Not an Easy Win

By: Chrystal D. Giles

Narrated by: Nile Bullock, Chrystal D. Giles

FOUR STARRED REVIEWS!
Twelve-year old Lawrence is new to chess--can he find a way to get on the board, even though the odds are stacked against him?

Find out in this powerful novel about family, forgiveness, and figuring out who you are when you don’t make the rules—just right for middle-grade fans of Nic Stone and Jason Reynolds.

*“Essential middle grade and tween realistic reading.”—School Library Journal, starred Review

Lawrence is ready for a win. . . .

Nothing’s gone right for Lawrence since he had to move from Charlotte to Larenville, North Carolina, to live with his granny. When Lawrence ends up in one too many fights at his new school, he gets expelled. The fight wasn’t his fault, but since his pop’s been gone, it feels like no one listens to what Lawrence has to say.

Instead of going to school, Lawrence starts spending his days at the rec center, helping out a neighbor who runs a chess program. Some of the kids in the program will be picked to compete in the Charlotte Classic chess tournament. Could this be Lawrence's chance to go home?

Lawrence doesn’t know anything about chess, but something about the center—and the kids there—feels right. Lawrence thought the game was over . . . but does he have more moves left than he thought?

Critic reviews

★ “A wise and wonderful story.” —Booklist, starred review

★ “Fans of Akeelah and the Bee and Brooklyn Castle will cherish this well-characterized, compassionately told story that touches on financial precarity, intergenerational community, and the school-to-prison pipeline.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “This is an all-consuming read about a young Black boy finding community and purpose. Essential middle grade and tween realistic reading.” —School Library Journal, starred review

★ “The characters are multidimensional and authentic: Complex issues, including poverty, parental incarceration, and racism, are explored with sensitivity, offering readers opportunities for reflection.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Smart and moving."—Book Riot

"The importance of caring adults and of working through conflict are highlighted in this well-written story about a boy who deserves a win." —The Horn Book

“Giles gives readers an honest story about growing up in a world that affords few breaks to Black youth....each character is moving through the world with varied strengths and abilities.” —The Bulletin

“Not an Easy Win is a meaningful, moving read, especially for those who feel misunderstood or out of place.”—BookPage

this book was amazing

THIS book was very inspirational and enjoyable like I’m doing this a a middle school project and I’m not lying when I say this book never got me bored and I appreciate Chrystal for making this .

Life on the 64 Squares of Strategy

What a beautiful story. Years ago it was Walter Dean Myers that brought me into a world of literature that no classroom experience would've ever been able to do when I was a kid. Since then I've grown to become an educator in my community that remembers what that literary experience was like and have since entered a world of many real life stories from young people making there way through today's struggles. I can imagine this text doing what it did for me then for young readers today. I love all the conversations and experiences this text serves, especially as one who can appreciate what it's like presenting chess as an activity to help inspire how young people go about learning how to make decisions & a reflection on the decisions that aren't always right. I love Chrystal's focus and the development of how Lawrence feels and grows with the relationships he's able to develop especially through the game. I've had the chance to see so many young people discover things through the game that are awfully hard to find when you're making your way through middle school and missing key pieces in your life. I absolutely also love the audio reading of this book. I could see every scene and it's a reminder that even as an adult, there's no age limit to reaching back into the joy & memory of young adult literature. It makes me dream of one day doing the same and becoming a YA writer. Thank you Chrystal Giles for such an incredible story that's attentive to the struggles not often talked about in the lives of children, especially those that have been traumatically impacted by the injustice system.

Excellent

I’m a High School Chess coach and will recommend this fantastic book to my team.