Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds



1. Bibliography:
Reynolds, Jason. 2017. Long Way Down. New York: Atheneum. ISBN: 9781481438261

2. Plot Summary:
Will struggles internally to deal with the emotions of his brother Shawn’s death. Will meets six ghosts that all intertwine together around gun violence.

3. Character:
Will is a young boy who is dealing with the rough street life, and the murder of his brother. The strong emotional feeling Will fights with, connects to any reader. As the protagonist, his perception at this young age to follow the rules, to get revenge to survive the street life. Which leads to the conflicts within himself, the streets, and the ghosts all go around, “the rules: no crying, no snitching, and revenge”.
The six ghosts he meets each one has a poignant impact on his decision to make on getting revenge for his brother Shawn. Each one sends a message to Will about what he wants to do. The most powerful one is not their story, but when Shawn asks him “you coming” which means are you ready to die. In their own ways each ghost explains how precious life is, if you stay on the elevator, you will continue to do the same things. If you get off, you change the way things are going.

4. Setting with Diversity:
The diverse settings are described in several places. In the streets of a heavily populated gang area. The Dark Suns gang are a few blocks from their apartment. Which is a high influence on kids on the streets to stay alive. They hear the pop, pop, sound they know to hit the ground or hide. Sometimes the innocent end up in the cross fire. Dani was a little girl on the playground, and she could not get off the monkey bars in time. The main setting is in the elevator. The elevator symbolizes the afterlife. Each floor it stops on gives him a change to stop what he is wanting to do.

5. Illustrations: There are no illustrations. The only illustration like is a rubbing of different textures. This can represent the different layers of the diverse culture. Some may goes sideways or up and down, that could be the feelings or survival of the streets. Each chapter has circular figures with numbers. This represents the elevator going down. The book is written in free verse. There are words like Riggs off to the right of the page while the rest of the work is on the left. The author does provide a visual of anagrams, “cool=loco” this symbolizes the change that could happen with the main character too.

6. Theme:
Making life choices that can alter the rest of your life. The author want to relay that you do not have to make choices that follows rules that can get you hurt. Thinking about choices that promotes and better your life.

7. Cultural Markers:
The author engages the readers into the world of violent, but letting them know it does not have to be this way. By giving them this choice it empowers the readers. The stereotypes are blended so flawlessly within the story. Gang members all want to get revenge on someone. The authenticity of this everyday life is true to form. Riggs wanting to prove him to his community by joining the Dark Suns gang. The author does not show evidence of which culture his is writing about. It could stand for any culture that is involved with gangs, and gun violence. There are no source notes, or biographical information which indicates that he is qualified to write about the culture. The minority characters are not shown as equal. They are shown as poor, and gang related. They will not better themselves by following the rules. The slang used in the dialect is spelled correctly, “forreal”, but it is not a correct use of the word. This has multicultural characteristics that can stand on its own. It provides a very powerful potency of understanding this culture.

8. Connections Teacher and Library corner:
Students will write rules of survival of their choice. They pick what they want to tell the class how to survive. It can be funny to serious like, the cafeteria food, walking home, football practice, and my dad. They will go through the writing process. Upon final copy they will write their final paper in verse form.

9. You Tube Connections:

Talk with Jason Reynolds about his book.
There is not an official book trailer, but there are several book trailer made from other people on YouTube.

10. Review Excerpts:
“An intense snapshot of the chain reaction caused by pulling a trigger.” Booklist
“Astonishing.” Kirkus Reviews
“A tour de force.” Publishers Weekly

11. Children’s Reviews:
“This book keeps you in suspense and you can’t predict who’s coming in next.” Sydnie Short
“Awesome literary elements using poetry to tell a story about choice, culture and expectations.” Classroominmotion

12. Awards and Recognitions:
2018 Newbery Honor Book
Coretta Scott King Honor Book
Printz Honor Book
Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Awards
Winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award

13. Book suggestions by Jason Reynolds:
All American Boys ISBN: 9781481463348
Miles Morales Spider-Man ISBN: 9781484788509

Other book suggestions:
Dear Martin by Nic Stone ISBN: 9781101939529
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo ISBN: 9780062662804

14. Official Site of Jason Reynolds:
https://www.jasonwritesbooks.com/

15. My Rating:
I give this book 5 stars. The message was so powerful. The author really gave you the point of view of how a teen will thrive on the streets. This could influence 
youth of today.

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