Tight

Sixth-grader Bryan spends every day after school studying alone in his Ma’s office. With a sister who jokes that he’s adopted and a Pa who finds himself in and out of prison, Bryan yearns for a brotherly relationship—someone who’s always there for him.  

Bryan seems to get his wish when Ma, a social worker at a local community center, invites seventh-grader Mike over for dinner. Though reluctant at first, Bryan ends up bonding with Mike over a shared love of superheroes, comic books, and wrestlers. However, when Mike starts to influence Bryan to skip class and partake in dangerous activities, Bryan must consider what classifies someone as a true friend.  

While skipping school, Mike takes Bryan on impulsive, high-stakes adventures, including subway surfing, where the boys jump onto the outside of a subway and hang on as it zooms to the next stop. Though Bryan understands the dangers, he follows Mike anyway. Bryan thinks, “It feels so good getting props from him that I decide not to say half of what I want! Like, you almost killed us!” Bryan also follows Mike to the roof of an apartment building in their projects, where Mike recklessly hurls rocks at people below. Each situation is paired with Bryan’s inner monologue, where he questions why Mike acts so irrationally and what he should do about it. Bryan is torn between loyalty and his conscience, leaving readers to wonder—will he keep following Mike or forge his own path to be the person he wants to be?  

It’s only when Bryan spends time away from Mike, hanging out with his classmate Big Will, that he begins to see the kind of friendships he truly values. Big Will watches as Bryan plays Ms. Pac-Man and encourages him from the side throughout the game. He also teaches Bryan how to disengage when people around him are being confrontational. Bryan soon realizes the importance of having a friend like Big Will. Bryan thinks, “I smile because I realize that he’s the type of friend I want more of.” In a world of chaos and constant bickering, having a stable support system in Big Will is an asset that Bryan quickly comes to cherish. From Bryan’s journey, readers learn that true strength comes not from reckless risks but from surrounding yourself with friends who lift you up.  

The main characters are pre-teens who use slang that is common in pre-teen lingo. When Bryan describes one of his first interactions with Big Will, he says, “his hand is dumb strong like Pa’s grown friends who forget I’m a kid and shake my hand OD hard.” Most pages feature slang words such as “OD,” “lit,” “gotti,” “son,” or “on the DL.” While this may be relatable and entertaining to some teen readers, other readers who are not familiar with this vocabulary may struggle to understand the text. In addition to the slang, Bryan’s emotional turmoil, combined with scenes of violence, may cause intense feelings for some readers. These moments require young audiences to think critically about the pitfalls of peer pressure while vividly showing the consequences of falling under the influence of the wrong friend. 

Though the lingo may not connect with every reader, Torrey Maldonado weaves in an important lesson of staying true to oneself. This lesson is often highlighted in Bryan’s inner monologue, which is featured frequently. Readers will see Bryan analyze his relationships, specifically his friendship with Mike. Though Bryan does not want to ice Mike out completely, he takes steps to ensure that he regulates his own emotions around Mike and does not make hasty decisions just to appease Mike. Young readers will be inspired by Bryan’s growth and feel connected to the qualities he learns to value in his friends. In the end, Bryan shows readers that the bravest choice is not always following the crowd—it’s choosing the kind of friends who make you feel strong and true to yourself.   

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• Bryan does not want Mike coming over for dinner. Bryan wishes “[he] could empty this Mike kid’s plate in the garbage, grab his elbow, and shove him out [his] apartment so he falls flat on his joking face.” 
• Mike tells Bryan that he saw Bryan’s dad hit a guy. Mike said, “I almost didn’t see it, but he jumped off that crate and smacked that young guy so fast.” 
• Bryan’s friend, Alex, gets into a verbal fight on the street with a group of guys after taunting them. When things escalate, Bryan tries to defend Alex by “pulling out a knife.” The sight of this knife causes the fight to end.  
• Bryan and Mike get into a fist fight in Bryan’s apartment. The fight starts because Bryan’s dad no longer talks to Mike, and Mike blames Bryan for that. Mike starts to pick a fight with Bryan by mocking Bryan for never having been in a fight. Bryan “wraps his arms around Mike’s waist, lifts, and body slams him.” Bryan punches Mike multiple times, causing Mike to cry on the floor. Bryan has marks on his face from Mike slapping him. Although no one is seriously injured, the fight continues for two pages and concludes with Mike fleeing the apartment.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

• When Bryan goes to get groceries, he runs into Pa’s friends on the street. Bryan says that they have “that same smell Pa has when he drinks.” 
• Bryan’s father is an alcoholic.  

Language    

• When Hector, the owner of a grocery store, tells Bryan how much money his father owes, Bryan thinks, “Dang! Why’d he have to mention us owing money?” 
• Mike throws a pebble from the roof down to the cars. He tells Bryan to “duck, stupid! You want someone from the streets to look up and bust us.”  
• When Mike finds out Little Kevin, a kid from their school, can’t swim, “Mike goes in on Little Kevin with the disses. Punk, butt, and other things.”

Supernatural  

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• None 

by Madeline Hettrick