Thank you to @Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. I love how all of the stories came together at the end. The characters were so vivid. My favorite was about the “Low Cuts”. The unexpected ending to that story really got me.

The subtitle says it best: a short story collection giving a peek at the after-school lives of 10 different kids.

I wonder how a middle-school reader will react to Look Both Ways. Unlike Long Way Down, it doesn't hit particularly hard, aside from "Skitter Hitter." Unlike Ghost, the book lacks a traditionally satisfying arc. This is a leisurely work built on character, place and fine detail. The final story is a cherry on top.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books for the ARC in exchange for this review.

I'd be inclined to call these vignettes, more than short stories. These are scenes, basically happening simultaneously. There are a lot of big topic briefly mentioned: grief, fear, mental illness, poverty, bullying, ptsd. Snapshots of what these things look like on a day to day basis for the kid living through it. THe bus metaphor is a bit of a stretch.

Reynolds does it again. The stories in this book caused me to feel all the feelings. I enjoyed every single one.

GREAT BOOK!! Another outstanding read by an outstanding author. I can't wait to get my hands on my own copy. This is one I will definitely be recommending. The story is unique as it is told as ten separate stories that each focuses on a different student after the school day ends and they make their way home. Simply a beautiful piece of writing that will stay with you after you close the cover. It reminds me of the iceberg analogy - you know what you can see but you don't know what is below the surface!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Basically anything Jason Reynolds writes is amazing. This book is so unique in that it tells the stories of students walking home from school and what happens not only on their walk, but what is happening in their lives. A novel in 10 blocks. It had me looking back through the chapters to see who was mentioned in who’s chapter. And I think this would be a great intro to some other short stories for students. Perfect for middle grades!

I am a huge fan of Jason Reynold’s work and I read everything he writes. I know how the power of his words has turned my students into readers. How they have connected to his stories and asked for more. This book is one I struggled with. I couldn’t get into the story and felt disconnected from chapter to chapter. I don’t think this is because of his writing, it is more because of me. I will be rereading this one again.

A look at a day in the lives of ten students from Latimer Middle School after the bell rings who live within a ten block radius. Each kid has a story of his or her own. There’s more to each kid’s life than what you see in school. Reynolds provides a glimpse of one day after school of ten kids who go to the same middle school in the form of ten stories. The stories are about stuff like boogers, crushes, secret handshakes, fears, and more. He succeeds in capturing the voices of middle school kids. What’s even more extraordinary is how effectively he weaves each kid’s backstory beyond what is happening within each story. The adults in these kids lives loom over them even when those adults don’t appear on page as characters in their stories. It adds much depth to the characters and the world around them, especially in a lot of books characters often seem like they have no life outside of what’s happening on the page. This is a good book for middle grade readers who prefer short, quick reads and/or those who want to read short stories.

Ten stories told in ten blocks. Each story features a different student, but also includes glimpses of the other stories. I wish I had taken some notes with each story as the digital galley did not include a table of contents and navigating around was not easily done. Each story seeks to bring understanding and open a window to walking home in the shoes of another. The characters vary greatly in voice, but tell a story for middle grade. Would recommend having parents/teachers read along with kids on this one as there are many issues touched on including cancer treatment, autism, behavior therapy, homosexuality, and economic disparities.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an electronic ARC from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
Reynolds explores ten blocks surrounding a middle school. Students leave the school on the same day and head for their homes individually and in groups. Each block comes to life through one student's views and thoughts. The chapters are created in different styles to match the action on that block. The final portion wraps them all together as we get the story of what happened at the school itself.
Not my favorite of his books but the story works. Readers can see how the various characters interact with each other and their world. His writing style is appealing to middle grade readers.

I received this ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Billed as "a novel in ten blocks" each section follows a different kid or group of as they head home from school. I have really liked others of Jason Reynolds' books, but this one fell flat. I often enjoy books that tell different stories that weave together at the end. This one though didn't do much for me. I found some stories to be far too wordy, yet others I felt I didn't know the characters well enough by the time their story was over. All in all, by the time the end rolled around I had really lost interest in the overall story.

Beautiful, approachable writing, as we have come to expect from Jason Reynolds. Love the middle grade content and the intertwining stories. Solid!

Another great book from Jason Reynolds! He did an excellent job of weaving together several different stories of different kids who go to the same school. I was reminded of the adage of you don't really know a person until you walk a mile in their shoes. A character in the book has one understanding of another character but the reader learns the truth of what makes the character tick.This book reminds us to take a few moments to ask ourselves what another person may be going through before we make any judgments. A quick read, a good read. Highly recommend!

Love, love, loved this book. I've read Jason Reynolds' books before and always love the friendships and stories weaved in them, and this book certainly did not disappoint. Certainly for fans of the author's Track Series, or if you just need a nice, feel-good middle grade book to read quickly.

Look Both Ways is my second favorited Reynolds book. I laughed so hard from a few of these stories. The boogers bread down was EPIC! Hahaha! I promise this book won’t disappoint you. An absolute must read.

Thank you, NetGalley & Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story collection. There wasn’t closure, per se, but I don’t think that’s the point. I think this would be a great book to teach empathy, and also to use as a mentor text for writing short stories. There isn’t time to truly flesh out the characters but Reynolds is such a skillful storyteller that we connect with them, anyway, and we’re so curious to see where the stories go and how they will continue to overlap. There are some tough themes but also humor. Excellent read.

Reynolds has delivered a collection of short stories that, in my opinion, are a master class of the genre. I was struck by how well he was able to tell so many different kinds of stories within the construct of the journey home from school! There are also some loose connections that play out in ways that I think kids will enjoy. I can't wait to see what kids think of these amazing story!

What can I say about Jason Reynolds that hasn't already been said? He's possibly the best children's author writing today.

With Look Both Ways, Reynolds solidifies these grandiose claims. It's a collection of short stories focused on middle grade students, mostly as they walk home from school.

There's the group of friends who collect (and sometimes steal) change -- but in the end you realize the touching reason why. There's the girl skateboarder who unknowingly gets untangled in a bully's plan. There's the class clown who only wants to make her mom smile.

I could go on and on. Reynolds' stories are real. You feel like you know these kids or you were these kids at one point. And they are touching. Each one has subtle emotions that will make you angry when they end.

The only bad thing I can say about Look Both Ways is that it is too short. I want full books about each of these characters.

A beautiful, real, touching collection that readers of all ages will love.

**I received an e-ARC from Netgalley**

This book is 10 short stories about kids who are walking home from school. At the beginning, the stories do not appear to be connected, but they are. Readers going to love uncovering all the really amazing connections between the stories. I love Jason Reynolds' voice, which I could hear LOUD AND CLEAR as I read it. I think the kids are going to love this one.

Look Both Ways consists of ten short stories (one per block) about what happens after the school dismissal bell rings. All of the students attend the same school, so there is some overlap in minor characters and settings. The characters and their stories are surprisingly complex, compelling, and raw given that we only spend a few pages with each short story before moving on to a new narrator. It wasn't my cup of tea, but I suspect that kids who love Jason Reynolds will enjoy this book.