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Jason Reynolds Books

lu jason Reynolds

Lu (Run)

Chapter book

Lu must learn to leave his ego on the sidelines if he wants to finally connect with others in the finale to the New York Times bestselling and award-winning RUN series from Jason Reynolds.

Lu was born to be co-captain of the Defenders. Well, actually, he was born albino, but that’s got nothing to do with being a track star. Lu has swagger, plus the talent to back it up, and no-one’s gonna outshine him.

Lu knows he can lead Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and the team to victory at the championships, but it might not be as easy as it seems. Suddenly, there are hurdles in Lu’s way – literally and not-so-literally – and Lu needs to figure out, fast, what winning the gold really means.

Expect the unexpected in the final event in Jason Reynold’s award-winning and bestselling RUN series.

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sunny Jason reynolds

Sunny (Run)

Chapter book

When Sunny stops running in the middle of a race, Coach asks him what he wants to do instead. His answer is dance, but you can’t be on a track team and dance… can you? With his dad’s expectations weighing down on him, Sunny finally finds a track event that feels like dancing. But as he practices for this new event, can he let go of everything that’s been eating him up inside?

READ THE RUN SERIES: Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school running team – a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose and a lot to prove. Not only to each other, but to themselves.

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long way down the graphic novel

Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel

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Graphic novel, Verse novel

A visually stunning representation of an incredibly emotive novel.

This story is told through the voice of Will, who has grown up knowing how to watch his own back and that of his friends and family, knowing the death of those close to him in his neighbourhood and knowing ‘The Rules’. Then the unthinkable happens, and Will knows it is his turn to right the wrongs, just like his brother, Dad and Uncle before him.

Incredibly insightful, this graphic novel opens up a world of gangland violence without sugar coating or glamorising any of it. The tale is powerfully delivered through language and watercolour.

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look both ways

Look Both Ways

Short story collection

When the bell rings and school is finished for the day, the walkers are finally set free. For ten blocks they have no-one telling them what to do; they can talk about bogies, skateboard, plan dramatic escapes, make jokes, face bullies, and hear about the school bus that fell from the sky…

In ten stories (one per block), find out what really happens on the walk home from school, when there are no parents or teachers to supervise (or stop the fun!). From hilarious escapades to brave challenges, join the walkers for one journey and many, many detours…

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stuntboy in between time

Stuntboy, In Between Time

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If you’re looking for a choice of book for fans of illustrated chapter books, such as Wimpy Kid or Tom Gates, then this could be the series you’re after. I can see it being a very popular choice in class and school libraries – it’s funny, warm, written like a TV show (there are even commercial breaks included!) and cleverly uses the author’s voice alongside the characters to speak to the reader so they feel part of the story.

Portico is a protagonist you’re rooting for from the start. He’s struggling with his parent’s break-up, exacerbated by the fact that they’re now living on separate floors of the apartment block, as well as bullies in the building. He also feels like the world’s most ‘normal’ superhero – his stunts (that include staring and jumps) save the day almost by accident!

In this adventure, Portico and his friends Zola and Herbert must trick bullies, save iguanas and create a room full of graffiti. Packed with pace, action, a cast of unique characters and more than a hint of humour, this book sensitively tackles tricky themes such as parental separation, bullying and anxiety, but it is done with warmth, humour and kindness.

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Patina

Patina (Run)

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Chapter book

It’s not the taking part, it’s the winning that counts for Patina!

Patty, as she’s known to her friends and family, has lost a lot in her life – her dad died when she was young, her mum has lost her legs and now she has to live with her uncle and his wife. On top of that Patty has to go to the poshest school that ever existed. Now her running team has become a relay team and independent “I can do everything by myself” Patty has to work with her team mates to win.

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ghost

Ghost (Run)

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Chapter book

Running. That’s all Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But Ghost has been running for the wrong reasons -until he meets Coach, an ex-Olympic Medallist who sees something in Ghost: crazy natural talent. If Ghost can stay on track, literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in the city. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed, or will his past finally catch up to him?

A superbly gripping series that will have Year 7 readers hooked from start to finish.

NB Contains Americanisms.and small amounts of strong language.

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stuntboy

Stuntboy, In the Meantime

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Chapter book

Portico Reeves lives in a huge apartment block, ‘the castle’, with his parents, who row constantly. To escape the tension and trauma of their Mean Time, Portico leaps into his own super-secret, superhero world. With a kind of rap, rhythm and rhyme, Stuntboy Portico and his friends navigate a world away from the stresses of home life, to keep each other, and their castle mates, safe.

But superhero responsibilities come with added anxieties of their own, or ‘frets’ as Portico knows them and like all superheroes, Portico has to deal with put-downs from his nemesis – in this case Herbert Singletary the Worst.

Words alone don’t do this book justice – grab a copy and explore inside! The style and presentation are perfect for engaging readers and holding attention. There’s a lot to look at and take in via Raul the Third’s brilliant illustrations, comic strips and speech bubbles – each page is different. The effect is a fast-paced, upbeat story that is fun to read while tackling heavier themes.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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