When I Was the Greatest

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds, a "funny and rewarding" (Publishers Weekly) coming-of-age novel about friendship and loyalty across neighborhood lines 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.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: 01/07/2014
ISBN: 9781442459472
Pages: 231
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.50w x 0.90d
Award: Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers - Nominee
Award: Tayshas Reading - Highly Commended
Award: Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens - Recommended
Award: Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award - Nominee
Award: Coretta Scott King Award - Winner
Award: Cybils - Finalist
Award: In the Margins Book Award - Finalist

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 10/28/2013
Kirkus Reviews 11/01/2013
Voice of Youth Advocates 12/01/2013 - Recommended - Better Than Most
Booklist 12/15/2013 pg. 48
Horn Book Magazine 01/01/2014 pg. 99
School Library Journal 02/01/2014 pg. 112
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 03/01/2014
PW Children's Starred Reviews 12/01/2014 pg. 94
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2014 - Superior,Well Above Average
BookPage 01/01/2014

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 163699 / When I Was the Greatest
Reading Level: 4.8 / Interest Level: Upper Grade / Point Value: 9