Jumped In

Review Copy: purchasedFrom the beginning Sam pulled me into the Pacific Northwest with it’s gray sameness. The gloom just rolls across the pages with the weather completely matching his mood. Sam slowly reveals the reasons for his negativity. He has plenty of pain in his life, but fortunately, the book also has some light moments so readers don’t sink completely under the weight. Many of the lighter bits happen because of the poetry unit. The teacher, Ms. Cassidy, provides a lot of entertainment as she pulls out every trick in an attempt to catch and keep attention. The poems sometime bring smiles too. In the first poem, Luis compares the way people look at his scar to how people look at a “shriveled viejito grandpa smiling in his tiny Speedo.” The accompanying illustration adds to the humor. The rules of slackerhood also provide a few chuckles. Sam is completely serious about being an invisible slacker and goes to great lengths to fly under the radar of his teachers.This is not a novel-in-verse but is a mix of poetry and prose. We hear from Sam predominantly in prose, but even that is lyrical at times. We only hear Luis through poetry though. Luis has fewer words than Sam, but every word is chosen carefully and the poems pack a punch. With Sam we see many details and the day to day business of life as he sleeps afternoons away or watches raindrops on the window and mold growing on the sill. The communication from Luis is brief and more direct.And somewhere deepDown by my heart and spleenIn my darkest gutsSo they can’t seeI lock the worlds of ideasThat make me me.In August, Edi Campbell wrote a post about Guy Pals. I recalled her post as I read. I hadn’t thought about it much before, but as Edi explained, there aren’t that many books that deal with male friendships though it seems like more are being written right now. I appreciated this look into the life of these boys. Though they certainly didn’t share all of their secrets with each other, they connected while creating something together. Many people can relate to such friendships. Often school friends are based on desk proximity and then grow into something more. I think it is fascinating to imagine the many ways that relationships can develop.Jumped In is just over 300 pages, but there is a lot of blank space on the pages because of the poetry and the brief chapters, so this is a quick read in spite of it’s page length. The poetry breaks up the narrative and the humor keeps it from becoming too bleak. I have to admit, the title puzzled me for quite some time. “Jumped in” was a phrase that was unfamiliar to me. It’s related to gangs and I was glad that it was eventually explained in the book. With the mix of gangs, school, poetry, Nirvana, and family issues, there are plenty of things to catch a reader’s interest. Finding and listening to the Nirvana songs mentioned along the way added to the experience.Patrick Flores-Scott has crafted an engaging novel that will likely win many hearts. I finished the book wanting to know more about the characters. I wanted to spend more time in their stories and see them continue to grow. Hopefully we will see more from Patrick Flores-Scott in the future.Recommendation: Get it soon. This is a book that will speak to many — though I should warn you, tissues may be required.Review originally posted at Rich in Color [...]

The tone set through dark, wet skies; the brain-rattling roar of non-stop jets over the school; and the Pacific Highway, with a typical mix of hotels, massage parlors, Chinese restaurants, tire shops, and a diversity of hookers that appealed to the Green River Killer, is spot-on for this tale. Behind the brightly lit parking lots, and lackluster buildings are thousands of “affordable” apartments containing children caring for children. Every night, there are teenagers who aren’t where society would like them to be, and kids whose mothers are at work, in the streets, or gone altogether.Abandoned by his mother, Sam Gregory lives with grandparents as well as inside “No Man’s Land” where he keeps the seats empty and his heart closed in every class – until THAT teacher fills the vacuum with the much-feared Luis Cardenas. Ms. Cassidy has brought these two troubled souls together through more than adjacent seats. Her poetry project is where they find parallel expression for their dreams and personal grief.This is where the author lays open the brain of the adolescent mind that, in one moment, obsesses over skewed thoughts and misperceptions, and in another, grasps the true meaning of life. The author reveals adolescent communication that can operate on a scale from dysfunctional to none – until the right person enters their lives.When Sam’s new kindred spirit disappears, Sam fears that Luis has given in to the gang that seems to be his calling. On his journey for truth, Sam is unexpectedly “tenderized” and exposed to caring—a place he finds that he’d rather be, and by people he would have never known had it not been for Luis.Jumped In is a tear-jerker that is a must read for a teacher who needs to understand the most vexing student, the loner, or the child who silently cries for help. This reader did not put the book down – not once.

Flores-Scott opens a window into the world of teen culture that those outside can rarely access. In doing so, he unmasks not only teens but every reader who has ever "judged a book by its cover." Once you open the cover of this book, compelling characters and their poignant often painful reality will compel you to journey toward authentic adulthood with them. You will never be the same and neither will they.

I bought this book for my 8th grader thinking he needed to read books with a little more depth. He loved this book! Very interesting story and it kept his interest. He read it over the recent break in 1-2 days! Can't wait for the next one to come out. I believe Patrick F-S is slated to publish the next one in about a year. We will be purchasing that one as well!

I liked this novel, a lot, until I made it to the last quarter or so of the book, and then it turned into a total disappointment, not because the plot failed, but because it was so rushed. I wanted it to show me everything, but it seemed like the author got tired and didn't feel like writing anymore. It was such a good book, but what a letdown in the end.

I'm reading this out loud to my sixth grade class. It is so gripping and wonderful, and they love the characters and are rapt throughout. I sometimes find myself tearing up a bit when I read. I have strategies for the swearing so that I know how I will edit when I hit one. They don't seem to notice a bit. Thanks for a great book.

Got for a 14 year olds book report and she also really loved to read it.

I ordered this book for my daughter, but I read it anyway... it was wonderful! Completely engaging, you fall in love with the characters. You can find bits of your own childhood and teenage fears wrapped up in story. I am left hoping for a sequel. Wondering if Sam will learn to play bass. Will he write a song?