In the vain of Walter Dean Myers, Tight features a middle school boy who gets pulled in all sorts of directions once a bad influence enters his life.  His new friend cuts class, so why shouldn't he?  And his new friend likes to run a little bit tough, so why should he?  But the more and more he does it, the more and more he realizes that this isn't him, that these kinds of behaviors aren't the ones he wants to do.  

Tight offers a discussion on the topic of Puerto Rican masculinity, family dynamics, fatherly incarceration, and influential friendships.  Nothing is black and white here--everything is nuanced.  Especially when there are so many options, so many talking points--how can Bryan possibly turn to anybody to get answers when everybody seems to want him to act a certain way?

Overall, this story was a fantastic, realistic, and contemporary read about the struggles of falling into a breaking free from a crowd that doesn't have your best interests at heart.  Absolutely fantastic.

Review cross-listed here!