Tight
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- £5.49
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- £5.49
Publisher Description
Tight: Lately, Bryan's been feeling it in all kinds of ways . . .
Bryan knows what's tight for him--reading comics, drawing superheroes, and hanging out with no drama. But drama is every day where he's from, and that gets him tight, wound up.
And now Bryan's friend Mike pressures him with ideas of fun that are crazy risky. At first, it's a rush following Mike, hopping turnstiles, subway surfing, and getting into all kinds of trouble. But Bryan never really feels right acting so wrong, and drama really isn't him. So which way will he go, especially when his dad tells him it's better to be hard and feared than liked?
But if there's one thing Bryan's gotten from his comic heroes, it's that he has power--to stand up for what he feels . . .
Torrey Maldonado delivers a fast-paced, insightful, dynamic story capturing urban community life. Readers will connect with Bryan's journey as he navigates a tough world with a heartfelt desire for a different life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in Brooklyn public housing, this novel by Maldonado (Secret Saturdays) centers on Bryan, a Puerto Rican sixth grader grappling with a volatile home life, a friend he can't trust, his conscience, and his identity. Since leaving jail, Pa hasn't done much except "hanging in the streets with his homeboys," but he "still spends zero time" with Bryan and his sister. His level-headed, loving mother has always counseled her son to focus on school rather than friends, since the "wrong friends bring drama," which proves true when Bryan meets Mike, an edgy, older schoolmate who shares Bryan's love of reading superhero comics and drawing. Wary of Mike's mood swings and manipulative behavior yet fearful of being labeled "soft," Bryan follows Mike's lead skipping school and riding the subway by hanging out the back car while feeling "far away from who I am." The author shrewdly builds suspense, fueling readers' dread that Bryan's poor choices will have dire consequences, but lands Bryan in a satisfying place. This is a psychologically intricate story of the challenges and rewards of family, friendship, and discerning one's true self. Ages 10 up.
