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Jason Reynolds is a stronghold of children’s and young adult books. While his middle-grade Track series has put Reynolds at the top of the charts in recent years, he is no stranger to great acclaim. Reynolds’ ALL AMERICAN BOYS is still a favorite amongst young adult teachers and librarians, and his work with children in low-income schools and maximum-security prisons is unparalleled. What I am trying to say is that Jason Reynolds “gets” kids and writes for them in a way that is bright, generous and never condescending.

"With his trademark brilliance, attention to detail and respect for his readers, Reynolds crafts a painful, enlightening story that no reader will want to miss."

In LONG WAY DOWN, Reynolds takes on the timely issue of gun violence through the eyes of 15-year-old Will, whose brother was recently gunned down on their neighborhood streets. The novel is written in verse and takes place in sixty seconds --- the amount of time it takes Will to ride his building’s elevator to the ground floor, where he will find his brother’s murderer and shoot him.

Much like grief, the story unfolds quickly and powerfully --- Reynolds’ staccato verses mimic the painful, ping-pong like thoughts one feels after a traumatic event. As Will rides down the elevator, he recounts the “rules,” the most important of which is revenge. Will’s brother taught him the rules before his death and Will is clearly grasping to them as a coping mechanism.

As Will rides the elevator, it makes a number of stops on the way down. At each one, a ghost from his past steps in, each one murdered by a gun. The ghosts do not make moralistic appeals to Will, but rather provoke him by asking him what exactly he plans to do with the gun in his jeans. Does he really think he has the right guy? Is he sure he won’t miss?

As the elevator fills with ghosts both real and imagined, the book begins to take on a claustrophobic air. Will’s mind, cluttered and fractured by grief begins to break down, allowing him to fully accept his grief and, for the first time, break a cardinal rule: “Do not cry.”

With his trademark brilliance, attention to detail and respect for his readers, Reynolds crafts a painful, enlightening story that no reader will want to miss. Give this to your reluctant readers, guy readers and anyone looking for a quick, but deeply powerful read.

Reviewed by Derek Lipton on November 2, 2017

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

• Publication Date: April 2, 2019
• Genres: Fiction , Young Adult 12+
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
• ISBN-10: 1481438263
• ISBN-13: 9781481438261

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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

Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

New York Times Bestseller

DIVINE RIVALS

by Rebecca Ross ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 4, 2023

Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy.

A war between gods plays havoc with mortals and their everyday lives.

In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette . Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world.

Pub Date: April 4, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-250-85743-9

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023

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

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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!

Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel

Jason reynolds , danica novgorodoff  ( illustrator ).

First published October 27, 2020

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Jason Reynolds

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Long Way Down : Book summary and reviews of Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Summary | Reviews | More Information | More Books

Long Way Down

by Jason Reynolds

Critics' Opinion:

Readers' rating:

Published Oct 2017 320 pages Genre: Poetry & Novels in Verse Publication Information

Rate this book

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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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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Long Way Down Book Review

• Novel Studies , Secondary ELA

If you’re looking for a new book to add to your classroom reading list, consider Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. This novel tells the story of a teenager who must grapple with the aftermath of his brother’s shooting. While it is an important story about gun violence, it is also an uplifting tale of family, friendship, and finding your way in the world. 

Overview of “Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds

“Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds is a gripping novel that centers around fifteen-year-old Will and his struggle with tragedy after tragedy.

When the novel opens, Will’s brother was recently killed in a senseless shooting and the book follows Will through his journey of revenge and understanding.

As he descends on an elevator with a gun in hand, he meets ghosts along the way who help him reconcile his life’s choices and ultimately rewrite his own story.

The characters are raw, realistic, and powerful, offering readers an emotional experience unlike any other.

“Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds is a book that’ll stay with you long after you’ve finished it. surface-level answers, fostering meaningful conversation and reflecting on their own ideas. In this way, Socratic Seminars are invaluable tools for the high school classroom, helping students grow not only in their understanding of the text but also in their ability to engage thoughtfully in discourse.

The Plot of Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

“Long Way Down” tells an intense, heartbreaking story focusing on the central character, Will. After his brother is shot and killed under mysterious circumstances, he sets out to take revenge on the perpetrator – only to be taken on a journey of unexpected self-discovery.

He faces difficult choices and powerful emotions as he embarks on his quest for justice, learning about himself through the detours and dead ends along the way.

The supporting characters lend further nuance to the plot, including Will’s mother Grace with her fierce protectiveness of her son, and his best friend Shawn who ultimately has Will’s back when it matters most.

With drama, emotion and complexity at its core, “Long Way Down” is a thought-provoking story that will stay with you long after you finish reading.

How this book can be used in a classroom setting

“Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds is an incredibly powerful and thought-provoking novel that teaches essential lessons about what happens when we are faced with difficult decisions.

Students can relate to the main character who finds himself in a horrifying situation, struggling to overcome his grief.

Not only does the book’s raw emotion capture its readers, but it also has strong messages about self-reflection and understanding consequences.

Its gripping storyline and vivid imagery make it a great addition to any classroom, facilitating conversations among students and motivating them to think more deeply on complex topics.

Additionally, the book can spark meaningful debates and perspectives on freedom of expression, racism, gun violence, class divisions, family trauma, and more. “Long Way Down” prompts readers to grapple with these challenging issues in a captivating way that creates space for open dialogue and exploration.

Activties and Ideas for Teaching Long Way Down

“Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds is a powerful and thought-provoking read for teens. It is the perfect choice for young adult book clubs, offering lots of potential for meaningful conversations and engaging activities.

Reading circle discussions could focus on themes such as grief, violence, justice and belonging.

To really delve deep into the novel’s content, activities like poetry writing and creative art projects with the story’s motifs would be a great way to explore the plot and characters in more depth.

By focusing on an activity or two inspired by this fantastic work, readers are sure to get even more out of their experience with this extraordinary book.

This book is an important addition to your classroom library

Jason Reynolds’ “Long Way Down” is an incredibly thought-provoking, relevant and lyrical young adult novel that should be a staple on any teacher’s bookshelf.

Reynolds masterfully examines issues of family ties, gang violence, gun control and grief in a way that will invite teenagers to engage in deep conversations about morality and social issues.

The eloquently expressed themes of trauma, prejudice and power are both heartbreaking and inspiring for young adults.

As teachers work to instill critical thinking skills into their students, this book offers an accessible yet profound lens with which to explore challenging topics in an engaging way.

No time to lesson plan?

The book has recieved many literary awards.

“Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds has been widely acclaimed since its release and has gone on to receive a plethora of awards and accolades.

At the Kirkus Prize, it was awarded in Young Readers Literature.

It also was nominated for an NAACP Image Award and made the New York Times bestseller list.

In 2019 “Long Way Down” received the Coretta Scott King Award Honor Book for an African-American author and has earned numerous starred reviews from professional journals, such as School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly and Booklist.

Additionally, it won Best Fiction for Young Adults from the YALSA group – which is part of the American Library Association – in 2018.

It’s no wonder books like these stay popular year after year; they enlighten readers with every turn of a page and provide children with thought-provoking stories that inspire joy and growth at the same time!

Jason Reynold's is the master of engaging reluctant readers

“Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds is an incredibly engaging book for all readers, especially those who may be more reluctant.

Not only does it feature a compelling story line and characters, but Reynolds also writes with a rhythmic flow that is hard to put down once you get started.

This mixed with the non-linear structure of the book makes it great for any reader that may have trouble sticking to long pieces of literature.

The shifts in point of view also serve to keep the narrative fresh, making it a great read no matter how many times you pick it up.

If you’re looking for something to engage even the most hesitant reader, then “Long Way Down” is definitely worth checking out!

In conclusion, for teachers looking for an excellent book to engage their students, look no further than Jason Reynolds’s “Long Way Down”.

This powerful story about grief, hope and redemption can provide readers with food for thought and spark meaningful conversations in the classroom.

Not only does the novel tackle important issues such as violence and mortality, but by making use of various activities and discussion topics, the book is sure to engage reluctant readers.

With its multiple awards and rave reviews, “Long Way Down” is definitely a worthy addition to any teacher’s library.

No matter if teachers are interested in teaching literature or studying sociological issues in depth; this masterpiece will add value to any English class. And every reader will be able to take away something different out of this powerful story.

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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.

Product Details

• Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books (April 2, 2019)
• Length: 336 pages
• ISBN13: 9781481438261
• Grades: 7 and up
• Ages: 12 - 99
• Lexile ® HL720L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®
• Fountas & Pinnell™ Z+ These books have been officially leveled by using the F&P Text Level Gradient™ Leveling System

Browse Related Books

• Age 12 and Up
• Lexile ® 691 - 790
• Teen Fiction > Family
• Teen Fiction > Novels in Verse
• Teen Fiction > Social Themes > Violence

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Awards and Honors

• ALA Newbery Honor Book
• ALA Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book
• ALA Notable Children's Books
• CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
• Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Master List
• CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
• Flicker Tale Award (ND)
• ILA Young Adults' Choices
• Oregon Battle of the Books List
• ALA Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
• Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee (AZ)
• Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best
• Kansas NEA Reading Circle List High School Title
• NYPL Best Books for Teens
• NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts
• YALSA Teens Top Ten (TTT) Nominee
• Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Master List (IL)
• Great Lakes Great Books Master List (MI)
• Blue Hen Book Award Nominee (DE)
• ILA Notable Books for a Global Society
• Volunteer State Book Award Nominee (TN)
• Iowa High School Book Award Nominee
• High School Sequoyah Book award Master List (OK)
• Evergreen High School Book Award (WA)
• North Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee
• Edgar Allan Poe Award
• Nutmeg Book Award (CT)
• ALA Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
• Young Adult Reading Program Reading List Selection (SD)
• Soaring Eagle Book Award (WY)
• Truman Reader Award Final Nominee (MO)
• Isinglass Award Nominee (NH)
• Great Lakes Book Award
• Amelia Elizabeth Walden Finalist (NCTE/ALAN)
• ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award
• ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults - Top Ten
• Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Selection Title
• ALA Notable Children's Recording
• Odyssey Honor for Audio
• National Book Award Longlist
• TAYSHAS Reading List Top Ten Title (TX)
• Pennsylvania Reader's Choice Award Nominee
• Amazing Audiobooks for YA
• Wisconsin State Reading Association's Reading List
• Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award Nominee
• Virginia Readers’ Choice Award
• Louisiana Teen Readers' Choice Award Nominee
• Walter Dean Myers Award
• Arnold Adoff Poetry Award
• Arkansas Teen Book Award
• Oregon Reader's Choice Award Nominee
• Intermediate Sequoyah Book Award Master List (OK)
• Great Texas Mosquito List
• California Young Reader Medal finalist
• Milwaukee County Teen Book Award
• South Carolina Book Award Nominee
• Land of Enchantment Black Bear Book Award
• Rhode Island Teen Book Award Honor Title

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• Book Cover Image (jpg): Long Way Down Trade Paperback 9781481438261

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Book Details

Genre: , age level: .

• Mature Young Adult

There’s a code that you live by on the streets, a code with three simple rules. One, no matter what, there is no crying. Two, no matter what, there is no snitching. And three, no matter what, always get revenge. Will’s family has lived by these guidelines for years, and he’s not going to be the first one to ignore them when his older brother, Shawn, is shot on the streets. But the elevator ride down is a long one, and a lot can change in those seven floors...

• Read more about Long Way Down review by MissKatieC

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Social Justice Books

Critically reviewed selection of multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators.

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: the graphic novel, common sense media reviewers.

Powerful tale of Black teen's search for revenge.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Long Way Down offers the chance to discuss gun vio

Family members turn to each other for strength aft

Will idolizes his older brother Shawn, who pays th

A half-dozen shootings occur in this story. Someti

Will and Shawn talk about and exaggerate their exp

Infrequent strong language -- one or two instances

Adult and teen characters sell drugs on the street

Parents need to know that this is a graphic novel adaptation of Jason Reynolds' award-winning novel in verse. As he rides the elevator down from his sixth-floor apartment, Will remembers his older brother, recently killed in a street shooting. On each floor, Will meets various people who have been shot to death, and…

Educational Value

Long Way Down offers the chance to discuss gun violence and what can be done to prevent it.

Positive Messages

Family members turn to each other for strength after tragedy. An eye for a eye only leads to more violence.

Positive Role Models

Will idolizes his older brother Shawn, who pays the price for his poor choices. People from the neighborhood want Will to take the time to think through what killing someone means,

Violence & Scariness

A half-dozen shootings occur in this story. Sometimes the shootings are only alluded to, but there are illustrations of dead bodies and mortal wounds.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Will and Shawn talk about and exaggerate their experiences with girls.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Infrequent strong language -- one or two instances of "damn," "hell," and "s--t."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adult and teen characters sell drugs on the street. Riders smoke in an elevator.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this is a graphic novel adaptation of Jason Reynolds' award-winning novel in verse. As he rides the elevator down from his sixth-floor apartment, Will remembers his older brother, recently killed in a street shooting. On each floor, Will meets various people who have been shot to death, and he must make up his mind whether to commit murder in return to avenge his brother's death. Each chapter depicts a shooting, and the illustrations are sometimes disturbing. There's mild swearing -- one or two instances of "hell," "damn," and "s--t" -- and little sexual content -- a reference to boys bragging about their experiences with girls. Teens sell drugs on the street. Riders in the elevator smoke cigarettes.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (1)
• Kids say (3)

Based on 1 parent review

A Long Way Down review

What's the story.

As LONG WAY DOWN: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL opens, Shawn witnesses his older brother Shawn's shooting death. The next morning, he leaves his mother alone in their apartment and takes the elevator down to the lobby, sure that he's going to use the gun in his pocket to kill the gang member who shot Shawn. On each floor, though, he is visited by ghosts of those neighbors who have already been victims and perpetrators. They tell Will about the mistakes they made and the lessons they learned. When the elevator stops, Will finally will be forced to make his unchangeable decision to be a killer or not.

Is It Any Good?

Grief can cause reckless behavior, and this hard-hitting meditation on the urge for revenge exposes its dangers. This adaptation of Long Way Down , Jason Reynolds ' novel-in-verse, captures all of the emotional power of the original version, but in an abbreviated narrative space. Danica Novgorodoff's exquisite watercolors match Will's changing mood and turbulent outlook, and they may upset sensitive readers. There's a lot of heartbreak here, and the creators don't back away from the tragedies that befall Will, Shawn, and other boys, men, and young women from the neighborhood. The ending is not pat but it's satisfying, and it should spark discussion in a wide range of readers. Long Way Down is gripping from top to bottom.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how Long Way Down depicts gun violence. Why do people feel so strongly about gun ownership?

Does revenge ever solve a problem? What are the dangers of seeking vengeance?

What are some ways to handle grief? Is it OK to cry? Is there a "right way" to show this emotion?

Book Details

• Author : Jason Reynolds
• Illustrator : Danica Novgorodoff
• Genre : Graphic Novel
• Topics : Activism , Brothers and Sisters , Great Boy Role Models
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Atheneum Books For Young Readers
• Publication date : October 13, 2020
• Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 18
• Number of pages : 208
• Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
• Award : Newbery Medal and Honors
• Last updated : October 12, 2020

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At 31 songs, Taylor Swift's new album is way too long. Is the streaming era to blame?

• Taylor Swift released "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology" on Friday.
• The surprise double album contains 31 new songs. Even as a fan, it's too much to process.
• Swift is famously prolific, but it's also a symptom of the streaming era's more-is-more mentality.

Taylor Swift's album release days should be days of celebration. Instead, I woke up this morning with a vague sense of disquiet, somehow wishing I'd gotten fewer new songs from my most-streamed artist of all time.

At midnight on Friday, Swift unveiled her much-anticipated new album "The Tortured Poets Department" — a 16-track odyssey through her recent heartbreaks and wildest romantic whims , dense with personal revelations and intricate lyrics.

It's a lot to parse, more than any fan could hope for. But just as I was getting ready to sleep, Swift was only getting started.

At 2 a.m., she released an extended version of the album with 15 additional tracks, almost doubling its length.

Attentive fans had anticipated a late-night surprise of some kind, but hardly anyone had prepared for one of such magnitude. "In the past 3 hours she has released more songs than Lorde has in the past decade," one listener observed on X . That's not an exaggeration.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

I already felt it'd take multiple business days for me to process the meta implications of "Clara Bow," let alone two full hours of Swift's most verbose work to date. Instead of going to bed contented, I suddenly felt squirrely and overwhelmed. In a 31-song tracklist, none of them have the space to breathe.

Now, before you accuse me of aimless hating or call me ungrateful, allow me to enter my credentials into evidence: The first time I heard "Our Song," I was 12 years old and instantly hooked. According to Spotify, I've spent the equivalent of several days listening to " Folklore ." I went to The Eras Tour and cried.

Related stories

So yes, as a Swiftie, I know the party line. We're lucky that our favorite artist is so prolific, so generous with her musings, while others haven't released new albums in eight years. (Looking at you, Rihanna .)

It's true that Swift's work ethic is a thing to behold. It's a point of both pride and pain in her new album: "I cry a lot, but I am so productive / It's an art," she sings on "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" with self-deprecating swagger.

Indeed, "The Tortured Poets Department" is Swift's eighth album (including rerecords) in less than four years. Her constant whirlwind of activity is part of what's propelled her to supermassive stardom. It's all but guaranteed that there's always a theory online about her next release date, or another rabbit hole to fall down.

But in that sense, is there not a little too much to unpack? I can't be the only one who feels a little dizzy. In fact, I know I'm not. Another one of my Swiftie-certified friends shared with me that she's "ignoring the deluxe songs for now" because the standard edition of "Poets" is already enough to digest.

Surely, this can't be the ideal outcome for Swift's strategy: To overwhelm her loyal fans with such an opulent feast of music that some of us are full, rather than hungry for more.

Of course, Swift is far from the only artist who's released a bloated project, and these days, the streaming era is largely to blame . It's a simple concept: The more songs you have, the more streams you get. The more streams you get, the more money you make. Thus, albums have been getting longer and longer for years .

In this pragmatic pursuit of profit, artistry is bound to suffer. Potential hits get lost in the shuffle.

Worse still, the art of creating a cohesive tracklist becomes devalued. Why exercise discernment when it's better business to release the would-be scraps?

As a Swiftie, I find this to be especially obvious today of all days. The latter half of her double album contains some of the brightest gems, like "I Look in People's Windows" and "The Prophecy." But instead of getting their own moments to shine, they've been relegated to track slots 25 and 26 in a two-hour deluxe edition. They won't be included in CDs or vinyl copies. Casual fans may never even hear them, and those who do may be too zoned-out to appreciate them.

Swifties have demonstrated a knack for bringing delayed justice to bonus tracks, from "New Romantics" to "Right Where You Left Me" and " Would've, Could've, Should've ," which have all become fan favorites over time. But fans shouldn't need to root through albums like vinyl crates; that's what the DJ gets paid to do. Curation is an art form, too.

In Swift's case, she may be too big to fail commercially . But an artist is never too big to improve her craft.

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