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Tight
A tween boy from the projects gets all wound up when he's constantly told he needs to be "hard" when he'd rather go with the flow and stay chill.
Bryan's mom has always encouraged his quiet, thoughtful nature, but his dad is different. He thinks it's time for the sixth-grader to toughen up. With a quick temper and recently out of jail on probation, he tells Bryan it's better for a man to be feared than to be liked.
Bryan's not really sure about this, and it doesn't seem to even matter when he befriends new kid Omar. At first everything is calm and chill, the way Bryan likes it, as the boys bond over their love of reading comics and drawing superheroes. But things get uncomfortable when it turns out Omar has some risky ideas about how to have fun. Then Bryan's dad gets in a fight and ends up back in jail, and something in Bryan snaps. He starts cutting school, jumping subway turnstiles and going train surfing, with Omar in the lead. But when Omar takes things a step too far and shows his true colors, Bryan has a difficult decision to make.
Bryan's mom has always encouraged his quiet, thoughtful nature, but his dad is different. He thinks it's time for the sixth-grader to toughen up. With a quick temper and recently out of jail on probation, he tells Bryan it's better for a man to be feared than to be liked.
Bryan's not really sure about this, and it doesn't seem to even matter when he befriends new kid Omar. At first everything is calm and chill, the way Bryan likes it, as the boys bond over their love of reading comics and drawing superheroes. But things get uncomfortable when it turns out Omar has some risky ideas about how to have fun. Then Bryan's dad gets in a fight and ends up back in jail, and something in Bryan snaps. He starts cutting school, jumping subway turnstiles and going train surfing, with Omar in the lead. But when Omar takes things a step too far and shows his true colors, Bryan has a difficult decision to make.
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First published September 4, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews
November 10, 2018
One of the most immersive, gripping, eye-opening, and powerfully REAL books I’ve read in some time. With superheroically agile prose, Torrey Maldonado packs a staggering amount into TIGHT’s 177 pages. There is plenty here for EVERY kind of reader to love.
November 27, 2018
Tight admittedly is one of those books that really isn't for me. I listened to it because I liked the narration and the cover design and try to read as much diverse fiction as I can. That said, I'm a white woman in my 30s, and I wasn't as engrossed as I would have been were I younger. I did think this was excellent, though, and I would encourage librarians to get this into their collections.
First thing that really struck me about Tight is that Bryan's a mamas boy, and he's super not embarrassed of that. His mom is cool, and he loves her. His relationship with his dad is complicated at best, and money's a bit tight, but in general he's a really happy kid. He works hard and focuses on school like his parents always told him to do.
Then his parents invite this kid Mike over for dinner, and Bryan's freaking out and jealous because he doesn't want to share his parents' attention (which is so refreshingly different from most mg/ya). In the end, though, Mike and Bryan bond over comic books and become best friends. Mike's really Bryan's first friend his age, and they get close fast.
As time passes, their friendship stops being all comic books and drawing their own comics, and Mike begins pressuring Bryan to do bad/dangerous thing: stealing, riding the subway without paying, subway surfing (holding on to the back of the car). Bryan knows this stuff isn't good but he likes Mike and he hates being called soft, so he goes with it, especially because his parents had told him Mike was a good kid.
There are a number of books about toxic female friendships, but this may be the first I've read specifically about toxic male friendships. Toxic friendships happen everywhere, so this is very much needed for young male readers.
Also, there's so much love of comics in here, so if you look for that heads up!
First thing that really struck me about Tight is that Bryan's a mamas boy, and he's super not embarrassed of that. His mom is cool, and he loves her. His relationship with his dad is complicated at best, and money's a bit tight, but in general he's a really happy kid. He works hard and focuses on school like his parents always told him to do.
Then his parents invite this kid Mike over for dinner, and Bryan's freaking out and jealous because he doesn't want to share his parents' attention (which is so refreshingly different from most mg/ya). In the end, though, Mike and Bryan bond over comic books and become best friends. Mike's really Bryan's first friend his age, and they get close fast.
As time passes, their friendship stops being all comic books and drawing their own comics, and Mike begins pressuring Bryan to do bad/dangerous thing: stealing, riding the subway without paying, subway surfing (holding on to the back of the car). Bryan knows this stuff isn't good but he likes Mike and he hates being called soft, so he goes with it, especially because his parents had told him Mike was a good kid.
There are a number of books about toxic female friendships, but this may be the first I've read specifically about toxic male friendships. Toxic friendships happen everywhere, so this is very much needed for young male readers.
Also, there's so much love of comics in here, so if you look for that heads up!
December 20, 2018
It's actually really great to read a book about toxic male friendships in middle school. I feel like this is something we've all acknowledged exists for girls around this age, but clearly it's not limited by gender. Also a fantastic book that feels like YA but is totally MG, which is rare. Would recommend this to fans of Kwame Alexander or Jason Reynolds--the audio is great!
June 13, 2018
It’s fresh and will give middle school readers an opportunity to reflect on friendships and choices they make or will potentially make. Look for this one in Sept
November 13, 2018
Strong voice, realistic characters, a great conversation starter for making choices in life when the choices aren't easy.
January 4, 2019
I've seen quite a few mentions of this book on Twitter and other various social media platforms that I follow for book recommendations and was planning on adding it to my next book order for the library. Imagine my surprise when my December order came in and there it was; apparently, I had already decided to order. I am glad I did and can't wait to share it with my students. This is a perfect introduction to literature featuring diverse characters and settings, paving the way for kids to be ready to read more of Jason Reynolds work (think When I was the Greatest ) or something along the lines of Randy Ribay's After the Shot Drops . This is a fantastic middle grade read that forces the reader to consider the question of how we know someone is a true friend and if being closer than a friend, like a brother, means that you have to take the good along with the bad.
Bryan likes to hang out by himself, enjoying the drama-free life he can create when he hangs with his Ma after work, or goes past his Pa and his boys on the corner. He knows all those guys have his back, so he doesn't have to worry too much about appearing "soft." But then he meets Mike, a kid from across the street, and they start hanging out. They bond over comics, super heroes, and eventually Mike starts introducing Bryan to things he thinks might be wrong (like jumping the turnstile at the train) but he also knows that he gets a serious rush from. As they continue to be friends, Bryan has to ask himself how far he is willing to go for a kid he thinks of like a brother, when he isn't sure he even wants to be friends anymore.
Highly recommend. A great book to give to kids after they finish the Track series. Appropriate for grades 5-8.
Bryan likes to hang out by himself, enjoying the drama-free life he can create when he hangs with his Ma after work, or goes past his Pa and his boys on the corner. He knows all those guys have his back, so he doesn't have to worry too much about appearing "soft." But then he meets Mike, a kid from across the street, and they start hanging out. They bond over comics, super heroes, and eventually Mike starts introducing Bryan to things he thinks might be wrong (like jumping the turnstile at the train) but he also knows that he gets a serious rush from. As they continue to be friends, Bryan has to ask himself how far he is willing to go for a kid he thinks of like a brother, when he isn't sure he even wants to be friends anymore.
Highly recommend. A great book to give to kids after they finish the Track series. Appropriate for grades 5-8.
September 2, 2018
As a girl who just graduated from a 4-year urban high school near NYC, I expected to know at least SOME of the slang used in his novel. I'll admit, I knew a bit, but some parts of the book felt to me as if I was reading a completely different language. This would not be a bad thing for people who are used to speaking this way in everyday life, but for those who do not speak this way, I just suggest that you take it slow and really immerse yourself in Bryan's world. You won't be disappointed.
This book tells an important story about peer pressure. Bryan originally thought that Mike's plans were innocent, like skipping school to read in a cafe or on top of an apartment building. Sure, they were going to miss class, but both of them were smart enough to catch up without even stressing out. Then, Mike starts wanting to do more dangerous things such as subway surfing and turnstile hopping, and Bryan thinks that there is no way out. Even though the two were only in middle school, they were doing things that seemed harmless but could have landed them in jail. This could also be things that city middle schoolers trying to have fun would try to do when they don't have a mall or park to hang out in.
I also enjoyed the inclusion of other issues, such as parents arguing and parent incarceration. It definitely tears a family apart when one member is in jail, and this I have seen in real life. I loved how brave Bryan's mom was, raising her kids without their dad for quite a large chunk of their lives. Even though she loved the father, he was unwilling to change from the dangerous ways that landed him in jail multiple times. I hope that things would get better for the family after the book ended, but since this isn't a series, we might not ever know.
It was also important that the book said that you didn't have to be intimidating to make people like you. Bryan had learned this from his father and Mike, but when he starts to find other friends, he finds that being a good person sometimes means just backing off.
All of the lessons that this book teaches are so important and can relate to kids no matter what color they are or where they live. Kids of any race can have parents that are in jail, or are basically being raised by a single mother, or can be influenced by bad friends. I would recommend this to kids in middle school and high school, or teachers that want to see into the lives of some of their students.
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
This book tells an important story about peer pressure. Bryan originally thought that Mike's plans were innocent, like skipping school to read in a cafe or on top of an apartment building. Sure, they were going to miss class, but both of them were smart enough to catch up without even stressing out. Then, Mike starts wanting to do more dangerous things such as subway surfing and turnstile hopping, and Bryan thinks that there is no way out. Even though the two were only in middle school, they were doing things that seemed harmless but could have landed them in jail. This could also be things that city middle schoolers trying to have fun would try to do when they don't have a mall or park to hang out in.
I also enjoyed the inclusion of other issues, such as parents arguing and parent incarceration. It definitely tears a family apart when one member is in jail, and this I have seen in real life. I loved how brave Bryan's mom was, raising her kids without their dad for quite a large chunk of their lives. Even though she loved the father, he was unwilling to change from the dangerous ways that landed him in jail multiple times. I hope that things would get better for the family after the book ended, but since this isn't a series, we might not ever know.
It was also important that the book said that you didn't have to be intimidating to make people like you. Bryan had learned this from his father and Mike, but when he starts to find other friends, he finds that being a good person sometimes means just backing off.
All of the lessons that this book teaches are so important and can relate to kids no matter what color they are or where they live. Kids of any race can have parents that are in jail, or are basically being raised by a single mother, or can be influenced by bad friends. I would recommend this to kids in middle school and high school, or teachers that want to see into the lives of some of their students.
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
January 13, 2019
Peer pressure can have serious consequences, which Bryan quickly learns after hanging out with his new friend Mike. A quick, thought-provoking read for ages 10 and up.
July 4, 2018
I grabbed an ARC of this book from the Book Portage group.
An introspective look at a boy's friendships and the choices he needs to make in order to navigate his way through adolescence, Tight is the story of a sixth grade student growing up in New York City. This emotional, compact story takes us through Bryan's emotions as he knows what makes him happy but is also dealing with what society, his family and classmates expect him to be as he grows from being a boy to being a man. Sometimes these things try to pull him away from what works for him, or what he knows is right.
What I loved most about this book is how it didn't shy away from making how the boys feel more important than action. Its central to the reading experience here in the same way that it was in House Arrest, one of the most popular books in my grade 5/6 class this year. I think I might have found the next book for my students that got hooked on House Arrest. Both K.A. Holt (writing in verse) and Torrey Maldonado don't need a lot of words or pages to show their young main characters struggle and grow. Readers will experience the feelings of Bryan and the secondary characters (Bryan's sister, Mike, Bryan's Pa, and Big Will) are interesting enough they could have their own books.
Educators and parents often use the word drama for situations in which girls' emotions are out of control but this book is a good reminder that boys can have that same affliction. This book could be an asset to boys who may feel like they are alone in what they feel as they try to find their true selves. They may find much to enjoy and learn from Bryan's journey and much to discuss of the choices he faces (that reminds me of many conversations about Jason Reynolds' Ghost that I had with students this year). If you are looking for thought provoking, realistic fiction for middle school boys check out this book when it comes out on September 4th. 4.5 stars
An introspective look at a boy's friendships and the choices he needs to make in order to navigate his way through adolescence, Tight is the story of a sixth grade student growing up in New York City. This emotional, compact story takes us through Bryan's emotions as he knows what makes him happy but is also dealing with what society, his family and classmates expect him to be as he grows from being a boy to being a man. Sometimes these things try to pull him away from what works for him, or what he knows is right.
What I loved most about this book is how it didn't shy away from making how the boys feel more important than action. Its central to the reading experience here in the same way that it was in House Arrest, one of the most popular books in my grade 5/6 class this year. I think I might have found the next book for my students that got hooked on House Arrest. Both K.A. Holt (writing in verse) and Torrey Maldonado don't need a lot of words or pages to show their young main characters struggle and grow. Readers will experience the feelings of Bryan and the secondary characters (Bryan's sister, Mike, Bryan's Pa, and Big Will) are interesting enough they could have their own books.
Educators and parents often use the word drama for situations in which girls' emotions are out of control but this book is a good reminder that boys can have that same affliction. This book could be an asset to boys who may feel like they are alone in what they feel as they try to find their true selves. They may find much to enjoy and learn from Bryan's journey and much to discuss of the choices he faces (that reminds me of many conversations about Jason Reynolds' Ghost that I had with students this year). If you are looking for thought provoking, realistic fiction for middle school boys check out this book when it comes out on September 4th. 4.5 stars
Read
September 16, 2018Bryan loves quiet places and quiet times that allow him to read and draw in peace. Why does that earn him the name Nerd from the other dudes? He likes to hang out with his mom at her work where he gets his own little "office" for homework and reading comics. Why does that seem strange to his frequently incarcerated father?
At the urging of both his parents, Bryan hooks up with a kid named Mike. He and Mike have some common interests - comics and drawing. They love quizzing each other on superheroes and which ones they wish they could be. It seems like the perfect friendship until Mike's true nature surfaces.
When Mike suggests cutting school, hopping the subway for free, and more, Bryan joins right in, but his own conscience questions the actions. Breaking the rules and acting tough is what his father does all the time, but Bryan knows it means trouble. He knows he should stop hanging out with Mike, but his mom and pop still think Mike is helping Bryan change his quiet ways.
Torrey Maldonado, also the author of SECRET SATURDAYS, captures the frustration of a young boy living in a poor neighborhood in NYC as he struggles to find what's right for him in a world of peer pressure and parental expectations. Readers will immediately connect with Bryan and his love of comics as he explores an alternative that he recognizes may lead him in an unwanted direction.
At the urging of both his parents, Bryan hooks up with a kid named Mike. He and Mike have some common interests - comics and drawing. They love quizzing each other on superheroes and which ones they wish they could be. It seems like the perfect friendship until Mike's true nature surfaces.
When Mike suggests cutting school, hopping the subway for free, and more, Bryan joins right in, but his own conscience questions the actions. Breaking the rules and acting tough is what his father does all the time, but Bryan knows it means trouble. He knows he should stop hanging out with Mike, but his mom and pop still think Mike is helping Bryan change his quiet ways.
Torrey Maldonado, also the author of SECRET SATURDAYS, captures the frustration of a young boy living in a poor neighborhood in NYC as he struggles to find what's right for him in a world of peer pressure and parental expectations. Readers will immediately connect with Bryan and his love of comics as he explores an alternative that he recognizes may lead him in an unwanted direction.
February 4, 2019
Excellent and relatable with a good message without being preachy. Real friends don’t put you down and talk you into reckless things. Peer pressure, anger issues, toxic masculinity/macho-ness (I guess? Bryan hates being called soft), and idolizing the wrong people are touched on expertly. Sometimes, the dialogue sounds the slightest bit cheesy, but I’m not super used to NYer-lingo.
I liked Bryan’s narrative. I understood his feelings and how badly he didn’t want to disappoint anyone. Yooo, that drama with Little Kev had my heart beating faster for real!
Of course, with a setting in New York, there’s some nice diversity: Bryan’s Puerto-Rican, Mike is black (AfrAm (?)), and adorable Kamau is Kenyan. There’s a whole cast of black and/or latino characters.
I definitely recommend this! This is geared toward kids, but some adults need to learn this lesson! Also, it's packed full of Marvel superhero facts/trivia.
I liked Bryan’s narrative. I understood his feelings and how badly he didn’t want to disappoint anyone. Yooo, that drama with Little Kev had my heart beating faster for real!
Of course, with a setting in New York, there’s some nice diversity: Bryan’s Puerto-Rican, Mike is black (AfrAm (?)), and adorable Kamau is Kenyan. There’s a whole cast of black and/or latino characters.
I definitely recommend this! This is geared toward kids, but some adults need to learn this lesson! Also, it's packed full of Marvel superhero facts/trivia.
November 14, 2018
Thanks to @michelegreen120 for sharing her free copy from @penguinkids to share with @kidlitexchange .
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 for TIGHT by #torreymaldonado, a beautifully written #mglit book about making tough choices as an inner city youth. This book is out September 4 and belongs in all elementary and middle school libraries. .
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Bryan’s first person narrative is the very best part of this book. It rings true and will get students thinking about the tough choices in their own lives. I read this in one quick sitting and predict that students won’t be able to put it down either. This is going on my list of possible choices for #summerreading 2019. .
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Swipe to see the back!
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#bookstagram #book #reading #bibliophile #bookworm #bookaholic #booknerd #bookgram #librarian #librariansfollowlibrarians #librariansofinstagram #booklove #booktography #bookstagramfeature #bookish #bookaddict #booknerdigans #booknerd #ilovereading #instabook #futurereadylibs #ISTElibs #TLChat #mgbooks
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〰️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 for TIGHT by #torreymaldonado, a beautifully written #mglit book about making tough choices as an inner city youth. This book is out September 4 and belongs in all elementary and middle school libraries. .
〰️
〰️
Bryan’s first person narrative is the very best part of this book. It rings true and will get students thinking about the tough choices in their own lives. I read this in one quick sitting and predict that students won’t be able to put it down either. This is going on my list of possible choices for #summerreading 2019. .
〰️
〰️
Swipe to see the back!
.
〰️
〰️
#bookstagram #book #reading #bibliophile #bookworm #bookaholic #booknerd #bookgram #librarian #librariansfollowlibrarians #librariansofinstagram #booklove #booktography #bookstagramfeature #bookish #bookaddict #booknerdigans #booknerd #ilovereading #instabook #futurereadylibs #ISTElibs #TLChat #mgbooks
November 22, 2018
Loved how Bryan found his inner peace through comic books, drawing and from the calming presence of Big Will. The way Torrey addresses anger in this story will help many readers.
July 30, 2018
September 2018 Release.
This is Torrey Maldonado from his website in response to his first book, SECRET SATURDAYS (which this reviewer now needs to pick up): "As a boy, I wrote to distract my mind from the rough realities of my neighborhood and schools. Writing helped me with my problems but it also brought new problems. There was great pressure for me to follow the crowd and the crowd felt writing equaled school and school equaled corny. Where I’m from, young female writers are called nerdy but boys get called “soft” because people think school’s a girl’s thing. I never stopped writing though and it paid off. People around me mistook me writing as “soft” but writing turned out to be hard enough to smash my chains of poverty. It helped me avoid ending up dead, in jail, on drugs, or living below my full potential. Now, I write a lot to help young people also improve their lives."
There's an old saying in the education business that every reader will struggle with some kind of text at some point in his/her/their reading life. Maldonado's upcoming release for middle grade readers had this reader looking up terms that might be more common for readers in the demographic, but it is a good point to make that a middle grade book can be a primer for the language white educators like me may be missing out on.
So, I don't want to OD here on TIGHT (even this feels like an intrusion on the language used in the book between Bryan and Mike). Going "body" on someone. Stuck on stupid. Salty. Thirsty. But, this isn't the stuff of a "want-to-hip" and "current" vocabulary test for the week. Maldanado's new book employs the language of the "not soft" early middle school boy on the tough streets of New York.
This is the place where you pass the hard who sit on milk crates and give you the stare as you pass. You need someone to have your back. You need to know the non-verbal language. You don't want to be seen as "soft." If you have a Pa who is "tough," all the better. He can manage the street and clear the way for you between home and school.
And, if you have a Ma who can hold down the home and your school life, all the better. But, for how many others is Ma holding back the tough in her job as a community center worker? What does she know of "tough" that Bryan has yet to find out and later to know? And why is she inviting the boy that Bryan has hardly talked to dinner? And why is Pa making him the specialty dish that Bryan had thought was reserved for him?
Through in a sister who knows "tough" only because she is a few years older and you've got a "tight" situation that pins young Bryan into a "coming into masculinity mode" at a deficit of two females to one male in the home who are encouraging a mix of of throwing hands and thinking with one's head. And the man? He's one bad decision away from going back to jail. Throwing hands and thinking with one's head are compromised when one has a hot temper.
Ma's inviting Mike to dinner promises a new friendship to school-focused, family-oriented family-faithful Bryan. A shared interest in comic books melts the ice between two boys caught in a place that will be familiar to middle grade readers: the tension between being tough and reconciling that internal need to have a friend. . .to have and to be a brother and all of the feelings associated with this relationship.
Bryan's notion of brotherhood has the same romantic, over-the-top presentation as the comic books he enjoys. Maldonado's approach here makes TIGHT a natural "ladder" (Teri Lesesne) for unexpected titles readers might encounter later on like S. E. Hinton's THE OUTSIDERS.
Maldonado is able to keep the book "tight" by building a tension between Bryan and Mike that comes of Mike's carefree and accountability-free lifestyle that begins with innocent diversions leading to imminent danger as the book progresses. Bryan checks himself against his own beliefs and experiences even while following Bryan into a place that feels more and more "tight" for the tension of opposites between right and wrong. . .between brother and bother. . .between hero and villain.
Maldonado's supporting characters like Big Will provide opportunities for guidance and right steering, but when Mike's ODing the friendship and loyalty creates more tension for Bryan, decisions must be made for which way he will go. Maldonado's allusions to comics and the connections they can make between friends and between the reality and the fantasy that sustains young readers and enthusiasts is a strong nod to comics and graphica for young readers. Allusions to Miles Morales could lead readers to Jason Reynold's latest novel from the Marvel series about this Spider-Man storyline.
Maldonado's experience as an educator working with students is evident in the work and this puts him into a place with author/teachers like Phil Bildner writing for the younger reader set stories and situations that require thoughtful navigation and healthy conflict resolution. With TIGHT, Maldonado begins to situate himself among those middle grade writers like Sharon Draper, Sharon Flake, Nikki Grimes, and Walter Dean Myers. With the Nancy Paulsen touch on the inside of the book and her stamp on the outside of the book, adult readers who recommend books to younger readers can count on a "soft" touch to "tough" issues that present as "tough" situations and themes that "soften" only in the way that is encouraging to young readers that conflict resolution that does not always come of throwing hands.
This is Torrey Maldonado from his website in response to his first book, SECRET SATURDAYS (which this reviewer now needs to pick up): "As a boy, I wrote to distract my mind from the rough realities of my neighborhood and schools. Writing helped me with my problems but it also brought new problems. There was great pressure for me to follow the crowd and the crowd felt writing equaled school and school equaled corny. Where I’m from, young female writers are called nerdy but boys get called “soft” because people think school’s a girl’s thing. I never stopped writing though and it paid off. People around me mistook me writing as “soft” but writing turned out to be hard enough to smash my chains of poverty. It helped me avoid ending up dead, in jail, on drugs, or living below my full potential. Now, I write a lot to help young people also improve their lives."
There's an old saying in the education business that every reader will struggle with some kind of text at some point in his/her/their reading life. Maldonado's upcoming release for middle grade readers had this reader looking up terms that might be more common for readers in the demographic, but it is a good point to make that a middle grade book can be a primer for the language white educators like me may be missing out on.
So, I don't want to OD here on TIGHT (even this feels like an intrusion on the language used in the book between Bryan and Mike). Going "body" on someone. Stuck on stupid. Salty. Thirsty. But, this isn't the stuff of a "want-to-hip" and "current" vocabulary test for the week. Maldanado's new book employs the language of the "not soft" early middle school boy on the tough streets of New York.
This is the place where you pass the hard who sit on milk crates and give you the stare as you pass. You need someone to have your back. You need to know the non-verbal language. You don't want to be seen as "soft." If you have a Pa who is "tough," all the better. He can manage the street and clear the way for you between home and school.
And, if you have a Ma who can hold down the home and your school life, all the better. But, for how many others is Ma holding back the tough in her job as a community center worker? What does she know of "tough" that Bryan has yet to find out and later to know? And why is she inviting the boy that Bryan has hardly talked to dinner? And why is Pa making him the specialty dish that Bryan had thought was reserved for him?
Through in a sister who knows "tough" only because she is a few years older and you've got a "tight" situation that pins young Bryan into a "coming into masculinity mode" at a deficit of two females to one male in the home who are encouraging a mix of of throwing hands and thinking with one's head. And the man? He's one bad decision away from going back to jail. Throwing hands and thinking with one's head are compromised when one has a hot temper.
Ma's inviting Mike to dinner promises a new friendship to school-focused, family-oriented family-faithful Bryan. A shared interest in comic books melts the ice between two boys caught in a place that will be familiar to middle grade readers: the tension between being tough and reconciling that internal need to have a friend. . .to have and to be a brother and all of the feelings associated with this relationship.
Bryan's notion of brotherhood has the same romantic, over-the-top presentation as the comic books he enjoys. Maldonado's approach here makes TIGHT a natural "ladder" (Teri Lesesne) for unexpected titles readers might encounter later on like S. E. Hinton's THE OUTSIDERS.
Maldonado is able to keep the book "tight" by building a tension between Bryan and Mike that comes of Mike's carefree and accountability-free lifestyle that begins with innocent diversions leading to imminent danger as the book progresses. Bryan checks himself against his own beliefs and experiences even while following Bryan into a place that feels more and more "tight" for the tension of opposites between right and wrong. . .between brother and bother. . .between hero and villain.
Maldonado's supporting characters like Big Will provide opportunities for guidance and right steering, but when Mike's ODing the friendship and loyalty creates more tension for Bryan, decisions must be made for which way he will go. Maldonado's allusions to comics and the connections they can make between friends and between the reality and the fantasy that sustains young readers and enthusiasts is a strong nod to comics and graphica for young readers. Allusions to Miles Morales could lead readers to Jason Reynold's latest novel from the Marvel series about this Spider-Man storyline.
Maldonado's experience as an educator working with students is evident in the work and this puts him into a place with author/teachers like Phil Bildner writing for the younger reader set stories and situations that require thoughtful navigation and healthy conflict resolution. With TIGHT, Maldonado begins to situate himself among those middle grade writers like Sharon Draper, Sharon Flake, Nikki Grimes, and Walter Dean Myers. With the Nancy Paulsen touch on the inside of the book and her stamp on the outside of the book, adult readers who recommend books to younger readers can count on a "soft" touch to "tough" issues that present as "tough" situations and themes that "soften" only in the way that is encouraging to young readers that conflict resolution that does not always come of throwing hands.
April 6, 2021
3.5 rounded up
February 10, 2019
Great example of an author trying to share some positive ideas, and food for thought for readers after finishing this. I listened to the audiobook, and it was definitely like Maldonado telling a story.
This is the second book in a row that I've listened to that was a contemporary story about a boy befriending someone older that they idolized at first, then grew to distrust. There is a type of suspense in that you are not sure what is going to happen, and if things will go so far that injury or even catastrophe will result. Both books have loving parents and siblings, and stress the importance of genuine friends.
Even though I am not a comic book fan, I know that this aspect of the story will create even more interest among readers, and can lead to some interesting discussions-- even fun arguments over the best superhero, superpower, etc.
This book is accessible to middle and upper elementary students; I realize that in real life, profanity would probably be much more prominent, but by omitting it, Maldonado has made this available for more readers.
This is the second book in a row that I've listened to that was a contemporary story about a boy befriending someone older that they idolized at first, then grew to distrust. There is a type of suspense in that you are not sure what is going to happen, and if things will go so far that injury or even catastrophe will result. Both books have loving parents and siblings, and stress the importance of genuine friends.
Even though I am not a comic book fan, I know that this aspect of the story will create even more interest among readers, and can lead to some interesting discussions-- even fun arguments over the best superhero, superpower, etc.
This book is accessible to middle and upper elementary students; I realize that in real life, profanity would probably be much more prominent, but by omitting it, Maldonado has made this available for more readers.
Read
November 22, 2018Sometimes it's hard to do what's right. New York City, Sixth-grader Bryan find this out the hard way. He knows the way he likes to live his life : reading his comics, drawing superheroes, and not getting involved in drama. Then one day thanks to his parents, Bryan meets Mike. Mike brings the drama to Bryan's life. Bryan's feelings let him know that he doesn't like the person he's becomes when Mike comes around, but people tell him he needs to be harder, so he goes against his feelings.
Tight is one the most real and fun books I've read in a while. It forces us to think about the choices we would make if we were in Bryan's shoes. This is a great slice of life story that a lot of readers can relate to.
Tight also showcases really great examples of friendship. Torrey Maldonado is excellent at showing the different dynamics of Bryan's friendships with different characters!
Bryan is such a lovely character. He wants to be himself but he also doubts himself and grows through his choices. I also love how he admits to having his feelings. A lot of times we don't get to see male main characters express their feelings and admit to having them.
You can really connect to Bryan and through him you feel like you're living his life and you become immersed in his story. Bryan and Mike's love of superheroes brings a geeky and lovely modern edge to this story.Tight is so engaging!
Tight is a pretty awesome book!
Tight is one the most real and fun books I've read in a while. It forces us to think about the choices we would make if we were in Bryan's shoes. This is a great slice of life story that a lot of readers can relate to.
Tight also showcases really great examples of friendship. Torrey Maldonado is excellent at showing the different dynamics of Bryan's friendships with different characters!
Bryan is such a lovely character. He wants to be himself but he also doubts himself and grows through his choices. I also love how he admits to having his feelings. A lot of times we don't get to see male main characters express their feelings and admit to having them.
You can really connect to Bryan and through him you feel like you're living his life and you become immersed in his story. Bryan and Mike's love of superheroes brings a geeky and lovely modern edge to this story.Tight is so engaging!
Tight is a pretty awesome book!
June 10, 2018
This book was TIGHT! Bryan is a 6th grade student who is pretty much a quiet, good kid. He loves quietness and chillness. His sister, Ava, is in 9th grade and thinks he is soft. Bryan's mom brings a new kid Mike around for dinner and so it begins... at first Bryan thinks Mike is cool. They share a love of comic books and drawing. Then things take a turn. Mike gets Bryan to skip school, jump turnstiles and hop on subways without paying, throw rocks off of roofs, etc. Bryan knows these things are wrong, but his dad (who has been in and out of jail) tells him he needs to be hard. He is confused about what to do until he gets caught by his parents for skipping school. Bryan starts to befriend Big Will and Mike doesn't seem to like that. He starts to cause trouble for Bryan until it finally comes to a head that could start even more problems for Bryan and Mike. I love the fact that the author uses language like a kid would use and I will admit I was a little confused on the OD and SOS...:) This book is amazing and I can't wait to share it with my students.
December 17, 2018
I am certainly not a member of this books target audience. But, I enjoy reading regardless of genre. While some of the dialogue was foreign to me, an a middle-aged white man, it didn’t make comprehension difficult. I enjoyed this story, and think teenage readers would thoroughly enjoy it.
This story shows life in the New York projects from the youth perspective, something I knew next to nothing about. Dealing with a revolving door prison Father, friends both positive and negative, an environment largely negative, and a supportive strict Mother, we see our hero try to do what’s right most of the time.
The struggle is captivating, and the read informative and entertaining.
This story shows life in the New York projects from the youth perspective, something I knew next to nothing about. Dealing with a revolving door prison Father, friends both positive and negative, an environment largely negative, and a supportive strict Mother, we see our hero try to do what’s right most of the time.
The struggle is captivating, and the read informative and entertaining.
Read
September 10, 2018The Puerto Rican Bryan love his comic books and drawing and finds a friend in Mike who comes to him by way of his mother and father. Newly released from prison, his father has a hard exterior that's tough to crack but softens a bit when Mike is around... until Mike starts encouraging behavior in Bryan that Bryan wouldn't necessarily do on his own including skipping school.
It's about using his superheroes for a force of good and knowing right from wrong in this lovely middle grade story about identity, friendship, and family... and knowing what's important.
It's about using his superheroes for a force of good and knowing right from wrong in this lovely middle grade story about identity, friendship, and family... and knowing what's important.
October 24, 2018
Sixth grader Bryan is urged by his parents to befriend, Mike. The two boys get along great, talking about heroes, exploring the city, having fun. When Mike urges Bryan to skip school, he does. Bryan begins a slight downward spiral of bad choices.
The language that Maldonado uses is authentic and gritty which had me immersed in Bryan's world. Bryan is torn between doing the right thing and not, and even he's not sure why he does what he does. That sums up the rest of humanity too, but Bryan's angst and salvation is captured well.
The language that Maldonado uses is authentic and gritty which had me immersed in Bryan's world. Bryan is torn between doing the right thing and not, and even he's not sure why he does what he does. That sums up the rest of humanity too, but Bryan's angst and salvation is captured well.
July 16, 2018
Really enjoyed this novel. Current, fresh, and real. I like how current this realistic fiction story was. Lots of great life lessons included in the pages of this book!
October 31, 2018
Use your head. Make good choices. Have friends that lift you up instead of bring you down. I definitely recommend this book for middle school age children.
December 8, 2018
I liked the plot more than the execution, but I identify with this book via my students and the emotional fine line they are always walking
July 22, 2019
Reading this book was a visceral experience. My blood pressure was up and down right there with Bryan. It's like watching a gripping movie.
February 8, 2022
3.5 ⭐
an enjoyable read.
interesting pov.
choose your friends wisely, y'all :)
an enjoyable read.
interesting pov.
choose your friends wisely, y'all :)
February 10, 2019
My 900th finished book on GoodReads! Huzzah!
I checked this out and listened to it in one day as I puttered around the house today. It's the sweet story of Bryan, a kid from NYC whose dad has been in and out of prison, who geeks out over comics, and who loves his mom so much he doesn't hesitate to hold her hand while walking down the street. Once he starts hanging out with a new friend, Bryan begins to feel the negative influence of his new pal and starts acting in ways he normally wouldn't. Author Maldonado tells this story with natural dialog and a balanced tone, never leaning too far into moral lectures so as to be didactic. But the reader will get a sense of Bryan's dilemma and why he struggles to clean up his act. I loved the supporting character Big Will, who exerts a positive, calming influence on the whole book. His demeanor sets a wonderful example of strength, especially as a fantastic juxtaposition against some tough-guy machismo.
I checked this out and listened to it in one day as I puttered around the house today. It's the sweet story of Bryan, a kid from NYC whose dad has been in and out of prison, who geeks out over comics, and who loves his mom so much he doesn't hesitate to hold her hand while walking down the street. Once he starts hanging out with a new friend, Bryan begins to feel the negative influence of his new pal and starts acting in ways he normally wouldn't. Author Maldonado tells this story with natural dialog and a balanced tone, never leaning too far into moral lectures so as to be didactic. But the reader will get a sense of Bryan's dilemma and why he struggles to clean up his act. I loved the supporting character Big Will, who exerts a positive, calming influence on the whole book. His demeanor sets a wonderful example of strength, especially as a fantastic juxtaposition against some tough-guy machismo.
July 22, 2020
Finally a true "Hi-Lo" book for my 8th-grade classroom! I only wish the main character was a bit older (he's a 6th grader when this might be too difficult a read for many 6th graders). It's so hard to find stories that really ride the line between feeling grown-up enough to satisfy 8th graders stretching toward more mature reads while not angering parents with explicit or profane content, all while providing lower-than-grade-level accessibility. Few do it well. Few do it at all!
Tight follows Bryan as he tries to navigate tough-guy culture on the streets of Brooklyn. Deep down, he's more interested in comics and drawing than fancy cars and new shoes, but when he's introduced to Mike, he finds himself chameleonizing to fit in. I appreciate the serious look at violence as a means to solve problems and that Maldonado doesn't try to soften the edges of certain characters just for the sake of theme. In addition, the style and voice are effortless and authentic. Must get more copies stat!
Tight follows Bryan as he tries to navigate tough-guy culture on the streets of Brooklyn. Deep down, he's more interested in comics and drawing than fancy cars and new shoes, but when he's introduced to Mike, he finds himself chameleonizing to fit in. I appreciate the serious look at violence as a means to solve problems and that Maldonado doesn't try to soften the edges of certain characters just for the sake of theme. In addition, the style and voice are effortless and authentic. Must get more copies stat!
September 26, 2020
I enjoyed this book. However, the ending seemed rushed. I definitely didn't care for Mike when he first came into the scene. (I guess you can say) In my opinion Bryan was right to tap Mike behind. He tried him too many times. You don't come into my home disrespect my mom, our stuff, and then put your hands on me. He asked Mike to leave. Mike wouldn't leave. I mean, no adults were there what was Bryan supposed to do?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2019
I liked it. I did. But I think I heard too much hype about it from some other folks, and it just didn’t quite live up to that for me. However, I do think all kids will find something in this story to identify with and some may really need this book. It’s a must have addition to any middle grades/middle school library. There’s so much that these characters are dealing with from parent incarceration, to poverty, to friendship, and the choices that must be made along the way.
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