Boy in the Black Suit

The Boy in the Black Suit, by Jason Reynolds

Publication Information: New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2015

Summary:  Matt wears a black suit every day.  No, not because his mom dies -- although she did, it sucks.  But he wears the suit for his gig at the local funeral home, which pays way better than Cluck Bucket, and he needs the income since his dad can't handle the bills (or anything, really) on his own.  So while Dad's snagging bottles of whiskey, Matt's snagging fifteen bucks an hour.  Not bad.  But everything else?  Not good.  Then Matt meets Lovey.  Crazy name, and she's been through more crazy stuff than he can imagine.  Yet Lovey never cries.  She's tough.  Really tough.  Tough in a way Matt wishes he could be.  Which is maybe why he's drawn to her, and definitely why he can't seem to shake her.  Because there's nothing more hopeful than finding a person who understands your loneliness -- and who can maybe even help take it away.

Author Interview:

Read-a-Likes:

Last True Love Story, by Brendon Kiely

All American Boys, by Jason Reynolds and Brendon Kiely

How It Went Down, by Kekla Magoon

Darius & Twig, by Walter Dean Myers

Mexican Whiteboy, by Matt de la Pena

Gabi, Girl in Pieces, by Isabel Quintero

When I Was the Greatest, by Jason Reynolds

Before We Go Extinct, by Karen Rivers

This Side of Home, by Renee Watson

 

Links of Interest:

Author website:   jasonwritesbooks.com

Educator Guide:  HERE 

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Classic catalog version and Encore catalog version

 

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