Ten Blocks in a neighbourhood. Ten stories. Each one about kids hanging with their friends at school then walking home afterwards. This is the time secrets are shared, deals are done, and friends can experience new adventures without an adult’s supervision guiding what they say or do or share.

This can be a magical time when friends work together to help another ask a girl out. There might be a plan put into action to make 90 cents into 9 dollars. A girl and boy can be just walking, knowing they are best friends and that’s all – even with the presence of boogers. One boy might be saving another from endless teasing about a kiss, or a girl might be visiting a grave after skateboarding through the school corridors.

Or it could be meeting someone dreading the walk home – wondering how to get past a mean dog, or maybe another braving the school corridors on a friend’s back. The more children we meet, the more we get to know this neighbourhood and the quirky characters that inhabit their lives.

Some stories will intersect in places, but one thing they all have in common is a school bus falling from the sky.

Every day around the world, children and teenagers stream out of school gates. Many catch a school bus or walk home. This is a slot of time that isn’t school, or isn’t home. It’s a magical slice of day that can become so many things. Each child or teen has their own thoughts or plans for what comes after, or just enjoys the time with their friends on the short journey.

Every child is different depending on what’s going on at school or home with parents or friends or dreams or worries and this is what Jason Reynolds taps into with the multi award winning book Look Both Ways.

The stories are authentic, moving, funny and wonderfully readable in every way. Can be read as short stories or a read aloud. See how many connections you can make and try and choose your favourite. They are all compelling.

2021 Carnegie Medal Winner

A New York Times Best Children’s Book of 2019
A Time Best Children’s Book of 2019
A Today Show Best Kids’ Book of 2019
A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2019
A School Library Journal Best Middle Grade Book of 2019
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2019
A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of 2019

Author – Jason Reynolds

Age – 10+

(2019, Simon & Schuster, School, Relationships, Middle Grade, Friendships, Parents, Love, Respect, Teachers, School Bus, Classroom, Gaming, Call of Duty, Worries, Dreams, Crushes, Kiss, Jumped, Humour, Funny, Realism, Short Stories, Connections, Carnegie Medal, Multi Award Winner, Family, Skateboard, Growing Up, Authentic, Moving)