THE BOY IN THE BLACK SUIT

Reynolds, J. (2015). The Boy in the Black Suit. New York, NY: Simon and Schuste.

Seventeen year old Matt Miller lives in New York City, recently lost his mom to breast cancer, and his dad had a car accident driving drunk and is now in the hospital. Matt is alone and has to grow up fast, so when Mr. Ray offers him a job in his Brooklyn neighborhood funeral home he is quick to take it even though he will not touch a corps. He’s pay would be $15.00, enough to help pay for the bills, and the only requirement is to wear a black suit daily. The weird thing is that Matt copes with his mother’s death by sitting in the back of funeral services and watching other people grief. Love is a tough girl who has also lost the ­­grandmother that raised her. Matt and Love meet at the funeral home become friends, and fall in love. Love is able to help him deal with his pain and together they do good deeds for people and he finds hope.

This is such a heartwarming coming of age book. Everyone at some point in time has had someone close to them die, and we all deal with their death differently. Matt is a relatable character, he’s a teenager who deals with the loss of his mother, which is a life changing experience and he’s trying to keep it together. Matt’s one of the lucky ones, he’s basically on his own because he’s father is in the hospital, ends up working for Mr. Ray and he becomes a father figure. He’s able to share feelings and emotions with Mr. Rey more than with any of his friends. This is what a lot of teenagers need, advice and guidance from a good person. One of the themes in this realistic YA novel is learning how to move on after the loss of a loved one and having the right support system helps. This book is on the list for Best Fiction for YA.

• This is an Interview with author of the Boy in the Black Suit, Jason Reynolds by Kirkus TV. 

• Click here for ideas on some Activities that can be done while reading the book The Boy in the Black Suit. 

• Another great book to read by Jason Reynolds is As Brave as You, about an 11 year old and his brother are sent to spend a month with their estranged grandparents while their parents figure things out.