All the Ways to Go by Jessie Janowitz - OPTIONAL

All the Ways to Go by Jessie Janowitz, 368 pages. Sourcebooks, 2024. $19

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Before he knew it, 12yo Milo, chess prodigy, has thrown his recent tournament and ruined his mother’s plans for him to attend chess camp this summer. Now Milo and mom are headed to New Jersey to spend the summer with Mom’s friend Neva and her free-range pre-teen Roxie.  The new summer camp Milo is at with Roxie is obviously for little kids.  Escaping outside, Milo is drawn to a pair of Go players - who reluctantly teach Milo and Roxie the game. This is the first time in a long while that Milo has been excited about a board game and soon the whole camp is drawn into playing - teaching Milo much about himself along the way.

Is there another novel about GO for children?  Do we need a novel about Go for children? I do see this as an alternative activity for kids who don’t want to play chess. Janowitz does a good job of weaving game theory into the narrative without being boring. And she brings out the mental and personality aspects as well. But will kids brag about this to each other? It will take selling to the right teacher as a class read aloud.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS