A Good Kind of Trouble audiobook

The good thing about serving on a book committee is that it helps you to read outside of your comfort zone. The bad thing about serving on a book committee is that it makes you read outside of your comfort zone. It’s funny, but as someone who reads a lot of children’s novels, my instinct is to revert back to my 12-year-old self. A steady diet of fantasy, punctuated by the occasional mystery, and I’d be good to go. But being a grown-up means trying different things all the time. Because wouldn't you know it, a lot of the time you end up liking the things you try. Take realistic contemporary fiction. I often do read it as part of my day-to-day job, but it isn’t something I’d instinctively select were it not for the recommendations of review journals and trusted fellow librarians. When Lisa Moore Ramée’s A Good Kind of Trouble started raking in the starred professional reviews, I was intrigued. I knew very little about it, but why not give it a go? The description of the book wasn’t doing it any favors, though, saying it would “capture your heart” and was “incredibly special”. There are better, more accurate, ways of putting those terms, even if they’re entirely true. Ms. Ramée has penned a young woman’s social justice awakening. That moment when you cross over from childhood to something that isn’t quite adulthood, but is on the right path. And if along the way the author is able to lead young readers down that same path, all the better.Shayla doesn’t get into trouble. She pretty much keeps her head down and her lips zipped. And until this year, that was fine for her. She has her two best friends, her family, her good grades, etc. And yeah, her sister Hana is all about protests and Black Lives Matter but that’s just a Hana thing, right? Yet when a public trial of a policeman comes up with a not guilty verdict and Shayla sees a protest firsthand, she starts thinking of ways that she can make a difference. Small ways, naturally, but sometimes something that seems small can make a huge difference.For good or for ill, this book is already being compared to Jerry Craft’s New Kid, a comic that covers a lot of the same territory, if in a different format. The difference, however, was pretty clear to me from the get-go. Craft’s book is about the self and how it reacts in a world filled with microaggressions. Ramée’s is far more about the world outside of the self. How you have a hard time seeing outside of your own lens and then suddenly it’s like you can’t unsee anything anymore. Shayla’s certainly concerned about school, her friends, her crushes, sports, etc. but there’s this sneaky secondary plot as well involving her older sister and what’s happening in the wider world. When Shayla marches in a protest for the first time, she physically separates herself from a lot of other middle grade heroes and heroines that talk the talk but refuse to walk the walk. The end result is a book that simultaneously separates itself from the pack.Children’s books have so many jobs to do that saying “they should all do this” or “they should all do that” is ludicrous. Better to just zero in on what a particular book does particularly well. Take Ms. Ramée’s for example. Her book has the unenviable job of making complex social issues, issues that a fair number of adults have been known to scratch their heads over, comprehensible, even self-evident, to kids. For example, there is Shayla and her friends. One friend is Latinx and one is Asian American. Shayla gets a little grief from her sister and some of the girls at school for not hanging out with black friends instead. Now her reaction to this is exactly what you’d expect to find in a middle grade novel. She defends her choices, points out that diversity in friendship is a good thing, and even calls her little group the United Nations. And in most books that would be the end of that little discussion, but if there’s one thing you’ll learn from A Good Kind of Trouble it’s that difficult conversations don’t get dropped simply because they’ve grown inconvenient. There comes a time in this novel when Shayla’s mother talks to her and gives her some advice on why she might want to have some black friends too. She says, “You may find as you get older that there’s something … comfortable, or I don’t know, comforting, in having friends who can relate to things you might be going through.” The talk makes it clear that her mother is happy for Shayla to keep her friends, but also that she should leave herself open to other possibilities as well. And, later, Shayla herself realizes that it would be nice to have, “A friend who knew being black meant all sorts of things.” That’s the kind of nuance you only get in the best books for kids. Did I mention at any point here that the book’s fun? And weirdly satisfying in all sorts of ways? There is a moment late in the game when Shayla’s mother gives one of the book’s antagonists a tongue lashing that you just want to read and reread a couple times for the sheer pleasure of witnessing JUSTICE. And when Shayla is then made to apologize to her oppressor she remembers a bit of advice from her father that is one of the wisest lines I’ve read in a while. “Don’t ever leave your enemies empty-handed. Give them a bone to gnaw on or they will keep on trying to bite you.” This is all followed not long thereafter by a pretty darn satisfying ending. The kind where things aren’t perfect but they’re better and our heroine has certainly learned a fair amount about herself, on top of the world around her. The only part of the book that didn’t gel for me was the subplot with Tyler. He’s a boy in Shayla’s class that has a crush on her, a feeling that is not reciprocated in the least. As a reader, you’re supposed to come to the realization that Shayla’s being unfair to the kid and should be nicer to him. But we’re coming out with this in a post #MeToo era and Tyler seriously steps over some major boundaries in this book. Even before he kisses her (something she confronts him about in time, which is good) he’s physically getting all up in her space. So when Yolanda tells Shayla she should be nicer to him, I wanted someone to back Shayla up, pointing out that the guy has to learn about personal space and pronto. I had visions of older Tyler stalking some girl saying, “Hey! I’m a nice guy!” echoing Yolanda’s statement, but in a twisted way.I wonder what percentage of kids today has been to protests at some point in their young lives? Certainly it must be higher than I was a child. The idea of protesting something has long since lost its rarity, but I can understand how difficult it would be to work one naturally into a middle grade novel. Folks are sometimes referring to this book as a younger version of The Hate U Give. Maybe, but I worry that kind of designation doesn’t really give credit to what Ramée has put together here. She’s taken the complexity of the real world, with all its police shootings and racism and destructive tendencies and made it personal for young readers. I don’t care what kid you hand this book to. Every single one of them will understand what’s going on here and, maybe, what’s going on in the wider world. The new required reading.For ages 9-12.

I think I make the mistake of reading reviews after I've read a book to compare my thoughts to others. I'm going to stop doing that because some of the reviews for this book irritate me. This book doesn't need to be compared to The Hate U Give. Every book for youth about the Black experience does not need to be compared to that or Dear Martin. Yes, this book utilizes the BLM movement as the back drop for the story; however, it definitely focuses on identity and dispelling the myth that Black people are a monolithA Good Kind of Trouble focuses on Shay who, at the start of the novel, is quickly learning the difference between elementary school and junior high. Shay is the type of student who attempts to remain out of trouble at all cost and doesn't want to involve herself in the Black Lives Matter Movement like her sister. While this novel does focus on activism, there is also an important conversation about identity and changing relationships. Most of the Black community knows what it means to be an "oreo." It's a racial slur that is used to describe Black people who are supposedly Black on the outside, but White on the inside. While this is never stated explicitly on page, it is implicated in Shay's experience of trying to navigate her friendships. She's often questioned about why she doesn't hang out with Black people or why she doesn't support Black endeavors. There are conversations related to cultural appropriation. There is an Asian-American character that uses AAVE and Shay is clearly uncomfortable by her use of AAVE and spends time confronting her about it. While I wish that Ramee would have delved more into why this was so problematic, I'm glad that she even thought to include it in the book. It touches on key issues that occur amongst Black people and other POC. As an adult reader, the manner in which some of the topics weren't analyzed or illustrated in a detailed manner including the challenging of some things related to the BLM Movement; however, as I always say about middle grade: I am not the target audience. This book is appropriate for the grades that Ramee was attempting to reach. In fact, there is a part of me that wishes that I had a book like this growing up. Black people are not a monolith and the way in which we choose to navigate the world in terms of our own personal development and social activism varies from person to person. So while this book doesn't delve into the Black Lives Matter movement as much as some other books, it handles it in a way that is accessible for a younger audience. The lack of regard for the Black body and Black lives is an important aspect of the book, but it is not the sole discussion of the book. Ramee even challenges stereotypes that are placed on Black bodies especially Black boys and how these stereotypes even condition the way that Black people think about each other. It's a book that is more complex in nature than people are giving it credit for. A Good Kind of Trouble is also the perfect insight to a Black girl just experiencing things that are normal for any middle school experience. As stated before, there are conversations related to friendship dynamics, dating, and family structure. Shay struggled quite a bit in the friendship department and it was nice to see a sense of transparency where the characters weren't always afraid to challenge it other. It is also a clear indication that friendships change as we grow older. Some of us are blessed to maintain the same relationships that we had in grade school; however, it's not the reality of most people. It's not realistic for us to want to follow the same paths and Ramee makes this clear when Shay finally makes the decision to become a part of the BLM movement and challenges school guidelines. It's a growth process for her and her attempt to figure out how she wants to become a part of social activism. Overall, I thought this was a great book especially in terms of writing. The pacing could have been a little better but it definitely is great break for middle grade readers. I'm excited to try more from this author.

Wow what a great book--says the author of said book. :) Don't @me anyone. With Covid-19 going on it was time to have some fun.

I couldn't put this book down, and was so excited to be able to read it! I cannot wait for it to be released and to own a physical copy! It was a great coming of age middle grade novel! There were so many layers to it and you should all already have this preordered!

Oh, this was good. SO GOOD, so layered and nuanced and such a good children's book.This is the sort of book I hope all kids, especially Black girls, get the chance to read - this book is important and so empathetic to the challenges of growing up.- Follows Shayla, who is trouble-averse and really just wants her friends to be around forever and maybe get a boyfriend. When incidences of police brutality become more salient within her community, Shayla has to grapple with how that affects her - and that there may even be a good kind of trouble. - I just loved this. I'm blown away by how the author has interwoven so many themes and ideas into this book seamlessly - changing friendships, family life, cultural appropriation, crushes, consent, police brutality, protest, racism, and what is 'Blackness'.- I loved how Shayla grows across the book! She makes plenty of mistakes and she contemplates her priorities and what is important to her; it's a messy process, but also so empathetic and gentle in its development.Trigger/content warning: police brutality (not explicitly depicted but described), kissing without consent (challenged in-text), racism from school staff, protests

I REALLY RECOMMEND THIS ONE. IT'S SO GOOD. IT DISCUSSES EVERYTHING SO WELL. IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

Really cool way of showing how younger teens can engage in social justice (and how adults are always trying to tell them to be nice and also ignore their voices). Loved Shayla’s parents - encouraging her to use her voice.

Quick to read, hard to put down, and I can already tell that it will stay with me forever. I loved the story so much. Shayla (and her friends & family) are wonderful characters. The writing is honest and perfectly true-to-life, and also very funny at times. I consider it a MUST READ, both for its frank discussion of Black Lives Matter and for its on-the-nose portrayal of Shayla growing up and learning to think "out loud." Highly recommended. I loved it!

Junior High is filled with change for Shayla and her two best friends Isabella and Julia aka The United Nations. New friendships and crushes threaten the trio. Elsewhere Shay’s big sister protests with Black Lives Matters as Shayla becomes more aware of race and how Blacks are marginalized in society and in her school, as well as her own biases.A GOOD KIND OF TROUBLE should be required reading for middle grade students. The Middle School years are challenging, friendship is challenging, crushes are challenging, race is challenging. Lisa Moore Ramee weaves together a simple, yet complicated story about an imperfect tween who is easy to root for, providing no easy answers. A GOOS KIND OF TROUBLE is a must addition for libraries and classrooms, as well as all readers.

"A Good Kind of Trouble" is the story of Shayla, a twelve-year-old girl who is trying to navigate the complexities of junior high school and find her place in the world. The story explores the themes of race, identity, and activism in a way that is perfect for middle-grade readers.Audiobook source: HooplaNarrator: Imani ParksLength: 6H 46M

I love this middlegrade so much! Shayla reminds me a lot of me as a kid: quiet, almost desperate not to get in trouble and sticking close to a group of friends. But, like a lot of us learn, she starts to see that maybe there are things that are worse than getting in trouble. It's important to care about things and to talk about things that matter, even if they make people uncomfortable.This is about social justice but it's also about starting to navigate a new school with new people and having friends start acting differently. It's something that I think most girls can relate to, regardless of how politically involved they may or may not be. I loved everything about this book. Highly recommended.

LOVED this book. Shayla is such a great narrator and perfectly captures so much of middle school friendship/self-image issues that almost everyone can relate to, while having her own strong voice. The way she and her classmates grapple with the Black Lives Matter movement (and the police brutality and other issues behind BLM) is presented so well, this will be a great intro for a lot of tweens (and even older readers looking for something intro level).

Great middle school read. Shayla and her friends experience all the ups and downs of middle school. One day you are besties, the next day you are not. One day you think the big kid is a bully, the next day you realize you got him wrong. Shayla eventually found her voice in the story and stood up for something she believed in, although it took her awhile to get there. Good backstory on black lives matter.