Common Sense Media Review
By Terreece Clarke
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Heartfelt, soaring, fast-break story of loss and growth.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Twelve year old Chuck Bell may never REBOUND. After losing his dad, he's a ship without an anchor, drifting through life angry, sad, and lost. Then his mom ships him off to live with his grandparents for the summer, where he's forced to listen to jazz, work, and play basketball -- a game he sucks at -- with his cousin Roxie. Just when Chuck is certain life will never be good again, he learns that it's all about taking your shot when you can.
Is It Any Good?
This sweet, surprising, gut-wrenchingly powerful novel in verse moves to the beat of life. It's a slice of life captured in words that have the ability to jump, slam, and slide across the page. Accompanied by powerful graphic novel sections illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile, Rebound lets us get to know the wonderful kid who grew up to became Josh and Jordan's beloved dad from The Crossover. It has laugh-out-loud moments and moments when Chuck and his family's tender vulnerability is hard to witness. Both boys and girls will love this prequel's realism, and adults will love the poetry experience and positive messages.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about journaling and the role it plays in Rebound. Have you ever journaled before? How did it help you with your feelings? How do you think it helps the twins cope with their own feelings after getting their dad's journal?
How does Chuck's choice in who he hangs out with affect him? Have you ever gotten in trouble because of a friend or associate? How did it make you feel?
How do sports help Chuck cope with everything going on in his life? Does exercise help you think and deal better with stress?
Book Details
- Author: Kwame Alexander
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts , Great Boy Role Models , Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
- Publication date: April 2, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 12
- Number of pages: 416
- Available on: Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: March 19, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
What to Read Next
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate