Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds

How I Heard About It:  One of my reading goals has been to experience all of Jason Reynolds' books.  I recently listened to this young-adult novel on audio during my commute to and from work.  I had heard such wonderful comments about the story and was excited to read/listen to it.

What It Is About:  Miles Morales is your typical teenage boy.  He hangs with his best friend.  He has a crush on a girl.  He listens to his parents - most of the time.  There is one slight difference.  He is "spider-man".  However, lately his "superpowers" don't seem to be as in tack as they normally are.  As Miles navigates high school, his friends, his family life, and something suspicious going on with his professors; he tries to figure out why his "spider-man" sense is acting up.  It is during this time he learns he has a cousin that is in prison and is requesting that Miles visit him.  When Miles shares this information with his parents, they are less than thrilled.  This leads to Miles finding out some family secrets that both include and don't include Miles himself.  

What I Thought Of It:  Normally I'm not a lover of superhero type stories, but this type was different.  The majority of the story really wasn't about the "super-man" aspect, but more about Miles, his friends, and family situations.  I like that there was a lot of family history presented during the story which gave a full-background of the "ins" and "outs" of the family dynamics.  Miles was an awesome character to read about and had so many different sides to him.  There was a lot of action in the story and the plot moved along at a perfect pace.  Such a fun listen. 

Who Should Read It:   At one point, I was going to get this book for my fourth grade classroom, but after talking with people that have read it and now reading it myself; I know it is not meant for middle-grade readers.  In my opinion, this book is best suited for middle-school and high-school readers.  There is some language, content, and themes that are more appropriate for this age group.  Of course adult readers who love Jason Reynolds must read this book.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars




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