As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds
Written by: Jason Reynolds
Originally Published in: 2016
As Brave as You follows Genie, 11 years old, and his brother, Ernie, 13 years old. The boys live in Brooklyn with their parents, but due to marital problems between Genie and Ernie’s parents, they are brought to stay with their grandparents in rural Virginia for a month during the summer. The boys have not seen their grandparents since they were babies due to their dad’s anger towards his father. Throughout the boys' time in Virginia, they go through a culture shock and on Ernie’s 14th birthday, his Grandpop tells him that he needs to learn how to shoot a gun. When firing the revolver, it kicks back and hits Ernie in the mouth and ends up going to the hospital. This causes an initially negative chain reaction around the home, but the family learns to grow through it and they come out stronger. Genie and Ernie’s parents come early to pick up the boys from their grandparents’ home. Their dad argues with Grandpop, saying he had been irresponsible and reckless with his sons. After this, the two have a civil conversation and are able to come to an agreement of sorts.
This book is best for upper elementary students, as it is over 400 pages and has a ton of information. It also has some instances, such as the gun episode, which may not be suitable for younger students. This book highlights family struggles that may connect to some students, and as for the students who cannot connect to this, it can be a teachable moment. Some students may view this book as a mirror and connect to those characters, realizing that they're not alone as they thought. While this is outwardly a story about bravery, it is also a story about honesty and forgiveness. This is because in the end, the boys' dad and Grandpop are able to come to a sort of agreement which highlights forgiveness.
Other information:
As Brave as You is a Fiction chapter book.
Reynolds, J. (2017). As Brave as You. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books.
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