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brittneyfike's review against another edition
4.0
This books was wonderful. I enjoyed the
different experiences of the biracial brothers
who don't look alike. My favorite part of the
book was the amount of growth Donte made.
He truly found himself and I really loved how
his character developed.
different experiences of the biracial brothers
who don't look alike. My favorite part of the
book was the amount of growth Donte made.
He truly found himself and I really loved how
his character developed.
melfierro's review
5.0
“[] sometimes I feel like I’m swimming in whiteness.”
“Black is not invisible”
“I go from being worried, on guard, to feeling ease as more people’s skin resembles mine.”
Donte is a biracial middle schooler attending an exclusive private school in Massachusetts. He is darker skinned, while his brother Trey is lighter skinned. The book follows Donte as he is wrongly accused of throwing a pencil and and subsequently arrested for throwing a backpack at no one in particular- then finds a home in form of the sport of Fencing.
A great read, illustrates the struggles of a young black boy in America.
“Black is not invisible”
“I go from being worried, on guard, to feeling ease as more people’s skin resembles mine.”
Donte is a biracial middle schooler attending an exclusive private school in Massachusetts. He is darker skinned, while his brother Trey is lighter skinned. The book follows Donte as he is wrongly accused of throwing a pencil and and subsequently arrested for throwing a backpack at no one in particular- then finds a home in form of the sport of Fencing.
A great read, illustrates the struggles of a young black boy in America.
breakfastgrey's review
4.0
Great book and a super quick read- I couldn't put it down! The Count of Monte Cristo-esque hook got me invested and Rhodes does not waste her premise at all. It's a great story whether you're looking for a book about family, social justice, or sports. It works for a wide variety of audiences. Definitely one I'll be recommending a lot this year!
dinahsaur's review
3.0
Imagine the Karate Kid, except with fencing and the bully is also a racist. This book wasn't what I expected, but pretty good.
vitaluna's review
5.0
Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes tells the story of two brothers of mixed race: Donte, who has a darker skintone, and Trey, who has a lighter skin. Donte experiences a lot of prejudice and is unjustly arrested and suspended - the school bully Allen taunting him with "black brother, black brother". Initially Donte just wants revenge as he takes up fencing in an attempt to beat Alan at his own game, but later his journey transforms into one of selfdiscovery, growth and acceptence. I think this book can inspire the youth in many ways. The end made me tear up!
The only point of critism I can come up with is that I sometimes had to read sentences a few times to be certain WHO was saying the words in the story. And now, I am not the biggest sports fan but even the sports segments were written in a captivating way, especially the magches. The book overall was so solid and carried so many important messages that I want to give it the full 5 stars.
Did you know that Alexandre Dumas (Three Musketeers) was mixed race?
The only point of critism I can come up with is that I sometimes had to read sentences a few times to be certain WHO was saying the words in the story. And now, I am not the biggest sports fan but even the sports segments were written in a captivating way, especially the magches. The book overall was so solid and carried so many important messages that I want to give it the full 5 stars.
Did you know that Alexandre Dumas (Three Musketeers) was mixed race?
ralphiereads76's review
5.0
(Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC) Doing similar work as Sharon Draper's "Blended" but with a boy as the MC, this refreshing navigation of biracial identity will definitely be one I want on my classroom library shelves! The written voice was strikingly different from that of Rhodes' other books I've read ("Towers Falling", "Ghost Boys"), which is not something I see a lot in YA writers' stylistic choices. I especially was impressed with the consideration of how the characters experienced privilege (or lack of it) depending on which spaces they were in--the Boys and Girls Club gym, the home, the fencing competitions, their private high school, the courthouse... Jewell Parker Rhodes again writes an important story about race, identity, and assumptions, this time through the lens of a biracial pair of brothers, one whom society sees as Black, and one whom is seen as white. I expect it will be on many award lists next year. Publishes Mar. 2020.
mj38012's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.25
amypt46's review
4.0
The writing in this book was choppy, which I don’t recall from ghost boys, so it was a bit disruptive to my read, but u enjoyed the story and message presented here and focus on a sport that gets little attention.
beyondevak's review
5.0
Bravo! This was a brilliant book. I absolutely loved it. Every MS student should read this book.