Chrystal D. Giles

I kind of hate the cover, which is a bummer, because this is a firecracker of a book. Excellent characters, living through a hard time and finding ways forward. Laurence misses his father, worries about his mom and sister, is intimidated by his grandmother, and is struggling with white kids beating him up regularly at school. I hate that the message of this book is that there is no good reason to fight. I love that the message of this book is that there's no good reason to fight. I show more appreciate so much that one of the other kids gives him the context of taking power back -- why did you let him provoke you? You're smarter than that. And then chess becomes a theme, and it is about looking outside the moment to the larger context -- masterfully done, and messaging that I think the audience will be able to use.

I also really love that this is a story about hard work, realistic expectations, and things gradually improving. Also that there are incarcerated parents and complicated feelings. show less

"Wes Henderson wants to focus on championing his swag in middle school but instead confronts a larger challenge as his neighborhood is threatened by the forces of gentrification.

Giles debuts with a novel that provides a probing look into the complex topic of gentrification and its ever present reality for low-income urban Black neighborhoods. Wes, a Black boy and the only child of two community activist parents, would rather spend his time getting fresh to defend his fifth grade Best Dressed show more title than be out every weekend protesting in the hot sun. However, he’s beginning to notice the accumulating effects of neighborhood shifts; his longtime friend Kari’s family was just pushed out of their home, and there’s the arrival of new stores that ask you to “build-your-own burger” and “grind-your-own coffee.” The tensions are even beginning to affect his longtime crew as the friends navigate their own different positions. What shines throughout the book is the power of intergenerational community organizing, as the text does an admirable job of highlighting the practices and networks for defending one’s home, chosen family, and history. Younger readers may require support in decoding and connecting some of the complex concepts in this book; it could sit at the center of a transformative collective reading experience. The story echoes contemporary realities that, as its culmination indicates, take an entire community to confront, and it will undoubtedly push readers into action.

An ambitious invitation for young readers that delivers promise for all. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-13)" A Kirkus Starred Review, www.kirkusreviews.com show less

This is excellent — social justice, friend drama, burgeoning awareness of personal power in the face of gentrification. Lots of big changes are coming to the neighborhood and it’s a big year for Wes. I appreciated that his journey gives him some empowerment. While the various difficulties he and his friends navigate are hard, they also find ways to come out ok. Good characters, realistic and relatable issues.

Twelve-year-old Lawrence has been through a lot lately, including moving from Charlotte to a much smaller town in North Carolina with many extended family members in the same household. When he gets into trouble at school one too many times, Lawrence ends up taking a 'job' with their new neighbor at the local recreation center. There, Lawrence learns how to play chess and is told he just might be good enough to enter a tournament back in Charlotte.

This book was a bit of a slow burn, as it show more took about halfway in before I really started to feel invested. The beginning definitely spent a lot of time on little details that didn't really matter. Lawrence was also a pretty passive protagonist, so it was a little hard to root for him at times because of his total lack of personality. However, despite not being a fan of chess myself, I felt like the book finally took off when chess was introduced and Lawrence starts to make some new friends -- and enemies -- through this game.

I struggle a little with seeing which kids will really enjoy this book because it did take so long to get going, but perhaps readers who really love chess will stay for it, or readers who can identify with Lawrence's circumstances a little more will be compelled to see what happens to him. It was not a bad book by any means and it was written pretty well, but I think it could have been shorter and fared just fine -- if not better. show less