The Boy in the Black Suit

Ok...by now you must realize that I have a teeny tiny obsession with Jason Reynolds.  I just think his voice is so real and important.  I have one more book to read and then I will patiently wait for the next one.

In the meantime, I just baked a batch of pretty darn good homemade chocolate chip cookies (everyone likes chocolate chip cookies, right?) and can't stop thinking about this book.  After Matt's mother passes away, he begins working for Mr. Ray in the funeral home.  This turns out to be more therapeutic for Matt than anything else.  At each funeral he attends, he looks on in the back to seek out the most hurting person in attendance.  Watching them helps him deal with his own hurt of losing his mother. Almost like relief, like he isn't the only one out there hurting.  

Through no fault of his own, Matt is living alone for awhile.  Well, Mr. Ray is looking out for him and then there's Lovey. She was the one most hurting at her grandmother's funeral.  And leave it to Lovey to help Matt grieve, give him some hope about life and maybe even get him to smile.  

Lace up your dress shoes, put on your suit jacket, grab some Cluck Bucket chicken, throw Bob Marley on the stereo and get ready for another can't-put-it-down ride by Jason Reynolds.

I had to take this picture--This Ray's Funeral Home is right up my street.
Every time I pass it now I will think of the Mr. Ray from this book.