What stands out most about As Brave as You, by Jason Reynolds, is that the main character, Genie, is a well-drawn adolescent—a quirky, innocent, curious boy who is stretching into himself.
Genie keeps a pocket list of questions and observations that are interspersed throughout the story—questions and observations like:
“#460: Poop. Poop is stupid. Stupid poo. Stupid. Poopid. Poopidity. Is Poopidity a word?”
I put this book on my 10-year-old’s summer reading list, because I knew he would love it. And I was right—he burst out laughing at the first line. Genie’s recorded observation was followed up by a scene that included, you guessed it, poo.
Perfect for a boy.
Here are three things I enjoyed most about it:
The bond between Genie and his brother, Ernie. Reynolds expertly portrayed the relationship between two brothers—how they could occasionally get on each other’s nerves but very much loved one another.
The overall premise. In As Brave as You, Genie and Ernie were two city boys going to see their grandparents in the country. They did country things—picking sweet peas, flinging dung, going to the flea market—and it all contributed to stretching them into stronger and braver boys. It was charming.
The voice. Every character Reynolds writes has a distinctive voice that rings through the pages. I loved getting to know Genie and his hopes, dreams, fears, and questions.
My favorite line in the book was this one:
“When it comes to devising plans, well, that’s for detectives and criminals. But when it comes to executing plans, well, that’s for ninjas.”
As Brave as You, is all the wondrous language, adventure, and real-life characterization that I’ve come to expect from Reynolds.
The book mentioned above has an affiliate link attached to it, which means I’ll get a small kick-back if you click on it and purchase. But I only recommend books I enjoy reading myself. Actually, I don’t even talk about books I didn’t enjoy. I’d rather forget I ever wasted time reading them. (But if you’re curious whether I’ve read something and what I thought about it, don’t hesitate to ask.)
