  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 02/15/2023 Two seventh-graders throw punches over a stepped-on pair of shoes and earn a 10-day suspension in this novel in verse that follows both Ebony and Flow over the course of the suspension. While the two find themselves at odds, through their dual points of view, readers see they are both dealing with similar issues: single-parent homes, military fathers, older siblings with their own baggage, and a desire to change their own destinies to avoid more trouble. Baptist’s verse flows easily and nicely captures the voices of Eb and Flow, and while the mundanity of 10 days out of school comes and goes, there’s an underlying current of possible violence that keeps the reader on their toes. Though the pace occasionally drags, it picks back up when new twists unfold. Baptist, a teacher herself, knows how to capture the interest of students, and following two kids out of school for violence allows the chance to look at how our environments shape the choices we make. Hand to fans of Jason Reynolds and Jacqueline Woodson. - Copyright 2023 Booklist. Loading...
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