Sunday, June 28, 2020--Two books for ESL-readers by Jason Reynolds

I am teaching an online course called “Children’s Literature” for Fisher College. In this course, we explore books for children and how to teach these books, if the students are teachers, or for parents, how to read and enjoy books with their own kids. A student advised me to check out Jason Reynold’s novels. I read two this week: “Long Way Down (2019)” https://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Down-Jason-Reynolds/dp/1481438263/ref=sr_1_6?crid=BYW0DJ39HPON&dchild=1&keywords=jason+reynolds+books&qid=1593395590&sprefix=jason+rey%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-6 and “Look Both Ways: a tale told in ten blocks (2019)”

https://www.amazon.com/Untitled-Jason-Reynolds-w-t/dp/148143828X/ref=sr_1_4?crid=BYW0DJ39HPON&dchild=1&keywords=jason+reynolds+books&qid=1593395771&sprefix=jason+rey%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-4 “Long Way Down” is about a teenager whose brother is killed in a shooting, and the next morning he gets into his building’s elevator with the intention of avenging his brother. On the way down, he thinks deeply about what he wants to do. (That’s all I will write here.) “Look Both Ways: a tale told in ten blocks” is a collection of short stories about children and teens whose lives are filled with challenges, yet they maintain their humanity. I am especially attracted to the second short story, “Pacer St: The Low Cuts Strike Again.” The children in this story are misunderstood by their peers and teachers; however, they are beautiful, kind people.

If you read these two books, please let me know your responses to them. I will post them here after we review and edit them together. —-Joshua