Take a journey with Jason Reynolds and "Look Both Ways"
March 11, 2021
This blog was written as part of the 2021 Community Read program. Learn more about Community Read and take the pledge here.
Do you remember how you got home from school in junior high? Maybe you walked, got a ride, or took the bus. Whatever your journey looked like, I think we can all recall that joyous feeling of freedom at the end of the day.
Jason Reynolds perfectly captures the ‘walking home after middle school’ experience in his book, Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks, the Community Read 2021 preteen selection. Each chapter of this middle-grade book takes the reader down a different city block and introduces new characters. Readers young and old will enjoy the diverse characters’ lives and nuanced relationships – and will relate to the universality of the familiar shared experiences. Take the Community Read pledge and read Look Both Ways (and the other selected titles), then, hear from the author at a special appearance by Jason Reynolds on March 17!
There are so many ways to engage with Community Read all month. Sign up for the Community Read challenge then choose from the wide range of online programs for school-age kids, inspired by Look Both Ways. You can learn about dog safety from the Humane Society of Charlotte, create a kindness rock, or cozy up and just share a chapter with others.
Families can read the Community Read picture book title, You Matter, at storytime, teens and adults can get ready for a special appearance by signature title, I’m Not Dying With You Tonight, authors Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal. Adults who want to learn more about our companion title, Just Mercy can attend a book talk or a book club. For the entire month of March, the Library offers Community Read inspired programs and events. Click here for a calendar.
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is committed to addressing issues of racism and social justice—one important step we can take towards positive change is to explore different perspectives. The selected Community Read titles aim to help readers of all ages take a walk in someone else’s shoes. We hope you will join us on this journey!
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This blog was written by Tara Kehoe, children’s librarian at SouthPark Regional Library