# Long Way Down

**Author:** Jason Reynolds
**Lexile:** 720L
**Grade range:** Grades 7–12
**Age range:** 12–18
**First published:** 2017
**Page count:** 320
**Genre:** Young Adult Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9781481438261`
**ISBN-10:** `1481438263`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/long-way-down
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Told in verse over the sixty seconds of a single elevator ride, Jason Reynolds's novel follows fifteen-year-old Will as he sets out to avenge his brother's shooting under the neighborhood's unwritten rules. At each floor a figure from his past steps on, forcing Will to reckon with the cycle of violence he is about to continue. A Newbery, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Honor book, it is widely assigned in grades 7-12 for its spare, high-impact form.

## Themes

- grief
- revenge
- family
- loss
- violence

## Content notes

- gun violence
- death

## Where this book is assigned

### Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association)

- **recommended** · 7th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)

### North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 7th grade · North Dakota — [source: North Dakota Library Association — Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (student-choice; annual since 1978; Juvenile/Chapter + Intermediate + Older-Reader divisions); winner roll 1978-2025](https://ndla.info/Flicker-Tale-Past-Winners)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · North Dakota — [source: North Dakota Library Association — Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (student-choice; annual since 1978; Juvenile/Chapter + Intermediate + Older-Reader divisions); winner roll 1978-2025](https://ndla.info/Flicker-Tale-Past-Winners)

### Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook)

- **recommended** · 7th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2018 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 8th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2018 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 9th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2018 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 10th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2018 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 11th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2018 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 12th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2018 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)

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