For Every One by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Written as a letter-in-verse, “For Everyone” is Jason Reynolds’s encouragement to keep pursuing your dreams. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book when I picked it up from the book store shelf. I enjoy Jason Reynolds’s writing so that wasn’t a concern but at the time I hadn’t read a book that was one continuous poem. Even Reynolds himself said he wasn’t sure if this was a poem or a letter. In many ways, the genre ambiguity was refreshing.
Reynolds’ voice comes through the text and it feels like we are having a conversation. He takes the reader through the journey of discovering you have a dream, the burden of carrying the dream, and the work it takes to make that dream happen. It’s all realistic and encouraging.
He doesn’t mince words about what a burden a dream can be. You never feel like you’re good enough to make it happen nor do you ever really feel like it’s complete. He ends the book on a positive note reminding us that it’s really not about achieving your dream, it’s about what you learn and experience along the way.