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Finding Langston #2
Leaving Lymon
A companion novel to Finding Langston, recipient of a Coretta Scott King Writing Honor and winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.
Behind every bad boy is a story worth hearing and at least one chance for redemption. It's 1946 and Lymon, uprooted from his life in the Deep South and moved up North, needs that chance.
Lymon's father is, for the time being, at Parchman Farm--the Mississippi State Penitentiary--and his mother, whom he doesn't remember all that much, has moved North. Fortunately, Lymon is being raised by his loving grandparents. Together, Lymon and his grandpops share a love of music, spending late summer nights playing the guitar.
But Lymon's world as he knows it is about to dissolve. He will be sent on a journey to two Northern cities far from the country life he loves--and the version of himself he knows. In this companion novel to the Coretta Scott King Honor wining Finding Langston, readers will see a new side of the bully Lymon in this story of an angry boy whose raw talent, resilience, and devotion to music help point him in a new direction.
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Selection!
Named a Best Multicultural Children's Book by the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year!
A Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book
Behind every bad boy is a story worth hearing and at least one chance for redemption. It's 1946 and Lymon, uprooted from his life in the Deep South and moved up North, needs that chance.
Lymon's father is, for the time being, at Parchman Farm--the Mississippi State Penitentiary--and his mother, whom he doesn't remember all that much, has moved North. Fortunately, Lymon is being raised by his loving grandparents. Together, Lymon and his grandpops share a love of music, spending late summer nights playing the guitar.
But Lymon's world as he knows it is about to dissolve. He will be sent on a journey to two Northern cities far from the country life he loves--and the version of himself he knows. In this companion novel to the Coretta Scott King Honor wining Finding Langston, readers will see a new side of the bully Lymon in this story of an angry boy whose raw talent, resilience, and devotion to music help point him in a new direction.
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Selection!
Named a Best Multicultural Children's Book by the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year!
A Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 7, 2020
39 people are currently reading
766 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
March 13, 2020
This companion novel to "Finding Langston" gives us another perspective on the Great Migration. The behavior of Lymon, the bully, was appalling and we applauded when the school took action. Now we see, as the iconic Paul Harvey would say --"the rest of the story." Lymon's story begins in Mississippi with his daddy serving time on the Parchman Farm. Lesa Cline-Ransome shows us Lymon's family life and how his grandpop introduces him to the joys of music. Ma (grandma) is a steady presence throughout his life along with aunts and uncles. Life is hard and Lymon finds himself in Chicago with the momma he has always wanted to meet and a stepfather who would rather he did not exist. Even in his bullying and runaway phase of life, there is still hope. I love the way music binds Lymon to his daddy and his late grandpop. My favorite character, though, is the godly barber (and deacon) who provides work and dignity to a little boy who runs away from school, showing him the love of His Heavenly Father. I do find it odd that there is no mention of WW II even though the book covers the years of 1938-1947.
February 1, 2020
These books are such little understated gems. I love the compassion for all the characters Cline-Ransome has for all her characters. She hits me in the heart every time.
April 15, 2021
If I thought I loved Finding Langston (the companion novel to this) then man alive I don't know what verb to use to explain my feelings on this one.
This book was everything. To the point that every time I try to talk about it I get teary. Lesa Cline-Ransome has a way of making me love and cherish this bully that we meet in Langston. Lymon is another black boy who moves north as part of the Great Migration. His circumstances are very different from Langston's though. Lymon's father is in Parchman Penitentiary and his mother has abandoned him. He lives with his grandparents and throughout the book is failed over and over again by different adults in his life.
This book really explores why some kids act out in the ways that they do, and by the end of the book I just wanted to hug Lymon and tell him he matters. I could see so much of so many kids in my own children's school in Lymon and it just makes me feel for them. It is definitely a book that challenged me to be more proactive about reaching out to struggling kids and showing them the love they need.
This book was everything. To the point that every time I try to talk about it I get teary. Lesa Cline-Ransome has a way of making me love and cherish this bully that we meet in Langston. Lymon is another black boy who moves north as part of the Great Migration. His circumstances are very different from Langston's though. Lymon's father is in Parchman Penitentiary and his mother has abandoned him. He lives with his grandparents and throughout the book is failed over and over again by different adults in his life.
This book really explores why some kids act out in the ways that they do, and by the end of the book I just wanted to hug Lymon and tell him he matters. I could see so much of so many kids in my own children's school in Lymon and it just makes me feel for them. It is definitely a book that challenged me to be more proactive about reaching out to struggling kids and showing them the love they need.
September 28, 2020
Even more emotionally packed than its companion novel Finding Langston. Lymon's story of finding inner strength will break your heart. There's nothing easy about Lymon's life as he bounces from home to home and back again.
March 20, 2022
3.75 stars, rounded up
"'Before you start huffing and puffing, I got something I want to tell you.' Mr Eugene turned my chair to the side and sat in the chair next to mine.
'A few years back, when I was your age' - I smiled even though I didn't want to - 'I got into a little bit of trouble', he said.
'You?' Mr. Eugene didn't look like the type who was even late for school.
'Yeah me. I was young and hardheaded. Started hanging out with some knuckleheads.'
'What happened?' I asked him.
'Well, that what I want to talk to you about. It doesn't matter what happened then. All that matters is what happens now,' he said.
I nodded."
Lymon's story is a great example of understanding that everyone has a story, even the bully in another's story, and that everyone is worthy of grace, forgiveness, and second chances. No one is all good, nor is anyone all bad. Lymon is so very worthy of love and attention, but has been let down by many of the adults in his life with the exception of his Mama (paternal grandmother) and Mr Eugene, the owner of the local barber shop where Lymon gets a part-time job after school. I loved their relationship and interactions the most-est... as evidenced by the quote selected above. :)
"'Before you start huffing and puffing, I got something I want to tell you.' Mr Eugene turned my chair to the side and sat in the chair next to mine.
'A few years back, when I was your age' - I smiled even though I didn't want to - 'I got into a little bit of trouble', he said.
'You?' Mr. Eugene didn't look like the type who was even late for school.
'Yeah me. I was young and hardheaded. Started hanging out with some knuckleheads.'
'What happened?' I asked him.
'Well, that what I want to talk to you about. It doesn't matter what happened then. All that matters is what happens now,' he said.
I nodded."
Lymon's story is a great example of understanding that everyone has a story, even the bully in another's story, and that everyone is worthy of grace, forgiveness, and second chances. No one is all good, nor is anyone all bad. Lymon is so very worthy of love and attention, but has been let down by many of the adults in his life with the exception of his Mama (paternal grandmother) and Mr Eugene, the owner of the local barber shop where Lymon gets a part-time job after school. I loved their relationship and interactions the most-est... as evidenced by the quote selected above. :)
December 8, 2025
In this companion novel to “Finding Langston” which centers on the life of Lymon who was one of Langston’s bullies in the story, we see him facing so much change and struggle in his childhood that spans a handful of years. They include his father who is constantly in and out of his life, his mother who slowly becomes ill, his grandparents and other relatives raising him, dealing with bullies and racism during the time period but he finds music as his only source of comfort and strength.
Lymon’s story really packs an more emotional and harsher feeling as there’s definitely a lot of baggage that he has to deal with for a child his age, yet there’s still some warm and bittersweet notes found and it leaves with a strong and sobering feeling. A (100%/Outstanding)
Lymon’s story really packs an more emotional and harsher feeling as there’s definitely a lot of baggage that he has to deal with for a child his age, yet there’s still some warm and bittersweet notes found and it leaves with a strong and sobering feeling. A (100%/Outstanding)
February 25, 2023
I'm pleased to say I liked this one a lot.
It was probably good for me to pick up Leaving Lymon so long after reading Finding Langston since I didn't remember the extent of Lymon's bullying and could form my own opinions about his character without it being shaded by Langston's experience with Lymon in the previous book. Because I came in with this distance, I really appreciated what Lymon's story had to offer.
Lymon's father is an absent musician, and he lives with his grandparents. It's a little confusing because he calls his grandmother Ma, and the backstory of his actual mother isn't explained until a few chapters in. The story follows Lymon as he relocates from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Chicago, Illinois with a different cast of family members.
One thing that Leaving Lymon does well is to introduce the reality of the school-to-prison pipeline for disadvantaged (primarily black) youth. When the school system ignores the realities of what's going on in people's lives, it leads to people believing the system doesn't care. This can lead to negative behavior that wouldn't necessarily be punished as harshly if the person was white, but because they're black, it contributes to the stereotype that black = criminal. I appreciate the way Lesa Cline-Ransome explores this reality through multiple generations.
Another thing I really like about Leaving Lymon is the depiction of nontraditional family structures. I'm always looking out for this in children's literature. Lymon lives with various family members for various reasons throughout the story. While not all of these relationships work out or are positive, many are. It's so important for kids to see these depictions. I'll touch more on this in my review on my Goodreads account for children's books as well.
In terms of the story, Leaving Lymon comes full circle in a way that I don't remember from Finding Langston. I think the story completes itself more fully as is depicts Lymon's life from a young age to the present, and how he grows as a character.
My final thoughts on the book are that, as a white teacher of black children, I hope I never make kids feel the way Ms. Desmond did to Lymon.
It was probably good for me to pick up Leaving Lymon so long after reading Finding Langston since I didn't remember the extent of Lymon's bullying and could form my own opinions about his character without it being shaded by Langston's experience with Lymon in the previous book. Because I came in with this distance, I really appreciated what Lymon's story had to offer.
Lymon's father is an absent musician, and he lives with his grandparents. It's a little confusing because he calls his grandmother Ma, and the backstory of his actual mother isn't explained until a few chapters in. The story follows Lymon as he relocates from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Chicago, Illinois with a different cast of family members.
One thing that Leaving Lymon does well is to introduce the reality of the school-to-prison pipeline for disadvantaged (primarily black) youth. When the school system ignores the realities of what's going on in people's lives, it leads to people believing the system doesn't care. This can lead to negative behavior that wouldn't necessarily be punished as harshly if the person was white, but because they're black, it contributes to the stereotype that black = criminal. I appreciate the way Lesa Cline-Ransome explores this reality through multiple generations.
Another thing I really like about Leaving Lymon is the depiction of nontraditional family structures. I'm always looking out for this in children's literature. Lymon lives with various family members for various reasons throughout the story. While not all of these relationships work out or are positive, many are. It's so important for kids to see these depictions. I'll touch more on this in my review on my Goodreads account for children's books as well.
In terms of the story, Leaving Lymon comes full circle in a way that I don't remember from Finding Langston. I think the story completes itself more fully as is depicts Lymon's life from a young age to the present, and how he grows as a character.
My final thoughts on the book are that, as a white teacher of black children, I hope I never make kids feel the way Ms. Desmond did to Lymon.
March 30, 2023
Another really great book in the Finding Langston series. At first I wasn't sure I would like this one as much as the first, but I did. This second book follows Lymon, who portrays the nemesis of Langston in the first book, and I really enjoyed his story. It was very heartbreaking but beautiful at the same time. I love that Lymon had his love for family and music through the story.
March 30, 2022
This book takes a secondary character from Finding Langston and tells his story. I actually think I liked it more than Finding Langston. It’s a bit longer and I felt like the story was more flushed out and the characters better developed. It’s an easy, fast, middle grade read that definitely pulls at the heart strings and gives you a different perspective on a character you probably disliked in Finding Langston.
December 31, 2021
Love, love, love! The structure of the story and how it’s told focusing on the different characters at different points in their lives, while the protagonist and narrator grows through the journeys and maintain a consistent perspective is just fantastic. So historically accurate that it reads as a true story and I imagine it is unfortunately true for so many young black boys and African American families who lived through the Great Migration and are trying to live today. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!!! Being Clem here I come! Thank you Lesa Cline Ransome for creating such important stories for our black boys and readers of all ages.
October 26, 2020
You might think you want to know how a bully becomes a bully, but, in this case, not really. Lymon, the mean kid from Finding Langston, has a heart-breaking backstory and he cannot catch a break. Your heart will go out to him.
March 21, 2022
This was a great book! Completing this book makes me want to reread Finding Langston again now that I know what Lymon is going through. I can't wait to read about Clem.
December 29, 2020
CW: child abuse, domestic violence, incarceration, grandparent death and illness, absent/negligent parents
First, as a fellow Mock Newbery reader put it: this book is a "little gem of heartbreak." Poor Lymon has a devastatingly sad experience, over and over again, and you really feel for him. Many kids will feel connected to his traumatic experiences despite the historical fiction label.
However, this book suffers from its lack of relevance or purpose. There isn't enough in this novel to justify it as a stand-alone work. I kept writing "why this era?" and "why this kid?" and "whyyyyyy?" in my notes. The author's note mentions that Cline-Ransome wanted to tell a story about Parchman Farm, but most of this book doesn't concern the prison-plantation at all. Lymon's father is released by page 34. She also brings up the Great Migration, but Lymon doesn't travel north to Chicago to escape Jim Crow; he is taken there by his negligent mother when his grandmother is hospitalized and his extended family cannot care for him. This storyline could happen during any era.
Most significantly, this book is a backstory to a bully character in Cline-Ransome's previous book, and it reads like it. Lymon only exists because of Langston's story, and most of Lymon's story doesn't involve Langston at all. Even their interaction is weirdly truncated; despite what sounds like constant bullying at school, Lymon doesn't bring up his bullying target until late in the Chicago episode, and even then, Langston only appears from pages 133-138. It feels like their connection is forced, and it's the weakest point in this book.
Additionally, Cline-Ransom says that this book came about after fans begged her for Lymon's backstory, and she wanted to answer the question on whether bullies were made, not born. However, the way Langston shows up in this text, completely out of nowhere, means we don't get Lymon's motivations for bullying him, aside from the single day after the destruction of Lymon's guitar. Are we supposed to forgive Lymon the bullying because he has it so hard? He doesn't have a redemption arc. He doesn't feel remorse for tormenting others. Instead, he feels pain at his circumstances, and his relief from these circumstances at the hands of a correctional institution, where he learns to play trumpet, has stability, gets away from his abusers, and is financially provided for so his family can get their act together and re-take custody of him. This ends up being a pro-foster-care and pro-prison story in that regard, which is incredibly problematic.
Finally, I wondered about the complete lack of WWII in the text. The book takes place from 1938-1947, and the U.S. involvement was from 1941-1945. True, Lymon can't read well, moves often, and is very isolated by his traumatic circumstances. However, surely, Pearl Harbor was such a momentous historical moment that even Lymon would have heard someone discussing it, perhaps in his family, or at church, or in school, or in the barbershop. This omission made the historical time period feel even more unnecessary, given the lack of significant historical events.
Meh.
First, as a fellow Mock Newbery reader put it: this book is a "little gem of heartbreak." Poor Lymon has a devastatingly sad experience, over and over again, and you really feel for him. Many kids will feel connected to his traumatic experiences despite the historical fiction label.
However, this book suffers from its lack of relevance or purpose. There isn't enough in this novel to justify it as a stand-alone work. I kept writing "why this era?" and "why this kid?" and "whyyyyyy?" in my notes. The author's note mentions that Cline-Ransome wanted to tell a story about Parchman Farm, but most of this book doesn't concern the prison-plantation at all. Lymon's father is released by page 34. She also brings up the Great Migration, but Lymon doesn't travel north to Chicago to escape Jim Crow; he is taken there by his negligent mother when his grandmother is hospitalized and his extended family cannot care for him. This storyline could happen during any era.
Most significantly, this book is a backstory to a bully character in Cline-Ransome's previous book, and it reads like it. Lymon only exists because of Langston's story, and most of Lymon's story doesn't involve Langston at all. Even their interaction is weirdly truncated; despite what sounds like constant bullying at school, Lymon doesn't bring up his bullying target until late in the Chicago episode, and even then, Langston only appears from pages 133-138. It feels like their connection is forced, and it's the weakest point in this book.
Additionally, Cline-Ransom says that this book came about after fans begged her for Lymon's backstory, and she wanted to answer the question on whether bullies were made, not born. However, the way Langston shows up in this text, completely out of nowhere, means we don't get Lymon's motivations for bullying him, aside from the single day after the destruction of Lymon's guitar. Are we supposed to forgive Lymon the bullying because he has it so hard? He doesn't have a redemption arc. He doesn't feel remorse for tormenting others. Instead, he feels pain at his circumstances, and his relief from these circumstances at the hands of a correctional institution, where he learns to play trumpet, has stability, gets away from his abusers, and is financially provided for so his family can get their act together and re-take custody of him. This ends up being a pro-foster-care and pro-prison story in that regard, which is incredibly problematic.
Finally, I wondered about the complete lack of WWII in the text. The book takes place from 1938-1947, and the U.S. involvement was from 1941-1945. True, Lymon can't read well, moves often, and is very isolated by his traumatic circumstances. However, surely, Pearl Harbor was such a momentous historical moment that even Lymon would have heard someone discussing it, perhaps in his family, or at church, or in school, or in the barbershop. This omission made the historical time period feel even more unnecessary, given the lack of significant historical events.
Meh.
August 23, 2020
Listened to audiobook. I really liked Finding Langston, but couldn't put my finger on why it was so good. Same goes for this one. Previously I compared Clean Getaway favorably to Zoe Washington. This too has the setup of a Black father in prison, a close grandparent, etc. and may be even better than Clean Getaway, though it's so different to make direct comparison difficult. It may also be worth comparing to Anne Blankman's excellent The Blackbird Girls which depicts the exact same relationship triangle between a mother, child, and the mother's partner/child's not-father.
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March 26, 2020Loved loved loved this companion novel to Finding Langston. So beautifully done.
February 14, 2022
"Seemed like when it came to people who mattered, there was always something that came between me and moving on."
I read Finding Langston a few years ago and I always wanted to go back and read the second two books in this trilogy. I love books that take place in the same world and have characters that overlap between the different books. This book tells the story of Lymon, the boy who relentlessly bullies Langston in the first book of the series. By giving Lymon his own story, it's so much easier to understand why Lymon behaves the way he does. In fact, the storyline of Langston is such a small piece of Lymon's story that I almost missed it. It's a stark reminder that just because something isn't a big deal in your life, the way you treat others can make or break other people you interact with.
Lymon's story will break your heart. It's no wonder Lymon bullies kids at school when his father never sticks around long enough to develop a relationship with Lymon and he's left to navigate life with his absent mother and abusive stepfather. Lymon's life is heartbreaking and makes me wish there were (and are) better systems in place to help children who are struggling. Who is Lymon supposed to be when he doesn't have an adult in his life cheering him on and wanting the best for him? I wanted so much more for Lymon but it seems unlikely that his life will get much better given the situation/family he was born into. I can only hope that Lymon's life after this book will get better and he'll be able to enjoy the life he deserves to have.
A quick read and a great one for elementary and middle grade readers.
TW: incarceration, physical abuse, abandonment, death, grief
I read Finding Langston a few years ago and I always wanted to go back and read the second two books in this trilogy. I love books that take place in the same world and have characters that overlap between the different books. This book tells the story of Lymon, the boy who relentlessly bullies Langston in the first book of the series. By giving Lymon his own story, it's so much easier to understand why Lymon behaves the way he does. In fact, the storyline of Langston is such a small piece of Lymon's story that I almost missed it. It's a stark reminder that just because something isn't a big deal in your life, the way you treat others can make or break other people you interact with.
Lymon's story will break your heart. It's no wonder Lymon bullies kids at school when his father never sticks around long enough to develop a relationship with Lymon and he's left to navigate life with his absent mother and abusive stepfather. Lymon's life is heartbreaking and makes me wish there were (and are) better systems in place to help children who are struggling. Who is Lymon supposed to be when he doesn't have an adult in his life cheering him on and wanting the best for him? I wanted so much more for Lymon but it seems unlikely that his life will get much better given the situation/family he was born into. I can only hope that Lymon's life after this book will get better and he'll be able to enjoy the life he deserves to have.
A quick read and a great one for elementary and middle grade readers.
TW: incarceration, physical abuse, abandonment, death, grief
March 7, 2020
This is a sequel (or maybe a prequel I am not sure) to another young reader’s novel, Finding Langston by the same author. I have not read the first book, and so I may be at a disadvantage in my perspective. The story begins in 1939 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Lymon lives with his Grandmother and Grandfather. They are on their way to Parchman Farm where Lymon’s father is imprisoned. His mother left town many years before and moved to Chicago, so Ma and Grandpops are his family.
This sad story is filled with dysfunction, disappointment, and disillusionment. Lymon is tossed and traded and forced into many difficult places without much compassion to spare. Lymon continues to find hope in music and the promises of his father. The novel (published in 2020) covers eight difficult years of Lymon’s life as it runs a full circle toward redemption. This well-written story was engaging and I kept hoping that something would go right for the young boy. The responsibility of parenting and the need for nurturing, encouragement, and support are messages that shouted between the lines of the author. This book seems filled with a lot of “what-not-to-do”s.
This sad story is filled with dysfunction, disappointment, and disillusionment. Lymon is tossed and traded and forced into many difficult places without much compassion to spare. Lymon continues to find hope in music and the promises of his father. The novel (published in 2020) covers eight difficult years of Lymon’s life as it runs a full circle toward redemption. This well-written story was engaging and I kept hoping that something would go right for the young boy. The responsibility of parenting and the need for nurturing, encouragement, and support are messages that shouted between the lines of the author. This book seems filled with a lot of “what-not-to-do”s.
February 20, 2022
A beautiful companion novel to Finding Langston, this novel fleshes out what’s behind Langston’s nemesis, Lymon. It’s a harsh, painful story but unapologetic and significantly redeeming for Lymon. His life doesn’t become much easier, but at least the grown-ups who are responsible for his well-being begin to pull themselves together. The thread of music and his grandfather’s love throughout the novel sustains him and pulls him through when it could’ve easily all gone bad. Essentially, a story of family, community, devotion, hope and music.
January 11, 2021
Wow! This was hard to read! I know that many kids face difficult times, but this story made me want to reach into the book and give Lymon a hug. Although this book is a companion to Finding Langston, you can read them independent of one another. I kept hoping the author would have Langston and Lymon meet up and settle their differences, but I believe Cline-Ransome's goal was to make the reader sympathetic to the villain. She achieved that goal! Well done, highly recommend!
notes-on-unfinished-books
July 18, 2020Read the first 20 or so pages.
I'm really impressed with this book and hope I get the chance to finish it. Cline-Ransome creates an excellent, believable voice for the main character. I was in suspense over how the family's story would develop. The author makes excellent showing vs. telling decisions, which really allowed me to experience the story.
This is the best Newbery 2021-eligible book I've looked at so far.
I'm really impressed with this book and hope I get the chance to finish it. Cline-Ransome creates an excellent, believable voice for the main character. I was in suspense over how the family's story would develop. The author makes excellent showing vs. telling decisions, which really allowed me to experience the story.
This is the best Newbery 2021-eligible book I've looked at so far.
February 24, 2021
This story traces the life of 4-year-old Lymon from 1939 to 1947, shuffled from Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Parchman Prison to Milwaukee and on to Chicago’s Audy Juvenile home for boys. Redemption or a downward slide for a youngster on the edge of manhood, and the importance of family support in developing self worth.
August 10, 2021
Oh, Lymon. I had forgotten his role in Finding Langston after the first page. I love this boy. I feel for him. I love his grand pops and his Ma, and even his daddy. May he find more love, joy, and success in Milwaukee.1938-1947. I won’t soon forget about Parchman Farm (Prison), either. I’m thankful Lesa Cline-Ransom wrote companion books! Up next: Being Clem!
March 3, 2022
I liked Lymon’s story and it was definitely interesting to see how he ended up in Chicago and what events led to him bullying Langston. Lymon has a pretty tough upbringing and his move to Chicago was not a good one. However, as in the case with Langston, having someone believing in him, and having family members who genuinely loved him, made a difference.
March 6, 2022
Again with the second installment in this series I think the author does a fantastic job of creating so much emotion in such a short amount of pages. I truly felt for Lymon in all of his struggles, he had such a hard upbringing and really just wanted someone to love him and be in his corner. It was so moving and sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time.
October 23, 2024
This book is well written and engaging and heartbreaking. It is interesting to get the point of view of a friendship or incident from another person, especially the bully! Read this one. It’s worth it.
February 24, 2020
Deeply compassionate, insightful, and tender. I shed many tears and hated to finish. Absolutely beautiful.
July 30, 2020
Both a wonderfully told story with memorable characters and an enlightening look at an aspect of Black history in the US, I highly recommend this book, along with Lesa Cline-Ransome's accompanying story Finding Langston.
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October 7, 2020I dragged this book out for far too long, but I wound up really enjoying it. It is a very emotional story, but a quick read and you will fall in love with Lymon.
July 28, 2020
Such a moving book. I laughed, I cried, and I hurt for Lymon. He’s a bully who only wants to be loved. His loss, struggles, perseverance and love of music captured my heart.
November 24, 2021
I highly recommend all three books in this series:
-Finding Langston
-Leaving Lymon
-Being Clem
Each story is told from the perspective of a different African-American boy whose lives converge in Chicago during The Great Migration. Each boy has his one unique, compelling storyline.
Cline-Ransome weaves together the stories of the three protagonists and pieces of African-American History seamlessly. I look forward to reading more of her work soon.
Dion Graham's audiobook narration makes each boys' emotions go right through you, and his voice is so pleasant. I will be looking for more of his narration as well.
-Finding Langston
-Leaving Lymon
-Being Clem
Each story is told from the perspective of a different African-American boy whose lives converge in Chicago during The Great Migration. Each boy has his one unique, compelling storyline.
Cline-Ransome weaves together the stories of the three protagonists and pieces of African-American History seamlessly. I look forward to reading more of her work soon.
Dion Graham's audiobook narration makes each boys' emotions go right through you, and his voice is so pleasant. I will be looking for more of his narration as well.
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