The Boy in the Black Suit

By Jason Reynolds

Matt's life is falling apart until he meets Lovey, who might just help him find hope again.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 9,085 ratings

272 pages· 67,181 words· Est. 6 hour read

$19.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Seventeen-year-old Matt, burdened by his mother's death and his father's struggles, works at a funeral home to make ends meet. Life feels bleak until he meets Lovey, a girl who's faced more than he can imagine. Drawn to her resilience, Matt wonders if she holds the key to overcoming his own grief. Can Lovey help him find strength and hope in a world that keeps knocking him down?

From the publisher

A 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor book. Just when seventeen-year-old Matt thinks he can’t handle one more piece of terrible news, he meets a girl who’s dealt with a lot more–and who just might be able to clue him in on how to rise up when life keeps knocking him down–in this “vivid, satisfying, and ultimately upbeat tale of grief, redemption, and grace” (Kirkus Reviews) from the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award-winning author of When I Was the Greatest. Matt wears a black suit every day. No, not because his mom died–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 snagging bottles of whiskey, Matt’s snagging fifteen bucks an hour. Not bad. But everything else? Not good. Then Matt meets Lovey. Crazy name, and she’s been through more crazy stuff than he can imagine. Yet Lovey never cries. She’s tough. Really tough. Tough in the way Matt wishes he could be. Which is maybe why he’s drawn to her, and definitely why he can’t seem to shake her. Because there’s nothing more hopeful than finding a person who understands your loneliness–and who can maybe even help take it away.