Jason Reynolds writes quiet books. This story is no different. Often set in New York's inner city he creates lead characters who are reflective, who care, and who observe their surroundings with a kind of depth which draws in the reader not only to the setting but to the world created by the author. I like reading Jason Reynolds books. "When I Was the Greatest" is no exception. Despite the provocative cover the story here is just a story -- a slice of life. There are lessons learned and lots of levels and complexities to every character introduced. This is one of Jason Reynolds' greatest skills. He creates characters who feel real and you can't help but care about them and connect to them. In this novel "Ali" makes friends with a pair of brothers who live in the run-down brownstone next door. "Noodles" is fun, mouthy and hugely protective of his brother "Needles" who suffers from Tourette's Syndrome. Most of the story takes place over a few days of a hot New York summer with a good bit of reminiscing about how the friendship grew. Ali is close to his family, which creates a point of grounding not only for him but for Noodles, who tends to walk on the edge. While events do happen the point of the book is the internal journey. It always is, which is why his works are so universal. Almost everything Jason Reynolds writes wins an award. And well they should. Enjoy.
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