Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds - OPTIONAL

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds, 242 pages. Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, Simon and Schuster, October 2024. $20. 

Language: R (34 swears 1 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 ( Descriptive making out, discussions of sex, references to genitals, bras and condoms, bragging boys etc.) Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

17yo Neon Benton has been with his girlfriend for 2 years. They've decided they are ready to have sex, but Neon's nerves get the best of him, and he ends up stressing out in the bathroom instead. Told in a series of flashbacks that run from seconds ago to hours, weeks, months, and years, back to the day they met, Neon is open about his plans with Aria (his girlfriend), his sister, his mother, his friends, and even his dad. 

This is an interesting example of what happens when the adults are willing to talk about sex (beyond the birds and the bees) and the teens feel supported and loved when they are making this important decision. A good read to open/foster discussions. Definitely about the feelings, thoughts and decisions to have sex. Mature content is not graphic but certainly implied. The characters are black. 

Lisa Librarian