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LONG WAY DOWN

The graphic novel.

by Jason Reynolds ; illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 13, 2020

A moving rendition that stands on its own.

After Will’s older brother, Shawn, is shot and killed, Will knows he has to follow the rules: Don’t cry, don’t snitch, get revenge.

The rules are so old it’s hard to know where they came from, but Will knows they are not meant to be broken. He gets Shawn’s gun and heads downstairs in the elevator to shoot Riggs, his brother’s former friend, who he is convinced is responsible. As the elevator door opens on each floor, Will is confronted by people from his past who were also victims of gun violence. They question Will’s plan and motivation, and although Will was certain it was Riggs when he first got into the elevator, at some point he isn’t so sure. The ghosts, their truths, and the fact that he has never held a gun before make the decision to enact revenge that much more frightening. Based on Reynolds’ 2017 award-winning verse novel of the same name, this full-color graphic adaptation will pull in both old and new readers. Novgorodoff’s ink-and-watercolor images bring a softness to the text that contrasts with the violent deaths and the stark choice Will faces. Reynolds’ fans will be pleased to see some of the original dialogue and narration remain, though edited to keep the story emotion-packed and the pace as swift as the elevator ride. Characters are Black.

Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-5344-4495-9

Page Count: 208

Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum

Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FAMILY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | GENERAL GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS

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SEEN & HEARD

INDIVISIBLE

by Daniel Aleman ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 4, 2021

An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.

A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.

Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.

Pub Date: May 4, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FAMILY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES

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by Daniel Aleman

PERSPECTIVES

From the Caraval series , Vol. 1

by Stephanie Garber ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 31, 2017

Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.

Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.

Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.

Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FAMILY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE

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by Stephanie Garber

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Book summary and reviews of Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

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Long Way Down

by Jason Reynolds

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• Genre: Poetry & Novels in Verse
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About this book

Book summary.

An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller Jason Reynolds's fiercely stunning novel that takes place in sixty potent seconds - the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he's going to murder the guy who killed his brother.

A Newbery Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Honor Book A Printz Honor Book A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner for Young Adult Literature Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature Winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award An Edgar Award Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner An Entertainment Weekly Best YA Book of 2017 A Vulture Best YA Book of 2017 A Buzzfeed Best YA Book of 2017 A cannon. A strap. A piece. A biscuit. A burner. A heater. A chopper. A gat. A hammer A tool for RULE Or, you can call it a gun. That's what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge . That's where Will's now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother's gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he's after. Or does he? As the elevator stops on the sixth floor, on comes Buck. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. And that's when Will sees that one bullet is missing. And the only one who could have fired Shawn's gun was Shawn. Huh. Will didn't know that Shawn had ever actually USED his gun. Bigger huh. BUCK IS DEAD. But Buck's in the elevator? Just as Will's trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. A teenage girl gets on, waves away the smoke from Dead Buck's cigarette. Will doesn't know her, but she knew him. Knew. When they were eight. And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES. And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if WILL gets off that elevator. Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds.

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Book Awards

Media reviews, reader reviews.

"Starred Review. This powerful work is an important addition to any collection." - School Library Journal "Starred Review. The poetry is stark, fluently using line breaks and page-turns for dramatic effect; the last of these reveals the best closing line of a novel this season. Read alone (though best aloud), the novel is a high-stakes moral thriller; it's also a perfect if daring choice for readers' theater." - The Horn Book "Starred Review. Spanning a mere one minute and seven seconds, Reynolds' new free-verse novel is an intense snapshot of the chain reaction caused by pulling a trigger." - Booklist "Starred Review. This astonishing book will generate much needed discussion." - Kirkus Reviews "Starred Review. Written entirely in spare verse, this is a tour de force from a writer who continues to demonstrate his skill as an exceptionally perceptive chronicler of what it means to be a black teen in America." - Publishers Weekly

Author Information

Jason reynolds.

Jason Reynolds is a  New York Times  bestselling author, a Newbery Award Honoree, a Printz Award Honoree, National Book Award Honoree, a  Kirkus  Award winner, a two-time Walter Dean Myers Award winner, an NAACP Image Award Winner, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors. The American Booksellers Association's 2017 and 2018 spokesperson for Indies First, his many books include  When I Was the Greatest ,  Boy in the Black Suit ,  All American Boys  (cowritten with Brendan Kiely),  As Brave as You ,  For Every One , the Track series ( Ghost ,  Patina ,  Sunny , and  Lu ), and  Long Way Down , which received both a Newbery Honor and a Printz Honor. He lives in Washington, DC. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesBooks.com.

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Book Review: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Title: Long Way Down Author: Jason Reynolds Publisher: Atheneum Publication date: May 2, 2019 Length: 306 pages Genre: Young adult fiction Source: Purchased

An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is  New York Times  bestselling author Jason Reynolds’s electrifying novel that takes place in sixty potent seconds—the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he’s going to murder the guy who killed his brother. A cannon. A strap. A piece. A biscuit. A burner. A heater. A chopper. A gat. A hammer A tool for RULE Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching.  Revenge . That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he?

I picked up Long Way Down knowing next to nothing about it. I’d been searching for examples of realistic urban fiction for teens, at the request of my son, and stumbled across a recommendation for Jason Reynolds’s books in general and Long Way Down in particular.

Fortunately for me, I think, I only read the back of the book before starting it, rather than the detailed synopsis above (which I’ve shortened, because I feel like it gives away way too much).

Long Way Down is not what I expected! For starters, I had no idea that it was written in verse. This isn’t an approach I usually gravitate toward, but once I got past my initial reluctance, it completely sucked me in.

The story is sad and straight-forward. Will’s older brother Shawn has been shot and killed. But Will knows where Shawn kept his gun, and he knows what he has to do — find the person who killed Shawn and get revenge.

As Will gets on the elevator from his apartment down to the ground level, Shawn’s gun in his waistband, he starts encountering different people who all have a connection to Will, to Shawn, and to the never-ending cycle of violence that has taken so many lives.

As each new person gets on the elevator, Will learns a little bit more about events of the past, and has one final minute to consider whether or not to get off the elevator, whether or not to go after Shawn’s killer and become a killer himself.

Jason Reynolds’s words are stark and powerful:

I HAD NEVER HELD A GUN. Never even touched one. Heavier than I expected, like holding a newborn except I knew the cry would be much much much much louder.

I tore through this book in an hour, and really do need to go back through it again more slowly to savor the language and the story development.

Jason Reynolds has just been named the newest National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress, which is amazing and awesome. Here’s a clip of an interview with the author:

And here’s a clip of him reading from Long Way Down:

Finally, I love this tweet from a teacher whose students wrote six-word responses to Long Way Down:

I will definitely want to read more books by this talented author. Do you have any recommendations?

Check out Long Way Down , and give a copy to all the teens in your life. It’s an important book, and I’m so glad I gave it a try.

11 thoughts on “ Book Review: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds ”

I’ve heard about this book but this is the first review I’ve read. I definitely want to read this! And I love the narration😁

I found so much good related content once I started poking around on YouTube. Such a talented writer!

Great review! I keep seeing good things about this one, quite curious to pick it up now!

(www.evelynreads.com)

I hope you give it a try! It’s really a unique reading experience.

I’ve been on the waitlist for this book for so long! I’m glad you liked it. Hopefully I’ll read it eventually.

I hope you get it soon!

Love the examples of students’ work!

Me too! I ended up spending a bit of time looking at this teacher’s Twitter posts with the students’ work on other books too. So creative! It’s nice to see high school teachers and students engaged this way.

Great review, Lisa. Your description is excellent – that’s hard to do without giving away what happens. I think I told you that my hs son read this for summer reading. The audiobook version is excellent too – narrated by Reynolds. I recommend it to a lot of parents who are looking for something their kids will get engaged with.

It’s such a great choice. I’d definitely say that parents should read it when their teens do — so much to talk about!

I agree! My co-worker is the Youth Services librarian and she’s the one who recommended it to me. So glad 🙂

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Is Revenge Worth it?: Long Way Down Review

Jason Reynolds is the king of engaging young adult literature. We all know that. But Long Way Down , in my opinion, really kicks it up a notch. In this Long Way Down Lit Literature review, I’ll show you just how powerful, and accessible, this novel in verse is.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful.

What Drew Me to Long Way Down?

Ok, here’s the truth: Long Way Down was my first Jason Reynolds read. I had heard the name everywhere (how could you not?), but none of his titles had really grabbed my attention until Long Way Down came out. 

I had been in the middle of planning my first creative writing class , and I was constantly on the lookout for great novels in verse to use as mentor texts. 

Long Way Down did not disappoint. The poetry alone dazzles, but the story holds your attention captive. It is grungy and edgy in a way that I knew would appeal to my urban students. 

The main character is nineteen-year-old Will. When his brother is murdered in a shooting, Will knows he must do what men do: take care of it.

He leaves his apartment, hellbent on finding his brother’s killer and taking vengeance.

The elevator ride down, however, is an eventful one. On each floor, the elevator stops, allowing a new rider to board. Each of these new characters is a ghost, murdered through the belief of “blood for blood.” And each offers Will advice.

The story is chilling and one that neither you nor your students will forget. 

What Makes A Long Way Down “Lit”?

First and foremost, the story is spellbinding. You ache for Will even as he takes on a gruesome task.

Anyone who has lived with an “eye for an eye” mentality or worked closely with students who do will understand Will’s misguided attempt to do what’s right for his brother.

Even as you’re urging him to STOP. 

One question sits at the center of the story: is revenge worth it? At what cost?

Reynolds tackles this theme so well that I would urge anyone to teach this novel as an anchor text or as a supplemental text to a classic like Hamlet . (It’s a quick enough read to work as a supplemental text in a busy curriculum!)

This idea is fully supported by the free verse writing style. At first glance, the 300-page book looks like a solid read, but when you open it, you can see that Reynolds has made full use of white space in his storytelling.

You can read the whole book in under an hour.

But that hour is full of complex writing and imagery. Jason Reynolds has complete mastery over the words he chooses throughout the book–each more powerful than the last. 

While Reynolds’s writing techniques are sophisticated, his language is easy to comprehend. 

This creates that perfect, elusive, beautiful mix of highly engaging storytelling with easy-to-comprehend language. 

Who’s The Ideal Reader for Long Way Down?

It is this intermingling of advanced writing with common vocabulary that makes Long Way Down the perfect book for reluctant readers.

Will’s moral dilemma will hook reluctant readers. Students will empathize with the position Will finds himself in. 

Meanwhile, Long Way Down will captivate students with excellent examples of writing techniques without bogging readers down with difficult vocabulary or complex sentence structure.  This means more discussion and critical thinking and less time spent on low-level comprehension.

This novel really is a win-win for a whole class novel: the content is complex enough to lend itself to highly engaging discussions and writing activities. But the language can be accessed even by readers who are grade levels behind.

While my gut tells me that this book will appeal to the boys in your classroom, I don’t think it’s a “boy book.” Your girls will want to jump in to intervene with Will just as much as anyone. His suffering is universal.  

Because the content is so dark and deals directly with gun violence, it’s probably safest to save Long Way Down for high school. I could see this going over well in an eighth-grade classroom, but in that case, you might want to warn parents or request permission first. 

Long Way Down Review: The Facts

Title : Long Way Down

Author : Jason Reynolds

Lexile : HL720

Genre : Urban, Realistic Fiction, Poetry

Setting : An elevator ride in an apartment building; present-day

Main Character : Will, a nineteen-year-old teen, distraught and angry over the recent death of his brother.

Number of Pages : 306 (This is deceptive. The writing is all in verse and reads much faster than a narrative of this length would.)

Similar Recommendations :

• A Monster Calls : Both novels are high-low books that could appeal to a wide audience and discuss essential life problems
• Black and White : This is another crowd favorite amongst reluctant readers.

Need even more book recommendations for your classroom? Grab a FREE copy of my Must-Have Classroom Library Titles for High School, and score no-fail book recommendations–including a page dedicated to reluctant readers! Sign up for your FREE copy today!

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Yipee ki-yay, motherbooker

Swearing, rants, reviews, on every level, book review: long way down by jason reynolds.

Anyone who has read a few of my book related posts may know that I have a rocky history with YA fiction and I’m not entirely convinced by contemporary poetry . So you’d think that I’d definitely want to steer clear of a piece of YA fiction written entirely in verse. But Long Way Down is the kind of book that I couldn’t ignore for long. Loads of people I respect on Bookstagram loved it and I heard loads of praise for it in general. So, when To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before proved too much for me to handle, I decided it was time to give it a try. After all, it’s not a very long read so I knew I could blast through it in a matter of hours. And I am still trying, though not very hard, to read more poetry this year. It feels like a novel written in verse is the ideal way of doing this as I sometimes find it difficult to get into poetry. It’s not exactly a normal method of reading when you’ve got a collection of poems loosely tied together by a similar theme but that are all separate. As this one contained such a tight and concise narrative, I was excited to see how it would work.

Long Way Down is a narrative that takes place during a short elevator ride. It’s the story of Will who is dealing with the aftermath of his brother, Shawn, being shot. Growing up, Will was always told to follow “the rules”: don’t cry; don’t snitch; and get revenge. Will thinks he knows who killed Shawn so, according to the rules, he has to do what he has to do. Although, as we learn through the story, Will is struggling to do his duty and he is left in a confusing state of grief, fear, and anger. Throughout his journey, he is visited by the ghosts of his past as he tries to figure out what kind of man he wants to be.

Having read and been underwhelmed by The Hate U Give in August, I was interested to see how Reynolds dealt with the topic of gun violence and the effect that it has on young people. Whilst I think Angie Thomas did a good job I think she got too distracted along the way. Reynolds, however, really taps into the way young people are moulded in the type of culture that builds itself around gun violence. The idea of “the rules” that motivate everyone and cause an endless cycle. He is both literally and figuratively trapped for the duration of the narrative. But Long Way Down isn’t taking an overtly judgemental tone. Yes, it is speaking out against gun violence but it isn’t placing the blame squarely on anyone. That’s not its intention. Instead, it wants to show, through Matt, that there are real casualties beyond the people who end up in body bags.

Through the language and structure of the narrative, we see Will’s helplessness at every turn. The grief at losing a loved one is something we can all understand but he has the added weight of the rules on top of him. All he wants to do is mourn for his brother but, instead, all he can think about is revenge. It’s an idea that most readers won’t be able to understand but the universal theme of loss keeps us with Will. We can empathise with him and understand where some of his decisions are coming from. You experience his feelings with him and you feel his anger burst out of the pages. You see the senselessness of Shawn’s death and can see why Will wants revenge. In grief, all logical thought goes out of the window; something only amplified in a teenager who has already experienced so much loss in his short life.

Long Way Down is a heartbreaking tale that will haunt you long after you close its pages. It is beautifully written and gets to the heart of the issue. There are genuine gut-punching moments that you feel just as hard as Will would. Moments that will stop you in your tracks and force you to process the effect they have on the whole narrative. I think, for the most part, the all verse format really works with the story but I did find myself wanting a little more from some sections. Maybe it’s just the same issue I have with all contemporary poetry but some moments seemed a little too thin. But, for the most part, this is a wonderful but haunting read. It’s something everyone should experience and is a great way to introduce a narrative about an important issue.

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3 thoughts on “ book review: long way down by jason reynolds ”.

I love novels in verse personally and usually find them far different than just regular poetry books.

They do have a very different feel. It’s something I should definitely check out more. I’d welcome any recommendations you may have!

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Long way down.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 9 Reviews
• Kids Say 17 Reviews

Parents Say

Based on 9 parent reviews

Parent Reviews

This title has:

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Ms and hs students love this very readable novel in verse about the cycles of vengeance, no “there” there in a literary sense.

• Too much violence
• Too much swearing
• Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

A powerful and moving story

Moving literary piece for teens, a great message for youth, it’s more about you, than revenge, what to read next.

Dear Martin

All American Boys

The Hate U Give

Coming-of-age books, books about grief, related topics.

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Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds | Book Review

“An intense snapshot of the chain reaction caused by pulling a trigger.” — Booklist (starred review) “Astonishing.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “A tour de force.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) A Newbery Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Honor Book A Printz Honor Book A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner for Young Adult Literature Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award An Edgar Award Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner An Entertainment Weekly Best YA Book of 2017 A Vulture Best YA Book of 2017 A Buzzfeed Best YA Book of 2017 An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds’s electrifying novel that takes place in sixty potent seconds—the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he’s going to murder the guy who killed his brother. A cannon. A strap. A piece. A biscuit. A burner. A heater. A chopper. A gat. A hammer A tool for RULE Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge . That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he? As the elevator stops on the sixth floor, on comes Buck. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. And that’s when Will sees that one bullet is missing. And the only one who could have fired Shawn’s gun was Shawn. Huh. Will didn’t know that Shawn had ever actually USED his gun. Bigger huh. BUCK IS DEAD. But Buck’s in the elevator? Just as Will’s trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. A teenage girl gets on, waves away the smoke from Dead Buck’s cigarette. Will doesn’t know her, but she knew him. Knew. When they were eight. And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES. And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if Will gets off that elevator. Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds.

Jason Reynolds is a master writer. Seriously, everything he writes is just golden. Whether he is writing in long form , interconnected short stories, or free verse, the final product will be excellent.  Long Way Down is a free verse book that I purchased during the campaign to Black Out The Best Seller list. Finally, several months later, I have gotten to it. And am utterly blown away, as always. I am so glad, however, that I saved this book to begin my 2021 reading as it was just spectacular.

Long Way Down is a short free verse book about fifteen year old Will Holloman. Will’s brother Shawn just died and so, Will must follow the rules. The rules are: No Crying, No Snitching, Get Revenge. As the book opens, Will is getting on an elevator to shoot this guy, Riggs, who he believed killed Shawn. As Will goes to the correct floor, different people get onto the elevator with him – people from Will’s past. Each person is someone Will knows who died due to gun violence. Six people. Does Will continue the cycle of violence or will he disrupt it? Your guess is as good as mine, honestly. The ending is left up in the air.

I am, of course, astounded by  Long Way Down . Reynolds’ story has me thinking about where I live. As many of you know I live in a suburb of Syracuse which is no stranger to gun and gang violence. I found myself thinking about the trauma and childhood ACEs people who live in these neighborhoods experience – particularly seeing the news about deaths due to gun violence so consistently.

It has to shake one’s sense of safety. Particularly when you have the rules to follow like Will does. The violence is show to be cyclical but also nonsensical in this book. And well, I find myself still wondering what choice Will ends up making and just so profoundly impacted. This is one of those books I am really excited to pass along – particularly to youth that I know will see themselves reflected in this.  Long Way Down was a worthy read to start the year with.

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April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

I agree! I discovered Reynolds with an audio version of All American Boys and I just can’t get enough! This one was also great on audio. It’s short, so easy to listen to it twice. A work of art.

I loved this book and I want to pick up the graphic novel! I agree with Carrie that the audio is amazing. I think it was only an hour long.

I read this book a couple of years ago and I still think about it from time to time. I need the graphic novel!

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Long Way Down

The graphic novel.

• Fixed Layout eBook

Trade Paperback

LIST PRICE $12.99

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Table of Contents

• Rave and Reviews

About The Book

About the author.

Jason Reynolds is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, a Newbery Award Honoree, a Printz Award Honoree, a two-time National Book Award finalist, a Kirkus Award winner, a UK Carnegie Medal winner, a two-time Walter Dean Myers Award winner, an NAACP Image Award Winner, an Odyssey Award Winner and two-time honoree, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors and the Margaret A. Edwards Award. He was also the 2020–2022 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. His many books include All American Boys (cowritten with Brendan Kiely); When I Was the Greatest ; The Boy in the Black Suit ; Stamped ; As Brave as You ; For Every One ; the Track series ( Ghost, Patina, Sunny , and Lu ); Look Both Ways ; Stuntboy, in the Meantime ; Ain’t Burned All the Bright (recipient of the Caldecott Honor) and My Name Is Jason. Mine Too. (both cowritten with Jason Griffin); and Long Way Down , which received a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Coretta Scott King Honor. His debut picture book, There Was a Party for Langston , won a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. He lives in Washington, DC. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesBooks.com.

About The Illustrator

Danica Novgorodoff is an artist, writer, graphic designer, and horse wrangler who lives in Kentucky. Her books include Jason Reynolds’s Long Way Down graphic novel. She was awarded a 2015 New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in literature and was named Sarabande Books’s 2016 writer-in-residence. She has been a fellow at the MacDowell Colony, Blue Mountain Center, VCCA, Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts, and Willapa Bay AiR. Visit her online at DanicaNovgorodoff.com.

Product Details

• Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books (February 1, 2022)
• Length: 208 pages
• ISBN13: 9781534444966
• Grades: 9 and up
• Ages: 14 - 99
• Lexile ® HL630L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Browse Related Books

• Age 12 and Up
• Lexile ® 591 - 690
• Teen Fiction > Comics & Graphic Novels
• Teen Fiction > Family
• Teen Fiction > Social Themes > Violence

Related Articles

• 9 Graphic Novels You Don’t Want to Miss! - Simon Teen
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Raves and Reviews

*"A moving rendition that stands on its own."

– Kirkus, starred review

*"Novgorodoff’s watercolors, which bleed at the edges like pavement stains, match the text in mood and fluency, and by putting faces to characters, they tacitly untangle the web of revenge killings and mistaken identities foundational to the plot."

– BCCB, starred review

*"Reynolds’s words paint pictures of their own in this tragic yet poignant illustrated tale that offers no answers to the seemingly ­impossible choices some communities face."

– School Library Journal, starred review

*"Far more than just an illustration of the events of the novel, Novgorodoff’s iteration powerfully cultivates the tone and mood of its source material, demonstrating just how effective and artful comics can be."

– Booklist, starred review

"Danica Novgorodoff has done a superb job of graphically capturing the gritty emotions of the original story—the anguish, the cyclical bloodshed, and the terror of the present situation." Highly Recommended

– School Library Connection, November-December 2020

"Reynolds has skillfully edited and rearranged his original verse novel to create room for Novgorodoff’s impressionistic ink and watercolor illustrations to flourish, resulting in an adaptation that feels authentic to its new comics format."

– Horn Book Magazine *STARRED*, January/February 2021

"In his YA novel Long Way Down , Jason Reynolds uses the painful past to reveal the difficulty between doing what you are taught is right and doing what is moral. Danica Novgorodoff's ink-and-watercolor illustrations are a beautiful addition to Reynolds's lyrical text. A gorgeously illustrated reinterpretation of the novel."

– Shelf Awareness for Readers, November 17, 2020

Awards and Honors

• Iowa Teen Award
• Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee (MD)
• ALA Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
• ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens
• Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Selection Title
• Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List (TX)
• Just One More Page Recommendation List
• Beehive Award Nominee
• Arkansas Teen Book Award Master list
• North Star YA Award Finalist (ME)

Resources and Downloads

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• Book Cover Image (jpg): Long Way Down Trade Paperback 9781534444966

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Long Way Down

Reviewed by shea martin.

This ain’t the year for sugarcoating the truth. Jason Reynolds’s 2017 novel,  Long Way Down,  gives it to us in heart-wrenching verse that demands we pay attention — not only to the story, but also to our own truth. Readers spend the novel on an elevator ride full of grief, memories, love, and possibility with the protagonist, Will. A story that addresses the complexities of family, loyalty, and violence, Long Way Down is a meditation in duty and love in its rawest forms. Often, Reynolds’ truth is a gut-punch (especially in this year): “People always love people more when they are dead.” A book of promises, regrets, and “I love you’s” that reads like a part-diary, part-family reunion,  Long Way Down  stares you down and dares you to deal with your loss, isolation, and grief of 2020.

Publisher's Synopsis: “An intense snapshot of the chain reaction caused by pulling a trigger.” — Booklist (starred review) “Astonishing.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “A tour de force.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) A Newbery Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Honor Book A Printz Honor Book A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner for Young Adult Literature Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award An Edgar Award Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner An Entertainment Weekly Best YA Book of 2017 A Vulture Best YA Book of 2017 A Buzzfeed Best YA Book of 2017

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Long Way Down Audio CD – Unabridged, January 28, 2020

• Print length 1 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Simon & Schuster Audio and Blackstone Publishing
• Publication date January 28, 2020
• Grade level 2 - 9
• Reading age 13 - 17 years
• Dimensions 5.7 x 0.6 x 5.7 inches
• ISBN-10 1797107437
• ISBN-13 978-1797107431
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

"A raw, powerful, and emotional depiction of urban violence. The structure of the novel heightens the tension, as each stop of the elevator brings a new challenge until the narrative arrives at its taut, ambiguous ending."

"A tour de force from a writer who continues to demonstrate his skill as an exceptionally perceptive chronicler of what it means to be a black teen in America."

"Readers learn about the cycle of violence in which Will is caught up. The protagonist faces a difficult choice, one that is a reality for many young people...This powerful work is an important addition to any collection."

"Spanning a mere one minute and seven seconds, Reynolds' new free-verse novel is an intense snapshot of the chain reaction caused by pulling a trigger...Reynolds' concise verses echo like shots... In this all-too-real portrait of survival, Reynolds goes toe-to-toe with where, or even if, love and choice are allowed to exist."

"This novel['s] potency is increased by the narration of author Jason Reynolds...Reynolds excels at delivering dramatic pauses in the short poems, which are packed with sensory details and emotions that anchor listeners even as they stun with painful beauty...As if the raw poignancy isn't enough, Reynolds's rich voice transports listeners...Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award."

"Will's voice emerges through free-verse poems that are arresting in their imagery and convincing in their conversational cadence. Gripping and lightning fast, this will be a strong recommendation for discussion, particularly within groups of varied reading interests and abilities."

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster Audio and Blackstone Publishing; Unabridged edition (January 28, 2020)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Audio CD ‏ : ‎ 1 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1797107437
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1797107431
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 17 years
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 2 - 9
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.7 x 0.6 x 5.7 inches
• #1,073 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Social & Family Violence (Books)
• #2,546 in Teen & Young Adult Siblings Fiction
• #32,687 in Books on CD

About the author

Jason reynolds.

The first name bits:

What Jason knows is that there are a lot — A LOT — of people, young, old, and in-between, who hate reading. He knows that many of these book haters are boys. He knows that many of these book-hating boys, don't actually hate books, they hate boredom. If you are reading this, and you happen to be one of these boys, first of all, you're reading this Jason's master plan is already working (muahahahahahaha) and second of all, know that Jason totally feels you. He REALLY does. Because even though he's a writer, he hates reading boring books too.

So here's what he plans to do: NOT WRITE BORING BOOKS.

That's it, and that's all.

Now, for the last name bits:

Jason Reynolds is an award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author. Jason’s many books include Miles Morales: Spider Man, the Track series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu), Long Way Down, which received a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Correta Scott King Honor, and Look Both Ways, which was a National Book Award Finalist. His latest book, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, is a collaboration with Ibram X. Kendi. Recently named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Jason has appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and CBS This Morning. He is on faculty at Lesley University, for the Writing for Young People MFA Program and lives in Washington, DC. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesBooks.com.

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 78% 14% 5% 1% 2% 78%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 78% 14% 5% 1% 2% 14%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 78% 14% 5% 1% 2% 5%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 78% 14% 5% 1% 2% 1%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 78% 14% 5% 1% 2% 2%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the writing quality amazing and powerful. They also describe the writing style as very well written, fast paced, and real emotions expressed poetically. Readers say the storyline makes the story come alive and ends with a gut punch. They find the content thought-provoking and great for young adults and adults alike. Customers also mention the emotional content as haunting and broken. They describe the pacing as incredibly moving and making it flow. Customers describe the originality as unique and fresh.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the writing quality amazing, impactful, and easy to read. They also say it makes its powerful point with a stunning economy of words.

" Great book ! Easy read and really makes you stop and think.I wish I could have bought a copy for each of my students...." Read more

"...I decided to check it out. This book was so great , that I read it in a day...." Read more

" Excellent book that I couldn't put down. Highly recommend" Read more

"...My only complaint about this incredible little book , and the reason that I only gave it 4 stars, is that it was so short that it was incredibly..." Read more

Customers find the writing style well written, quick, and detailed. They also appreciate the tight poetry, haunting words, and masterful use of structure and setting. Readers say the book is in verse and they finish it quickly.

"Great book! Easy read and really makes you stop and think.I wish I could have bought a copy for each of my students...." Read more

"...The poetic language is beautifully written and enhances the anticipation of finishing the novel through its entirety...." Read more

"...Reynolds set a completely new standard with his writing, eloquence and articulation ...." Read more

"...This is a quick read since it is written in verse. I am not sure how I feel about the ending...." Read more

Customers find the storyline fantastic, with no words wasted in the telling. They also say the ending is open to interpretation and captures their attention.

"This was such a unique experience! The author used poetry to tell their story ! Left you wanting more! Great conversation staters!" Read more

"... Loved every minute of the story . I really hope this gets made into a movie someday...." Read more

"I read this in school with my students. They love the story , and it's great for teaching poetry...." Read more

Customers find the content thought-provoking, simple, and powerful. They also say the book has the potential for deep conversations about gun violence and gun violence. Readers also mention that the book contains a unique depth of emotion and expression. They say the story is great for teaching poetry.

"...Left you wanting more! Great conversation staters !" Read more

"...Its fun and a great conversation piece ." Read more

"...They love the story, and it's great for teaching poetry . They can understand the poetic devices better since they can understand the poems." Read more

"...This was such a powerful way to illustrate the issue of gun violence, particularly its prevalence among youth...." Read more

Customers find the book's adult content great, intense, and appropriate for upper middle school and high school. They also say it's readable and accessible to readers of all levels.

"This is a great novel for students who loathe reading ." Read more

"This is a great book for students 8 grade and up. My kid used this over the summer break to complete their assignments...." Read more

"...Written for teens, this novel is enjoyable for both adults and teens , as evident by the fact our entire family read it and have had many animated..." Read more

"...Highly accessible, book is written in verse and is approachable by young readers . Will captivate even struggling readers about reality." Read more

Customers find the book powerful, poetic, tragic, and thought-provoking. They also say it's blunt yet introspective, and that it will make them think and bring compassion into a situation. Customers also mention that the words are haunting and broken.

"...and diction spreads from page to page making this piece of work emotionally tearing ...." Read more

"...But it's very well written, real emotions expressed poetically ." Read more

"...Will’s words are so haunting and broken ; he’s lost his big brother, his hero, and now all he wants is to follow the rules – the rules that he’s been..." Read more

"... Heartbreakingly beautiful verse that flows naturally until it stops or slows to strike us...." Read more

Customers find the pacing of the book very moving, captivating, intense, riveting, and flowing. They also say the story stays in their hearts in a way most stories don't.

"Great book! Easy read and really makes you stop and think .I wish I could have bought a copy for each of my students...." Read more

"This was such a unique experience ! The author used poetry to tell their story! Left you wanting more! Great conversation staters!" Read more

"Very good for my daughter she loved it said it was thrilling and appeals to her definitely made her want to read some more of his other books I..." Read more

"... Riveting ." Read more

Customers find the book unique, intriguing, and genre-bending. They also describe it as a genre-breaking masterpiece.

"...He manages to deliver clear, distinct and important messages with just a few words...." Read more

"...It is brilliant, creative , and necessary and is simply one of the best books I've read in 2017!" Read more

"...The plot is clever and refreshingly different . The message, the voices, the themes are powerful...." Read more

"... Unique , raw, powerful, real, tragic ; so thought provoking." Read more

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