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When I Was the Greatest

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When I Was the Greatest

By: Jason Reynolds
Narrated by: JB Adkins
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About this listen

 In Bed Stuy, New York, a small misunderstanding can escalate into having a price on your head—even if you’re totally clean. This gritty, triumphant debut captures the heart and the hardship of life for an urban teen.

A lot of the stuff that gives my neighborhood a bad name, I don’t really mess with. The guns and drugs and all that, not really my thing.

Nah, not his thing. Ali’s got enough going on, between school and boxing and helping out at home. His best friend Noodles, though. Now there’s a dude looking for trouble—and, somehow, it’s always Ali around to pick up the pieces. But, hey, a guy’s gotta look out for his boys, right? Besides, it’s all small potatoes; it’s not like anyone’s getting hurt.

And then there’s Needles. Needles is Noodles’s brother. He’s got a syndrome, and gets these ticks and blurts out the wildest, craziest things. It’s cool, though: everyone on their street knows he doesn’t mean anything by it.

Yeah, it’s cool…until Ali and Noodles and Needles find themselves somewhere they never expected to be…somewhere they never should've been—where the people aren't so friendly, and even less forgiving. Bullying Bullying & Abuse Coming of Age Difficult Situations Fiction Growing Up Literature & Fiction Substance abuse Heartfelt

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All stars
Most relevant
I loved this! A slow start but soon picked up pace! Soon had me sitting on the edge of my seat! An exciting book. Loved thr sibling relationship with the protagonist. The way they love each other is so endearing. Fantastic nick names... reminds me of many Jamaicans who find a nick name for everyone. lol

A fast and full novel.

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3.5* - I really enjoyed the narrator, as they fit well with the narrative style of the book. Being told from the point of view of 'Ali', a 15yr old boy, this is a story about choices and morality, acceptance and diversity, as well as friendship and family

The focus is on the daily lives of him and his friends, and the choices they make in support of one another, as well as those they make in the interests of self preservation. With difference, disadvantage, desire, and daring all featuring as the story unfolds, there is as much to be enchanted by as there is to be enlightened by

Enchanted; enlightened

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