A review by roseleaf24
As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds

4.0

Genie is headed to rural Virginia to spend a month with his grandparents -- who he's never met. His big brother, Ernie, is coming, too, but his parents have been having some problems and are going to Jamaica to get some time to work on them. Genie has a lot to worry about, and he's good at worrying. He's also good at asking questions, and he has a lot of them as the Brooklyn boy adjust to life in the country. I really appreciated this gently told story, and could identify a lot with several of the characters. I loved the warmth of the family, though it is not a perfect family, and the way we see the flaws of the adults through the eyes of children who love them. We all have personal challenges, both inside and outside of ourselves, and this novel does an excellent job of showing this and exploring the concept of bravery.