Eleven year old Genie is a curious boy, maintaining a notebook to record all his questions and seeking answers from the all-knowing Google. His older brother Ernie is Mr. Cool, more concerned about his muscles and girls. Both boys are headed from home in Brooklyn to Grandma's and Grandpop's in rural Virginia, giving their parents a chance to work out marital issues while vacationing in Jamaica.
What unfolds is a heartwarming story of the boy's adjustment to rural life, making new friends, building a strong relationship with their grandparents and learning about family secrets. Especially touching is Genie's relationship with his blind Grandpop. Genie is amazed and full of questions as to how his Grandpop navigates a blind life, learns about his secret room, and is shocked by the gun he sometimes carries. Their relationship grows stronger as they become dependent upon each other. The quiet rural life unravels when Genie accidentally kills a bird, and Ernie has to face a situation that literally blows up in his face. While the characters are African American, the story is universal, about family, brothers, and courage.
Jason Reynolds has become one of my favorite authors. His words are perfect and warm as he builds characters that you feel close to. Some have felt that the book is slow, but the character building is what this book is all about. I grew to love Genie, Ernie, Grandma and Grandpop and at the end, yearned for their story to continue.
Mark's Book Picks Score: 5
Reading Level: 4.8 • Interest Level: 5-9 • AR Points: 11 • Lexile Level: 750 • Publisher: Atheneum • Pages: 410 • Copyright: 2017 • ISBN: 978-1-481-41591-0 • Available in Perma-Bound Binding
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