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Kinda Like Brothers (2014)

by Coe Booth(Favorite Author)

4.1 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0545224969 (ISBN13: 9780545224963)

languge

English

genre

Middle Grade & Children's

publisher

Scholastic Press

review 1: Sixth grader Jarrett is struggling with summer school and trying to get up the nerve to let Caprice, the girl he likes, know how he feels. He's used to his mother fostering babies who need a temporary place to stay, but when his mother opens their home to Treasure and her older brother, Kevon, he resents her decision. Kevon is just so annoying and acts like he's better than Jarret. There is no way that they will ever be friends, and Jarrett can't wait until the day he leaves. The relationship moves through various twists, turns, and betrayals, and misunderstandings on both sides until culminating in an uneasy truce. Readers will enjoy getting to know both of these boys as well as Jarrett's mother and her boyfriend, Terrence, a strong, likeable male role model with plenty o... moref patience. Clearly, even adults must deal with uresolved issues, as the author makes cler. Although this is the author's first foray into writing for middle graders, I hope she will tell more of this family's story. One of the issues she handles deftly concerns Jarrett's best friend Ennis who is dealing with his own sexual identity. The way he lets Jarrett know that he will probably never be interested in girls is honest and true to life without being overly dramatic. I came to care about all these characters and to want things to go well for them.
review 2: I hope the paperback version of this book has a new cover that will appeal to more people because despised the cheesy poses, this is actually a good story. I enjoyed the issues that were tackled here- some directly, some indirectly- and all from the perspective of eleven-year-old Jarrett. The writing seemed very spot on in capturing the thoughts and actions of a boy his age and all the things thrown at him- summer school, a revolving door of foster kids, his first crush, and yoga. I can easily overlook the fact that the mom wasn't realized fuller because in real life you don't get explanations of why people are the way they are. Don't judge a book by its cover. Read this. less

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