Author: Kelly J. Baptist
Genre: realistic fiction/verse novel
Similar books: Hazard by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Hidden by Helen Frost
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher): Two kids. One fight. No one thinks they’re wrong.
Flow
I don’t even hit girls . . . is what I’m thinking.
I roll my eyes, turn them to my shoes.
Shoes I’ma wear every day till they fall off my feet.
Eb
It was all just an accident!
Nobody was trying to mess up
his Stupid Ugly Shoes.
Now I’ve got my third suspension of seventh grade.
Ebony and De’Kari (aka Flow) do not get along. How could they when their cafeteria scuffle ended with De'Kari's ruined shoes, Ebony on the ground, and both of them with ten days of at-home suspension? Now Eb and Flow have two weeks to think about and explain their behavior—to their families, to each other, and ultimately to themselves.
My opinion: Like all good verse novels, this one sets a fast pace. Yes, we're spending a fair amount of time reflecting on the characters feelings. But Baptist also paints a solid picture of the lives of these kids. We see how they interact with their families, the weight of expectations and disapproval, of responsibilities. They are also, in many ways, standard middle grade kids. They make snap decisions, react emotionally, without fully considering what might happen as a result. This leads to the fight that starts the narrative, of course, but has larger consequences later in the book as well. The messaging is easily grasped and the plot easily followed. A solid choice for most middle grade readers.
More information: Eb & Flow releases March 14.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
No comments:
Post a Comment