Long Way Down

Will Holloman's brother has been shot dead on the streets, and now fifteen-year-old Will plans to follow "The Rules" - no crying, no snitching, get revenge. The entire story takes place during a 60-second elevator ride as Will heads down from his apartment with his brother's gun. On each floor of the descent, a different person from Will's past enters the elevator to speak with him. Written entirely in spare, powerful verse, the story follows Will's internal struggle as he processes each unexpected encounter. The format of the book - the use of poetry, the real-time pacing, the confined elevator setting - creates a unique and intense reading experience. The graphic novel adaptation translates this tension through stark illustrations and creative visual storytelling. This profound examination of cycles of violence, family bonds, and difficult choices forces readers to question what justice really means and whether breaking destructive patterns requires more courage than following them.

Readers connect with the raw emotion and authenticity of Will's 60-second elevator ride. The novel-in-verse format creates a fast pace that pulls readers through the story in a single sitting. What readers liked: - Poetic style makes complex themes accessible - Resonates with teens who have experienced violence - Powerful ending that prompts discussion - Works well as both a solo read and classroom text What readers disliked: - Some found the verse format difficult to follow - Wanted more character development - Felt the ending was too ambiguous Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (103,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (3,800+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 5/5 Reader quotes: "The sparse writing style hits harder than traditional prose would" -Goodreads "This book changed how my students think about choices" -Teacher on Amazon "The format takes getting used to but the message is worth it" -Teen reader on Common Sense Media

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🔸 The book's 60-second elevator ride spans 256 pages, demonstrating how a single minute can contain an entire universe of thoughts, emotions, and life-changing decisions. 🔸 Jason Reynolds wrote the first draft of "Long Way Down" in just 19 days, drawing from his personal experiences growing up in Washington, D.C. 🔸 The novel has been adapted into a graphic novel illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff, bringing a striking visual dimension to the story's powerful verse format. 🔸 Each "ghost" Will meets on different floors of the elevator represents someone who died due to gun violence, creating a haunting chain of cause and effect that spans generations. 🔸 The book's unusual verse format was inspired by Reynolds' love of rap music, which he credits with helping him understand poetry and eventually become a writer after struggling with reading in his youth.