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brittneyfike's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this one. It’s a great middle grades novel written in verse. I loved the dual POV.
indydc's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Excellent audiobook performance by the two narrators
mbohan's review
4.0
I loved the content/message but had trouble with the formatting. It was difficult for me to switch between the two characters (despite the name headings) at the beginning because so often their "chapters" were short and might even be on the same page. I get that their perspectives were supposed to "ebb and flow," but during the shorter sections, I found the frequent transitions difficult to manage/the constant switching tiring. By the end, their "chapters" got a bit longer and the similarities between them clearer, so it was easier and more fulfilling/meaningful to read.
anxiouslybooked's review
4.0
Ebony also known as Eb and De’Kari also known as Flow are both suspended for TEN days after fighting in the lunch room. Needless to say they are not bff's by any means. Eb not only scuffed De’Kari's new sneakers but dropped barbeque sauce on them too. And De’Kari is beyond upset about it and their scuffle ends up with Ebony on the floor of the lunch room. Neither Eb or Flow think they are in the wrong, but somewhere in between lies the real truth!
This novel in verse is excellent! The dual POV does an excellent job showing that there really is two sides to every story and that the "in between" is often where we find compromise and the truth. While the novel is short, it is not without impact. This novel tackles tough topics like domestic abuse while remaining relatable to a young reader. It also does a great job showing the parallels between Eb and Flow. Overall, I think this novel is thought-provoking especially for middle level readers and well-written. I will be purchasing a copy for my school library!
This novel in verse is excellent! The dual POV does an excellent job showing that there really is two sides to every story and that the "in between" is often where we find compromise and the truth. While the novel is short, it is not without impact. This novel tackles tough topics like domestic abuse while remaining relatable to a young reader. It also does a great job showing the parallels between Eb and Flow. Overall, I think this novel is thought-provoking especially for middle level readers and well-written. I will be purchasing a copy for my school library!
mintyreadsalot's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mariahistryingtoread's review
5.0
It has been a minute since I enjoyed a kids book as much as I enjoyed Eb and Flow. I needed a book quickly and chose pretty much at random based on what audiobooks were available on Libby. I almost passed it over because it was in verse; partially because I'm picky about books in verse, partially because even if I do pick up a verse book I don't read *audiobooks* in verse.
Eb and Flow was a gamble that paid off.
It's nearly impossible to quantify what makes a person Black because Black experiences are so varied. Clearly, my life as a Black person will be different from a Black person who lives in a cold climate the entire year or a Black person who was raised by a single Dad or a Black person who is allergic to shellfish. Many different factors go into shaping a life outside of race alone. That being said, there are certain cultural similarities that are largely acknowledged to be 'Black' in nature.
Eb and Flow was great because from the first minute, I felt like I was reading about two Black kids in Black families with Black intergenerational, socio-economic dynamics at play. At every turn, on every level, I was reminded of some of my own family members, some of my own quirks, and some of my own observations regarding Black life. It was so nice to read something that I felt authentically represented Black people without sacrificing the story. A lot of books I read that have decent representation coast on it alone because the vocal minority will praise the inclusion with little consideration to other aspects. Eb and Flow hits the perfect balance.
Like out of hundreds of books I've read, this is the first one I've read that used 'funky' correctly (i.e., the way Black people do).
Eb and Flow are dealing with a lot of personal baggage that neither one is aware of, which is part of why the fight happens. They each have a lot of anger, and it's difficult for them to see outside of their own perspective. It's easy to say 'what's the big deal it's just shoes', when you don't know how important the shoes are. And ascribing malice to an accident is simpler than doing the hard work of forgiveness. Being angry is usually a lot easier than admitting hurt.
Especially if you're like Eb and Flow who already feel so isolated in their circumstances: how could he/she possibly understand what I'm going through? He/she must be a jerk who just enjoys causing trouble. Kids often think of themselves as the main character in everyone's lives rather than their own.
The book did a great job at juggling individual responsibility with the cumulative series of seemingly disconnected smaller decisions that created the groundwork for the fight. In this way, the fight became a microcosm of a broader fight for control. It's important to understand the motivating factors if there ever is to be real change long term.
I hope Black kids will enjoy reading a book that has such fantastic relatability. Plus, it's not only relatable, it's funny too. Eb and Flow are such vibrant, playful people. Their reactions to the situations they're in are hilarious; the book equivalent of those kids in class who you know you shouldn't laugh at because the teacher is upset, but you can't help it. Black kids are often labeled disruptors - unjustly so most of the time - yet Baptist makes their disruptive antics a reflection of their deeper character in spite of the disturbance. Sometimes kids are funny, it's just the wrong moment or venue, not the humor or wit that's the problem. Black kids are paradoxically expected to be jokesters (Black people are naturally cool, cool = funny) at the same time that they're demonized for it (Black people just don't know how to act right).
My only complaint is that the end solution comes from. I feel it upended the very grounded, rational build-up that came beforehand. It suddenly drifted into borderline if not outright magical realism. It was a cheap way of resolving the deeper conflict brewing - it also didn't actually address considering the two never spoke with the other players
Enough gushing: Seriously, read the book. You can tell I adored it or I wouldn't have bothered writing such a long review (typically, I save long reviews for hating). I am moving the other Kelly J. Baptist books up my TBR posthaste.
Eb and Flow was a gamble that paid off.
It's nearly impossible to quantify what makes a person Black because Black experiences are so varied. Clearly, my life as a Black person will be different from a Black person who lives in a cold climate the entire year or a Black person who was raised by a single Dad or a Black person who is allergic to shellfish. Many different factors go into shaping a life outside of race alone. That being said, there are certain cultural similarities that are largely acknowledged to be 'Black' in nature.
Eb and Flow was great because from the first minute, I felt like I was reading about two Black kids in Black families with Black intergenerational, socio-economic dynamics at play. At every turn, on every level, I was reminded of some of my own family members, some of my own quirks, and some of my own observations regarding Black life. It was so nice to read something that I felt authentically represented Black people without sacrificing the story. A lot of books I read that have decent representation coast on it alone because the vocal minority will praise the inclusion with little consideration to other aspects. Eb and Flow hits the perfect balance.
Like out of hundreds of books I've read, this is the first one I've read that used 'funky' correctly (i.e., the way Black people do).
Eb and Flow are dealing with a lot of personal baggage that neither one is aware of, which is part of why the fight happens. They each have a lot of anger, and it's difficult for them to see outside of their own perspective. It's easy to say 'what's the big deal it's just shoes', when you don't know how important the shoes are. And ascribing malice to an accident is simpler than doing the hard work of forgiveness. Being angry is usually a lot easier than admitting hurt.
Especially if you're like Eb and Flow who already feel so isolated in their circumstances: how could he/she possibly understand what I'm going through? He/she must be a jerk who just enjoys causing trouble. Kids often think of themselves as the main character in everyone's lives rather than their own.
The book did a great job at juggling individual responsibility with the cumulative series of seemingly disconnected smaller decisions that created the groundwork for the fight. In this way, the fight became a microcosm of a broader fight for control. It's important to understand the motivating factors if there ever is to be real change long term.
I hope Black kids will enjoy reading a book that has such fantastic relatability. Plus, it's not only relatable, it's funny too. Eb and Flow are such vibrant, playful people. Their reactions to the situations they're in are hilarious; the book equivalent of those kids in class who you know you shouldn't laugh at because the teacher is upset, but you can't help it. Black kids are often labeled disruptors - unjustly so most of the time - yet Baptist makes their disruptive antics a reflection of their deeper character in spite of the disturbance. Sometimes kids are funny, it's just the wrong moment or venue, not the humor or wit that's the problem. Black kids are paradoxically expected to be jokesters (Black people are naturally cool, cool = funny) at the same time that they're demonized for it (Black people just don't know how to act right).
My only complaint is that the end solution comes from
Spoiler
a shared dreamSpoiler
involved to tell them to back down.Enough gushing: Seriously, read the book. You can tell I adored it or I wouldn't have bothered writing such a long review (typically, I save long reviews for hating). I am moving the other Kelly J. Baptist books up my TBR posthaste.
scottjbaxter's review
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Last night I was looking at Betsy Bird's coverage of the American Library Association youth media awards. As can be expected, a few books were not given any awards. She wrote:
For my part, I would like to honor the books that I loved and wished would get something, but didn’t. Imagine me playing taps as I read off their names. They were good books. They were great books. They will be remembered in other ways. don’t you even worry about that.
One of the books she listed was Eb & Flow. This book is the story of two tweens Ebony (Eb) and De'Kari (Flow) who are each serving a ten day suspension for fighting. The novel is told in verse and each short section (stanza) is a first person perspective, switching from Eb to Flow throughout the book. The story begins shortly after the fight between the two and, other than a very few pages at the very end, the two do not interact, which I did not expect.
The novel is fast paced; I breezed right through it. Since the book is constantly switching from the perspective of one character to another it also includes a wide variety of tones and emotions. I took a picture of one section of the book where Eb goes from bored to turning a math worksheet into silly humor.
I thoroughly enjoyed Baptist's book. If you have not read a children's book in some time but would like to, then I would suggest you look for a copy of Eb & Flow at your local library or bookstore.
For my part, I would like to honor the books that I loved and wished would get something, but didn’t. Imagine me playing taps as I read off their names. They were good books. They were great books. They will be remembered in other ways. don’t you even worry about that.
One of the books she listed was Eb & Flow. This book is the story of two tweens Ebony (Eb) and De'Kari (Flow) who are each serving a ten day suspension for fighting. The novel is told in verse and each short section (stanza) is a first person perspective, switching from Eb to Flow throughout the book. The story begins shortly after the fight between the two and, other than a very few pages at the very end, the two do not interact, which I did not expect.
The novel is fast paced; I breezed right through it. Since the book is constantly switching from the perspective of one character to another it also includes a wide variety of tones and emotions. I took a picture of one section of the book where Eb goes from bored to turning a math worksheet into silly humor.
I thoroughly enjoyed Baptist's book. If you have not read a children's book in some time but would like to, then I would suggest you look for a copy of Eb & Flow at your local library or bookstore.