Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks
Finalist, National Book Awards 2019 for Young People's Literature
This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy—
Talking about boogers.
Stealing pocket change.
Skateboarding.
Wiping out.
Braving up.
Executing complicated handshakes.
Planning an escape.
Making jokes.
Lotioning up.
Finding comfort.
But mostly, too busy walking home.
Jason Reynolds conjures ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings, and brilliantly weaves them into one wickedly funny, piercingly poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life.
In Look Both Ways, Jason Reynolds dazzles readers with a collection of linked short stories taking place within ten city blocks. Whether trash talking about boogers, swiping pocket change, dealing with bullies, or mourning the loss of loved ones, the characters leap off the page with nuance and authenticity. Reynolds’s stories run the gamut from slapstick humor to quiet reflection, all while celebrating the diversity and beauty of a single community.
