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Look Both WaysJason Reynolds
Look Both Ways
by Jason Reynolds
Ten short stories about ten different walks home from the same school on the same afternoon, each one turning out to be about something bigger.
A story about children, funny and thoughtful in tone. We would put it with children of 11–13, and at a reading age of about 11 for reading alone.
Worth knowing before you buy
- Bullying
- Serious illness
None of this makes it a bad book — often the opposite. It is here so you can decide whether it is right for your child now or in a year or two.
Our take on this book
Ten short, interlinked stories follow the pupils of one school walking home along ten different blocks on the same ordinary afternoon — a boy hiding a bruise, two friends plotting, a girl facing her fears — each one its own small, complete world. Jason Reynolds, one of the most gifted writers working for young people, finds enormous depth in the ordinary: these are stories about worry, kindness, family and growing up, told in a voice that is funny and warm and true to how children actually talk and think. Nothing dramatic happens on the surface, yet each story quietly opens up a whole life. It suits a thoughtful reader of nine to twelve who enjoys character over plot, and the short-story form makes a substantial book feel very approachable. For the right child it is a special read — humane, clever and quietly brilliant — and a wonderful introduction to a major writer.
If they like this, try these
Chosen by matching age, reading age, tone and subject — not by what is selling.
Flour BabiesAnne Fine
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated RodentsTerry Pratchett
The Unforgotten CoatFrank Cottrell-Boyce
There's a Boy in the Girls' BathroomLouis Sachar
Amari and the Great GameB. B. Alston
Or let them write their own.
Nothing gets a child reading like a story they invented themselves. Your child plans the characters and the plot, and we write, illustrate and print it as a real book with their name on the cover as the author.
Find another book
Tell us the age, the reading age and what they like, and we will suggest a handful.