Reviewing "All the Ways to Go" by Jessie Janowitz: A Comprehensive E-ARC Book Review and Discussion Questions

All The Ways to Go by Jessie Janowitz

This title will be released on Kindle and in hardcover on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024.

Genre: Children’s/ Middle Grade fiction

Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers

Netgalley Shelfs e-book page count: 224

Thank you to Netgalley, publisher, and author for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reading Challenge: Read Around the World

Date Started: May 1, 2024   Date Finished: May 5, 2024 Synopsis:

Between late-night library escapades and starting a Go club at their summer camp, Milo and Roxie build an unexpected friendship, learning they have a lot more to learn from each other than just the game of Go. That is, if Milo can face his concerns and tell his mother how he truly feels about chess, he can stop living a lie.

Review:

All the Ways to Go is a charming children's book by Jessie Janowitz that will appeal to both young and adult readers. I enjoyed reading about Milo's bond with his grandmother Ruth, as well as their excursions. The author effectively portrays the concerns and interests of young children, such as wanting to go to summer camp, feeling too tall or short for their age, and how they, along with their interests, change over time. The book uses vivid analogies that both children and adults can relate to, such as the car being as green as a green apple Blow Pop and the cat appearing as large as Clifford the Big Red Dog. These analogies help readers visualize the descriptive writing while also providing them with something to relate to that they might see, do, or have in their own lives. There was plenty of comedy throughout the novel, giving it a lighthearted and amusing tone. The novel also features comedy while highlighting the loveable behaviors of kids, such as flushing a harmonica down the toilet, and the wonders of their brains. The characters, particularly Milo and Roxie, show excellent character development and growth. The writing is descriptive, well-written, and inventive, allowing readers to vividly picture settings, characters, games, and scenes. The plot is well-developed, simple to follow, and engaging, with each chapter leaving readers curious about the next adventure. The book also provides readers with an opportunity to learn about games like Go and other games like Mahjong and Chess through Milo and Roxie. I liked how the author dedicates pages at the end to explain the history, rules, and plays of the game Go while also providing additional resources for readers to play the game themselves.

However, the author's use of the phrase "truth" pulls the reader out of the story. I understand the author's use of this to make a point about Milo telling himself truths, but I felt the flow of the book would be better without this declaration of sorts since I believe the author's writing does an excellent job of conveying Milo's truths without it.

All the Ways to Go is a gripping children's book by Jessie Janowitz that includes intriguing adventures about interests, life changes, friendships, experiences, and games like Go. This book is appropriate for children aged 10 and older, as well as adults who appreciate stories about adventures in libraries, daycares, the strange habits of cats and humans, and games such as chess and Go.

Discussion Questions for Jessie Janowitz's All the Ways to Go

1.      Was the book a “thumbs up” or a “thumbs down” for you?

2.      What do you think about the book’s cover?

3.      Was there a specific scene that you liked?

a.      Which part(s) of the book caught your attention the most?

4.      What did you enjoy about this book?

5.       What did you dislike about the book?

6.      What are some games you like to play?

7.      The book depicts the kids Milo and Roxie learning about the game Go. What are some things you have learned about the game Go from the book?

8.      Based on the reading, what are some of the types of books one could find in the library?

9.      After reading the book, would you want to learn how to play the game Go?

10.  After reading the book, describe or draw what your own game or versions of the games Go or Chess would look like.