Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel
By:
Illustrator: Danica Novgorodoff
Jason Reynolds’s Newbery Honor, Printz Honor, and Coretta Scott King Honor–winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novel Long Way Down is now a gripping, galvanizing graphic novel, with haunting artwork by Danica Novgorodoff.
Will’s older brother, Shawn, has been shot.
Will feels a sadness so great, he can’t explain it. But in his neighborhood, there are THE RULES:
No. 1: Crying.
Don’t.
No matter what.
No. 2: Snitching
Don’t.
No matter what.
No. 3: Revenge.
Do.
No matter what.
Full-color ink and watercolor illustrations.
ISBN: 9781534444959
JLG Release: Dec 2020
Sensitive Areas:
Crime: Gang/Organized Crime , Illustrations/Images: Blood/Gore , Language: Strong Language , Violence: Gun Violence
Topics:
Brothers
, Murder
, Guns
, Revenge
, Ghosts
, Conduct of life
Praise & Reviews
Starred or favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals:
Horn Book
Reynolds has skillfully chopped, edited, and rearranged his original verse novel (Long Way Down, rev. 7/17) to create room for Novgorodoff’s impressionistic ink and watercolor illustrations to flourish, resulting in an adaptation that feels authentic to its new comics format. Fifteen-year-old Will’s older brother, Shawn, is murdered. According Reynolds has skillfully chopped, edited, and rearranged his original verse novel (Long Way Down, rev. 7/17) to create room for Novgorodoff’s impressionistic ink and watercolor illustrations to flourish, resulting in an adaptation that feels authentic to its new comics format. Fifteen-year-old Will’s older brother, Shawn, is murdered. According to “The Rules,” Will must not cry or snitch, but must seek revenge. Soon after the murder, Will leaves his apartment with his brother’s gun and a resolve to kill. As Will descends in the building’s elevator, he is inexplicably confronted by a deceased victim of gun violence at each floor, from old friends to the father he can barely remember. Each encounter further shakes Will’s confidence in “The Rules” and in his deadly plans, leading to an open-ended conclusion. Novgorodoff’s cartooning is never static; at times she opts for clearly defined panels and figures, and at others she forgoes panels entirely and leaves characters abstracted or incomplete. These artful decisions offer readers insight into Will’s emotional state at any given moment. The layered, fragmented layouts found across many spreads have potent impact, along with stylistic touches such as Polaroid photos, video screens, and storyboards seamlessly substituted for panels. Scenes of violence are starkly portrayed, including a double-page image of Shawn’s dead body; however, the complex and unjust reality of Will’s position remains front and center, in stark focus. PATRICK GALL
Book Details
ISBN
9781534444959
First Release
December 2020
Genre
Fic
Dewey Classification
F
Trim Size
9" x 61/2"
Page Count
208
Accelerated Reader
N/AScholastic Reading Counts
N/ALexile
N/AFormat
Print Book
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy
Potentially Sensitive Areas
Crime: Gang/Organized Crime , Illustrations/Images: Blood/Gore , Language: Strong Language , Violence: Gun Violence
Topics
Brothers, Murder, Guns, Revenge, Ghosts, Conduct of life,
