100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders πŸš€

Long Way Down

β€˜A masterpiece.’ Angie Thomas
4.25 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 133,942 ratings, 20,790 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds unfolds over the span of sixty seconds in a lift. Teenage Will grapples with the decision of whether to avenge his brother's death. As he descends, encounters with individuals from his past provoke deep reflections on the cycles of violence and grief, challenging his initial impulses.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$1999
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this gripping read if you appreciate novels that incorporate depth and emotion through poetic verse. This story dives into themes of grief and revenge, taking place over the course of just a single minute in an elevator, as its protagonist grapples with difficult choices. Its unique style and powerful narrative may leave a lasting impression.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

'A masterpiece from beginning to end.' Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give

'A masterpiece from beginning to end.' Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

AND THEN THERE WERE SHOTS
Everybody
ran,
ducked,
hid, tucked
themselves tight.

Pressed our lips to the
pavement and prayed
the boom, followed by
the buzz of a bullet,
didn't meet us.

After Will's brother is shot in a gang crime, he knows the next steps. Don't cry. Don't snitch. Get revenge. So he gets in the lift with Shawn's gun, determined to follow The Rules. Only when the lift door opens, Buck walks in, Will's friend who died years ago. And Dani, who was shot years before that. As more people from his past arrive, Will has to ask himself if he really knows what he's doing.

This haunting, lyrical, powerful verse novel will blow you away.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds has been praised for its powerful narrative and unique verse format. Reviewers commend the book for its impactful exploration of themes like gun violence and grief. The story's setting within a single elevator ride is noted for its intensity and emotional depth, making it a compelling read for young adults.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571335121

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 August 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Chris Priestley

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 265g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Jason Reynolds is a critically acclaimed American writer and poet and winner of the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers.

From Jason: 'Here's what I know: I know there are a lot - A LOT - of young people who hate reading. I know that many of these book haters are boys. I know that many of these book-hating boys, don't actually hate books, they hate boredom. So here's what I plan to do: NOT WRITE BORING BOOKS.'

This is the first of his books to be published in the UK.

jasonwritesbooks.com
@jasonreynolds83

Chris Priestley lives, writes, draws and paints in Cambridge. He has lived in England, Wales and Gibraltar. He left home in 1976 to go to art college in Manchester. He was there for four years before heading off to London to seek his fortune as an illustrator. He worked mainly for newspapers and magazines as an editorial illustrator, caricaturist and political cartoonist. He has always written stories, but he was an illustrator for twenty years before his first book was published. He has had at least one book published every year since and continues to illustrate as well.

Also by Jason Reynolds

View all
  • For Every One
    Originally performed at the Kennedy Centre for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, this stirring and inspirational poem is New York Times bestselling author and Carnegie Medal winner Jason Reynolds's rallying cry to the young dreamers of the world. For Every One is a one-of-a-kind book, perfect for the kids facing change, the newly graduated, the creatives,...
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2199
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Look Both Ways
    When the bell rings and school is finished for the day, the walkers are finally set free. For ten blocks they have no-one telling them what to do; they can talk about bogies, skateboard, plan dramatic escapes, make jokes, face bullies, and hear about the school bus that fell from the sky... In ten stories (one per block), find out...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Patina
    It's not the taking part, it's the winning that counts for Patina! Patty, as she's known to her friends and family, has lost a lot in her lifeβ€”her dad died when she was young, her mum has lost her legs, and now she has to live with her uncle and his wife. On top of that, Patty has to go...
    Paperback
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Lu
    Lu must learn to leave his ego on the sidelines if he wants to finally connect with others in the finale to the New York Times bestselling and award-winning RUN series from Jason Reynolds. Lu was born to be co-captain of the Defenders. Well, actually, he was born albino, but that's got nothing to do with being a track star....
    Paperback
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Sunny
    When Sunny stops running in the middle of a race, Coach asks him what he wants to do instead. His answer is dance, but you can't be on a track team and dance... can you? With his dad's expectations weighing down on him, Sunny finally finds a track event that feels like dancing. But as he practices for this new...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Stuntboy, In The Meantime
    Meet Stuntboy. He's the newest superhero in town. Or at least in his own head. He'll save you from baddies like Herbert Singletary The Worst and the Frets. Or at least he'll try to. And maybe someone will end up saving him too... From two superheroes, 2021 CILIP Carnegie Medal-winning author Jason Reynolds and super illustrator Raul the Third, comes...
    Paperback
    $1600
    Elsewhere:
    $1799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Boy in the Black Suit
    Matt wears a black suit every day. No, not because his mum diedβ€”although she did, and it sucks. But he wears the suit for his gig at the local funeral home, which pays way better than the Cluck Bucket, and he needs the income since his dad can't handle the bills (or anything, really) on his own. So while Dad's...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Miles Morales Suspended
    From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds comes the β€œaction-packed…banter-filled” (School Library Journal, starred review) sequel to his groundbreaking young adult novel Miles Morales: Spider-Man about the adventures of the unassuming, everyday kid who just so happens to be Spider-Man. Miles Morales is just your average teenager. He has unexpectedly become totally obsessed with poetry and can never...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Miles Morales Suspended
    From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds comes the β€œaction-packed…banter-filled” (School Library Journal, starred review) sequel to his groundbreaking young adult novel Miles Morales: Spider-Man about the adventures of the unassuming, everyday kid who just so happens to be Spider-Man. Miles Morales Suspended explores the life of your average teenager, Miles Morales, who has found himself unexpectedly obsessed...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $2899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Stuntboy, In Between Time
    Stuntboy is BACK... Or front. Depends on if his super friends (Zola and Herbert the Worst Who Is Now Herbert the Okay) are running faster than him... into the EMPTY apartment they've found. Could this be the perfect home base from where three superheroes can save the iguanas, trick the bullies, and not have to deal with the FRETS?
    Paperback
    $1799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
    This crucial, empowering, #1 New York Times bestselling exploration of racism and antiracism in America makes critical ideas accessible for teen readers, adapted from Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning. This is NOT a history book. This is a book about the here and now. A book to help us better understand why we are where...
    Paperback
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Collectors: Stories
    From Michael L. Printz Award winner A.S. King and an all-star team of contributors including Anna-Marie McLemore and Jason Reynolds, The Collectors: Stories is an anthology of tales about remarkable people and their strange and surprising collections. Winner of the 2024 Michael L. Printz Award A National Bestseller From David Levithan's story about a non-binary kid collecting pieces of other...
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Children's Books

View all
  • New Release
    Royalslinger
    K Pop Demon Hunters fans will love this! Graci Kim is back with the second book in her exciting and fantastical Slinger series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul; meals magically appear based on your mood; and dreams literally come to life. Praise forΒ Dreamslinger: β€œA mind-blowingly original fantasy adventureβ€”Graci Kim has done it again!”—Rick Riordan,Β New York TimesΒ #1...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Detective Beans and the Map of Mystery
    Enjoy this new DETECTIVE BEANS adventure in the bestselling and award-winning graphic novel series by Li Chen! Your favourite kitten detective is back with a new mystery to solve . . . and treasure to find! When Captain Scuttlebeard gives Beans a treasure map, Beans is determined to find the prize at the end. The clues take him all over...
    By Li Chen
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2200
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Mei Mei the Bunny
    New Release
    Mei Mei the Bunny
    Mei Mei the Bunny is Laufey's picture book debut about a bunny learning to believe in herself through music. Experience a heartwarming tale of self-belief in this enchanting picture book by GRAMMY Award-winning musician Laufey. Meet Mei Mei, a little bunny with a big dreamβ€”to spread joy through her music! As her debut recital at the H'Opera House draws near,...
    By Laufey
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Hunted: Wolf Girl 15
    Just when Wolf Girl is finally reunited with her father, he is torn away from her once more, and Gwen vows to stop at nothing to track him down. But danger is closing in: a giant snow leopard and a mysterious hooded figure are hot on their trail. As Gwen and the pack race through deep caverns to snowy peaks,...
    By Anh Do
    Paperback
    $1699
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    What If You Could
    From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for teens on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong. When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people in the world leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed β€” herself included....
    Paperback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Lonasei and the Mystery of Origin Grove
    Eleven-year-old Lonasei is lonelyΒ β€” she wishes her older sister Eva Grace wasn't so mean, and that her mum Aria didn't have to work so much. But when Aria inherits her childhood home, Lonasei discovers she can enter her late Aunt Malia's paintings and experience the memories within. Through them, she discovers that her mother had another sister, Agnes, who went...
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Dawn Raid: The Apology
    This sequel to Dawn Raid follows Sofia Savea’s family, 50 years later, as Sofia's grandson becomes involved in the quest for a government apology. INVERCARGILL, 2020 Wow, I thought I knew a bit about the dawn raids, but this is HUGE. It happened to my OWN family and I never knew! I had no idea that Granfia and her family...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2099
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Big Bang Bread
    New Release
    Big Bang Bread
    In this time-travel storybook and cookbook with a cosmic twist, take a journey through time and space to discover the secrets of baking! Did you know that bread is made from stardust? Board the rocket and blast off on an adventure through time and space to discover the secrets of a home-baked loaf! Big Bang Bread is a kids' time-travel...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • B is for Bird
    From award-winning artist, Lily Emo, comes a beautiful celebration of birds. Paired with a fun rhyming story, gorgeous illustrations, and fold-out pages, this book is set to be a favourite for everyone and the perfect gift. Make your way through the alphabet with this stunning book featuring a cast of familiar birds. From albatross to fantails, gannets to quail, and...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • Signed Copy
    New Release
    The Curse of the Carnivorous Cactuses
    (Sam: Nothing could be as bad as being covered in icky purple blobs ... wait, what does carnivorous mean again?) The gang is determined to defeat Glam-Evil and her nasty curses so that they can save their park and get back for Shackleton and Amelia's very first sleepover. But Glam-Evil has a few new tricks up her ultravillainous sleeve ......
    Paperback
    $1400
    Elsewhere:
    $1499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Bluey: Rain
    On Sale
    17% off
    New Release
    Bluey: Rain
    It's raining! Bluey is trying to dam the water in the front yard, but does she need Mum's help? Join Bluey as she plays in the water when a heavy summer rain thunders over the Heeler home. Can Mum stop Bluey from dirtying the house? Featuring: A nearly wordless picture book with visual storytelling that mimics the dialogue-free episode. A...
    By Bluey
    Hardback
    $1500
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Ed Sheeran
    Discover talented singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran's life story, from writing his first song aged just 11 to becoming a global superstar! Ed Sheeran's love of music began in childhood in Suffolk, where he sang in a church choir and taught himself guitar while still at primary school. Little Ed was bullied at school, but his music gave him confidence and a...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.