I thought this was a different book when I requested it, because I'm dumb. BUT, Jason Reynolds can write a helluva book and so I stuck with it for him alone. This book is a lot of fun with characters who feel like real teenagers and dialogue that is fresh and inviting. Filled with humor and action this is an impressively authentic feeling Miles Morales story.

Jason Reynolds' latest foray into the life of Miles Morales is a thrilling, eye-opening ride that takes us further in the mind of a young superhero. A highlight of this work is how Reynold helps to show the multifaceted vulnerability of Morales by giving readers a sneak peek at who he is, how he thinks, what his fears, insecurities, hopes and dreams are. Truly a fun read.

I spoke about this book in a bookhaul/bookmail video on instagram. I really loved how we came back to Miles' world not too long after the first book ended and that Jason added even more of his magic to it with poetry and there was some illustrations that are so good.

"Miles Morales Suspended" picks up where "Miles Morales: Spiderman" left off. Now that Miles has uncovered the Warden's plot to train all the Mr. Chamberlain's to push students into the school-to-prison pipeline, he is left to fight the infantry (in this case, termites) that create the conditions for students to be punished and pushed out. It's worth noting that if you pick up this book expecting an action-packed, superhero thriller, you may be disappointed. Reynolds leans in heavily to using the Spiderman character and his conflicts as a metaphor to illustrate systemic racism. It's an insightful learning tool if you haven't thought about systemic racism too much—with a nice dosing of Spiderman action to keep it fun and engaging for young readers.

A Miles Morales adventure that takes subtle aim at book bans and the criminalization of Black and Brown youth, Suspended is a timely must-read. Told in verse and prose, the story follows Miles as he is forced into in-school suspension for standing up to an abusive teacher. Miles uses the time stuck in suspension to think about the racist roots of some of his villains and much of the school system, while discovering a plot to destroy books from the school library. Termites that seem to be intelligent are eating away at books by non-white authors and books about Queer and non-white experiences, leaving "cannon" (or as certain politicians call them "the classics of Western Civilization") untouched. Deep and gripping, the adventure feels unfinished because Miles is able to stop the destruction, but cannot protect against it starting again or undo the harm already caused. In a country where book are being banned at a terrifying rate, Miles Morales: Suspended is an allegory of the concept for teens and preteens, showing both the racism and the horror that motivate the bans.

My starred review in School Library Journal:
Gr 7 Up–Picking up the day after Miles Morales: Spiderman saved the world from heinous criminal The Warden, this sequel begins with Miles suspended for telling his racist teacher, Mr. Chamberlain, that he’s sick of his crap. Miles Morales is NOT a pincushion, punching bag, puppet, pet, or a pawn. He is a Boricua Black teen living in Brooklyn on a block very different from the Brooklyn Visions Academy boarding school he attends. At the Academy, Black and brown kids are discriminated against, villainized, and steered towards a pipeline leading to mass incarceration that makes statistics out of those students. When he begins seeing termites at school, his Spidey Sense alerts him to a sinister plot. The hybrid verse/prose format adds to the action-packed story line and provides an amusing, banter-filled tone, which Reynolds is exceptionally skilled at for drawing in even the most reluctant of readers. As tensions build, the termites embody censorship, a powerful topic brought up often via current events in schools and prisons across the country. Miles is complex, as he courageously argues for books to “try to read and write themselves free” and attempts to grab Alicia’s attention by writing poetry, which is realistically awkward and sweet. Although Ganke’s role is spare in this volume, readers will delight in this spirited character as he supports his bestie Miles and provides extra comic relief during stressful situations. Peña’s comic-style illustrations enhance the story by reflecting the Spiderman side of our hero. Cultural references such as grease in the Bustelo can, bodegas, and dap depict the authenticity of Miles’s world.VERDICT Librarian Spidey senses are tingling; this is a must for your shelves.Reviewed by Lisa Krok , May 01, 2023
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Miles Morales is Spider-Man, and there’s nothing he can’t handle. Except talking to his crush, Alicia. And avoiding ISS after standing up for himself to his horrible (and racist) history teacher.

Reynolds, as always, expertly brings social justice issues to the center of this novel. Like the first novel, Miles has to confront racism head-on once more, only to be punished for calling out that behavior, and be gaslit and ignored because of it. Censorship, especially book banning, is also a main topic discussed at length, as Miles must battle a termite monster set on eating library books that go against white supremacy and give Black and brown people voices.

I loved that this book was partly novel-in-verse; Reynolds’s voice holds nothing back, making his poetry fight for justice just as much as Miles does.

Zeke Pena’s illustrations were also really great, and really added to the story!

All in all, a really great and important read, considering how schools and libraries across the country are currently dealing with book bans. I highly recommend this to readers of all ages, especially Marvel fans!

A book written by Jason Reynold will always be a must read! I was hooked from the first sentence and I am not a typical “super hero” fan. Jason’s prose is always magical yet so relevant to todays youth. I’m excited for all readers, you f and more seasoned, to have the opportunity to read this book!

I really loved this book! I don’t read a ton of superhero stuff anymore, but this hardly felt like a superhero book. I think the way Reynolds combined narrative and poetry to tell the story was really beautiful. I really hope that this book can be a gateway for teens (boys specifically) to become interested in poetry.

The story itself is interesting and the way its told creates a good amount of suspense. It’s not always obvious what exactly is going on and we’re figuring stuff out along with Miles. My only negative is that I thought the story ended a little too suddenly—I wanted a firmer conclusion. I assume this just means there’s another book to come though.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book!

Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publish for an advanced copy.

This was fun. I don't think I have seen the superhero genre blended with poetry before. It was good. Felt true to what I know of Miles. Lots of fun

4/5

Miles Morales might have spidey superpowers, but that doesn’t mean he is exempt from in-school suspension. As if in-school suspension isn’t bad enough, some of his classmates appear to have problems of their own and his spidey sense is telling him that there is something supernatural underway. Are the other students’ issues related to why Miles ended up in ISS?

Miles Morales Suspended is another book in the Spider-Man universe that can be read as part of the series or as a stand-alone novel. This book is written in prose and verse which makes it very easy to fly through. I did not read the other Miles Morales books before this one and had no problem following the storyline, even when previous events were mentioned. The overall storyline is ho-hum and when I finished the book I felt like it was missing too much. A good escape for Spider-Man fans, but this book isn’t going to draw in new readers.

Miles Morales is back as Spider-Man but instead of saving lives, he’s in detention and crushing on a classmate named Alicia. This novel takes place after the event of Into the Spiderverse and the first Miles Morales book, so Miles is comfortable with his Spidey sense and physical abilities. Talking with girls though? That’s much more difficult. In between classes with best friend Ganke and flirting with Alicia, Miles feels like something is off with his academy. It’s not only his annoying and racist teacher but something dark and lurking within the hallways.

What I enjoy about Reynolds's version of Spider-Man books is that they immerse readers so intimately into the world of Miles Morales. The life of a teenage boy can be complicated and the superhero twist makes Miles relatable in two ways. He’s forced to deal with his romantic feelings for a classmate and with the anger and confusion of dealing with a racist teacher. "Suspended" also follows a theme we’ve seen before in this version of Spider-man, a teen who has a ton of responsibility and not enough bandwidth to rescue everything and everyone.

"Suspended" is unique in that it has spoken word prose before a lot of major events in the book. Also sprinkled in are intricate illustrations by Zeke Pena showing some of the action and detailing the big baddie that Miles has to defeat.

So who is "Miles Morales: Suspended" for? This entertaining read would be appealing to readers who enjoy action-filled superhero stories, coming-of-age tales, and stories that tackle important social issues such as race, identity, and representation.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 3.5/5 stars.

Jason Reynolds is basically an instant read for me, on top of this being Miles Morales. I remember a few years ago reading his other Miles Morales book and enjoying it but not being super thrilled about it, and it's similar to this. Nothing is really wrong with this book, but it lacks a plot that makes me want to tell people to read it. The plot is there, but it's just....kind of there?

I will say, I LOVE how this incorporates verse into the writing (as typical with Jason Reynolds). I also like how it's middle grade and still discusses racism and how people attempt to destroy black peoples' success. The villain being a termite sort of thing eating books was meh, and you really do need to read the first one to understand a bit more of what's going on in this one.

It wasn't horrible, but it just felt...unfinished? In a sense? Like, it's a quick read but it lacked oomph.

Book Summary:

Miles Morales is not your typical teenager. He's been juggling his superpowers with normal teenage aspects for a while, and it still hasn't gotten any easier. Unfortunately, being a teen and a hero is tough, especially if you want to maintain a secret identity.

This is why Miles is suspended. Again. Though it's hard for Miles to focus on getting back on the good side of his school when he knows there's a villain on the loose—just a day in the life of Miles Morales.

My Review:

Man, I really do think I adore anything by Jason Reynolds. I certainly love everything he writes for Miles Morales. It's just, well, perfect! Reynolds does a great job of capturing the complex life of such a character, including the large and small moments.

Miles Morales Suspended is such a unique read. It's a novel, but it also contains illustrations and prose. These three parts carry equal weight, and I don't think you could have had the same story if you had tried to remove any element. It wouldn't be the same.

I love that Miles' story highlights important and relevant topics. In this instance, the commentary heavily leaned towards a common issue seen in schools and why we need to keep advocating and fighting back.

Highlights:
Marvel Novel
Superhero Teen
Prose

Trigger Warnings:
Racism
Classism

I don't think I've ever seen a comic book character approached like this. The prose mixed with poetry was really unique. I didn't realize it was a sequel, but I look forward to catching up on the first one.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974


We see Miles face challenges surrounding school, family and love. This continuation of Myles story finds him facing situations that all children of color face. I love the poetry and personal diary type writings interspersed within. This is an amazing book. Waiting patiently for the next installment.

Jason Reynolds brings his signature voice and verse to Miles Morales. Miles is already an amazing character and this book brings even more depth to him. Not only is he a superhero, he is also a kid growing up in Brooklyn facing all the troubles that entails, including in school suspension. I liked how the book was interspersed with prose and verse to make this a very engaging read. This will definitely appeal to both Spider-man fans as well as fans of Reynolds.