years and anticipated much more grit and emotion. The story was good and there were definitely excellent moments and well-written scenes, but overall it was lackluster and offered nothing new. It was a good read, but not a great one.

Hopkins, Ellen. Crank. New York: Margaret K. McElderry, 2004.

Coaltown Jesus by Ron Koertge

Pages: 122
Intended Audience: Teens and mature tweens
Genre: Real life / Novel in verse / Grief
Notes for Parents: Themes include death and grief.

The Inside Cover

Walker shouldn’t be so surprised to find Jesus standing in the middle of his bedroom. After all, he prayed for whoever was up there to help his mom, who hasn’t stopped crying since Noah died, two months ago. But since when have prayers actually been answered? And since when has Jesus been so…irreverent?
As astounding as Jesus’ sudden appearance is, it’s going to take more than divine intervention for Walker to come to terms with his brother’s death. Why would God take seventeen-year-old Noah when half of the residents in his mom’s nursing home are waiting to die? And why would he send Jesus to Coaltown, Illinois, to pick up the pieces? If he really wanted to help, why couldn’t he have kept Noah from dying?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This novel is written in verse.

What’s good?

Jesus is awesome. In fact, characterization in general is well done. This story is super-quick and very easy to read (I finished it in about 40 minutes – and I’m a slow reader!). The plot is uncomplicated, but deals with very serious issues of grief and guilt. Sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, with moments that are deeply moving, this story offers a creative construction of how Jesus (or any higher power for that matter) can bring comfort and understanding to those who are suffering.
Best Part: Almond Joy.

What isn’t good?

It left me wanting more. I wanted to know more about Walker and his mom, and about Noah. I wanted to know more about Jesus and to hear more of what he had to say. I wanted to know more about the elderly residents, and I even wanted to know more about the dog. I feel bad for wishing this was more than just a short novel in verse. I wanted more of everything.
Worst part: I wanted more.

Recommendation þþþþþ

I loved it. As you know, I wanted more. I don’t know what else to say but read it. It’s well-constructed, engaging, and entertaining. I hope you like it as much as I did. Definitely recommended.

Koertge, Ron. Coaltown Jesus. Somerville, MA: Candlewick, 2013. (Hardcover)

Karma by Cathy Ostlere

Pages: 517

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Real Life / Historical events / Novel in verse

Notes for parents: Some mature scenes, violence, coarse language

The Inside Cover

It is October 31^st, 1984, and fifteen-year-old Maya—half Hindu, half Sikh—is travelling from Canada to New Delhi, India, with her father. In her arms she carries only two things: a brand new diary—her only confidant—and the ashes of her mother.

Maya and her father have come to India to deliver the ashes to their final resting place. On the very night they arrive, Indira Gandhi—Prime Minister of India—is gunned down in her garden, betrayed by those closest to her. In the hours that follow, the city plunges into chaos, and Maya finds herself at the centre of one of the bloodiest massacres in the country’s modern history. Thousands are murdered. Thousands are lost.

Unable to find her father, Maya must disguise her identity and rely upon the help of Sandeep—a boy she’s just met—if she is to stay alive and make it home. That is, if she can open her heart enough to love, forgive, and discover what home truly means.

What the Inside Cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a novel written in verse in a first-person diary format.

What’s good?

This is one of the most beautiful, horrific, sophisticated stories I’ve ever read. The author’s words are deliberately and brilliantly crafted in verse to create a stark, emotional sense of time and place that made me feel like I was an actual witness to the real atrocities and aftershocks of one of India’s darkest moments. It’s a mature and memorable journey laced with vivid imagery, heart-stopping action, and an emotional exploration of everything from racism and culturalism, to religion, tradition and violence, to fear, grief, loneliness and shame entwined with romance and violence and love. At its core, this is an inspired and powerful story of the relationship between a father riddled with guilt and a daughter who just wants to belong.

Best part: The writing--

“Animal and human howl at a moonless sky. In doorless doorways the children limp. Boneless. Soft as putty. Another night. Of dark-pressed despair.” (pg. 410)

“I listen to the sound of India's voices for the last time. Laughter ripples like water. A prayer is a single note held long. There is so much life here. And too much death. (pg. 503)

What’s not so good?

On the whole, this book is definitely a downer and is thick with injustice. However, the writing weaves a sense of hopefulness into the second half of the story that pleads for patience and understanding.

Worst part: The cover is pink with yellow writing. I get the significance now, but it still looks like the cover of a Bollywood romantic comedy.

Recommendations þþþþþ

It was stunning – the premise, the style, the imagery, the themes, the journey…it was all stunning. I don’t want to over hype the story—I did find a few bad reviews—but I, personally, was taken in by the exceptional writing and first-rate storytelling. Highly recommended.

Ostlere, Cathy. Karma. Toronto: Puffin Canada, 2011.  (Hardcover)

Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas

Pages: 352

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: real life / verse

Notes for Parents: Themes of abuse

The Back Cover

Anke’s father is abusive to her brother and sister. But not her. Because to him, she is like furniture—part of the background, invisible. Then Anke makes the school volleyball team.

As Anke learns to call for the ball on the court, she finds a voice that she never knew she had. For the first time, Anke is making herself seen and heard, working toward the day that she will be able to speak up loud enough to rescue everyone at home—including herself.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

This book is written in verse (a series of poems).

What’s good?

This compelling story begins as a dark and disturbing account of abuse and neglect, but grows into a tale of hope and, ultimately, of triumph. The verse-style makes for quick and easy reading, and the poems themselves are, at times, distressing, but always poignant and beautifully written. Anke and her siblings are heartbreakingly real.

Best Part: The poetry.

What’s not so good?

Some readers may not care for the poetry, but I don’t think it could have been written any other way.

Worst part: None.

Recommendations þþþþo

This is an inspiring story of a girl who finds her voice. It’s beautifully written in verse that’s easy to understand. Highly recommended.

Chaltas, Thalia. Because I Am Furniture. New York: Speak, 2009