When We Ride is a novel in verse about two friends and their very different lives and how they intersect.
Our main character is doing everything right, he's working hard and not partying and his only flaw, at least according to some, seems to be that he has a friend that is involved in the wrong kinds of things.
This is a timely book for many. It shows the impact friends can have on the success and failures of each other. There are some definite pacing and formatting issues, the latter will I'm sure be rectified in the final version and wasn't too distracting. The ending is also incredibly fact and while emotionally impactful, can be read as a cheap emotional gotcha. Otherwise it is a solid novel in verse I look forward to recommending to the right kids in my classes.

When We Ride by Rex Ogle follows the lives of two characters, Diego and Lawson, and how they navigate living in a neighborhood where violence and drugs are commonplace and how these test the bounds of their friendship. It also shows the overreaching effects of drugs on communities affected by drug trafficking. The book also shows the unwitting victims of these issues and how much drugs affect people’s lives. This was an incredibly emotional read for me because I started this without a lot of expectations. I am not a typical poetry reader, but once it had its hooks in me, I just could not put it down.
When We Ride evoked such visceral emotions from me that even the experience of reading it was very harrowing. Getting into this book, I did not expect such a raw representation of how absolutely messed up the structures of our society have become. This book thrusts you into that realization, and you are left to ponder not only the state of the world but also the way you have previously moved through it. Reading this made me recognize how much of our lives is out of our control by placing a character that chooses to grapple some of that control back as well as another who is left in free fall, his life being dictated by his circumstances. This juxtaposition showed me that we often do not think about how much harder it is to work your way out of unfavorable conditions when the world around you is determined to keep you down.
This book also showed me that even when the world is unfair and treacherous, we are still responsible for our actions and the choices we make, especially when the consequences of those choices bring harm to others. That responsibility means that we should know when to walk away in order to mitigate harm. These characters do not know how to walk away, and there is something so undeniably human about that. It is hard to walk away from those we love, even when it is the best thing to do, and they try; Diego and Lawson walk away but eventually make their way back to each other. As if their lives were irrevocably intertwined. The consequences of this make the book all the more real, and it will stay with me for a long time.
I would like to thank Rex Ogle, the author; W. W. Norton & Company, the publisher; and NetGalley for providing me with access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rex Ogle’s ‘When We Ride’ is a great, quick but super emotional story.
I loved the themes of friendship, growth, poverty, drugs, resiliency, and found family.
The wrong was captivating and kept me glued to the pages.

AMAZING. I can't believe the depth of character and plot the author managed to create in this verse form. I was riveted by the storyline and the characters who were tragic and sad and real. This was perhaps the saddest part of all: that it felt so real. I think these are choices many real teens make every day: do they stay loyal to their family members who are constantly letting them down or stay loyal to their peers who are making potentially bad choices? These are people who are trying to survive and make their world better but the choices they have are limited. Do they take the high ground or skirt the law for a chance to improve their situations? What kind of role models do they even have? This was an excellent read that was very thought-provoking.

When We Ride is a poetry novel about two high school friends; one who works hard to be on the straight & narrow and the other who works hard making a dollar however he can by selling drugs.

Rex Ogle does a good job conveying the MC's (Diego) inner conflict to be his best friend's "brother/family" but also listen to his mother. Diego wants to help his friend by just giving rides when possible because he has seen what has happened to him when left to his own devices. However, over time the lines Diego has drawn become blurred, and gets in deeper than he wanted to.

This book reminds me of Ellen Hopkins' work meets Perks of Being a Wallflower. Rex Ogle had me rooting for Diego and for his best friend to have a happy ending. However, it was hard to believe that a book with this type of cover would have an ending that didn't grip your heart and end in tears. I recommend for those who don't mind reading books about teens who are put in not ideal situations and have to make hard life decisions. Because this is a novel told in poems, it is a quick read. 4 stars out of 5.

Thank you Netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company | Norton Young Readers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I will be posting to socials.

When reading novels-in-verse by Rex Ogle, I have come to expect the truth. Ogle includes life’s small triumphs along with the raw emotions of life on the edge of poverty. His newest book did not disappoint. The main characters, carved out of cloth I’ve seen over the years as a teacher, were so realistically portrayed that I felt I knew them. The dynamics of their friendship had me talking to the pages as I read them, a sign that I was truly invested in the outcome of the story. Ancillary characters were also well fleshed out, adding nuance and depth to the story. I do not want to say much more, no spoilers from me. Just know that I had to process the book for about a week prior to writing a review. Added thanks to NetGalley for the electronic preview copy.

This was different than what I’m used to reading. I like the way it was written by pages very different.

Thank you to Netgalley and Norton Young Readers for my e-arc. These are all my own opinions.

This is a heartbreaking and beautifully written story. I am a big fan of novels in verse, and Ogle is one of the best at the craft in my opinion. He is able to capture his character's voices so well, and really make you care for them in a short amount of time. This story had me crying on a plane because it deals with some heavy themes. Gun violence is something that far too many young people face in this country, but Ogle handles this topic with extreme care. Ogle writes with such a clear point of view, and with such accessible language. Nothing is sugarcoated or hidden behind flowery language, which makes you connect with the main characters even more. It is a raw, emotional look at the realities of poverty, violence, and racism in the United States. I would highly recommend this novel to people of all ages, but I would urge anyone to check trigger warnings before doing so.

This book was beautiful and heartbreaking and I loved reading every moment of it. The feelings were so real and raw and I felt every single emotion. This was done so well and I was openly weeping by the end of it! I can’t wait for more from this author, he has such a masterful storytelling style!

Another incredible read from Rex Ogle, this story follows Benny and his best friend Lawson through their final year of high school as they navigate loyalty, violence, poverty and drugs. It's incredibly raw and real in the way all of Ogle's novels are and contains beautiful prose.

Long ago in the 1990s, there were PSAs, after school specials, and very special episodes of your favorite sitcom. There are those of us geriatric millennials that still remember the trauma inducing moments in which we saw DJ Tanner confront Kimmy Gibbler about getting drunk and attempting to drive home or the Family Matters episode that saw Laura get robbed at gun point by a gang. Some of the most upsetting were the "Just Say No" era cartoons that had characters from Jem and Holograms becoming addicted to pills, hallucinating, and nearly falling off of their roof or "Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue" showing Bus Bunny coming to the aid of Michael as he is lured in by an anthropomorphic marijuana cloud. All this to say Rex Ogle's When We Ride has a very strong 90s PSA/very special episode feel to it. That might sound like a bad thing, but in all honestly, given the audience that this book is intended for, I think it's kind of perfect.

Diego "Benny" Benevides is our narrator in Ogle's novel in verse. He and his neighbor/best friend/'brother' are desperate to escape the poverty and desolation of the town that they are currently residing in. Each boy approaches their escape differently. Benny works hard in school and does everything in his power to earn a college scholarship and graduate at the top of his class. He is constantly sharing the plots of the books he reads with Lawson as they ride around town in Benny's car. Lawson attempts to free himself from his circumstances through dealing drugs. Lawson's need for Benny's transportation around town pulls Benny deeper into Lawson's world as it spins further out of control and heads toward an inevitably violent end.

Both Benny and Lawson are well-developed, complex characters. Both grow up without a father in their lives and both have mothers that struggle to take care of them. Benny's mom is an alcoholic that struggles to remain sober, while Lawson's mom seems to have simply accepted her disease and relies on her son's ill-gotten money to pay for groceries, bills, and rent. Topics like addiction, privilege, and bias are touched upon throughout the text, but most of the story revolves around Benny's struggle between his loyalty to Lawson and his knowledge that he was complicit in Lawson's dealing.

Ogle builds tension throughout the text and keeps the reader guessing as to how things will eventually come to a head. Though it may be a shock to many, especially younger readers, those of us that grew up in the 80s and 90s might be able to guess where this story is going pretty early on. That said, it's still gripping and impactful and serves as a valuable reminder for a younger audience that actions have consequences and intentions mean nothing in the real world.

This was written in a poetry form that was very interesting. I like how the book revolved around taking rides to different places. D I e g o lived with a single mother who was an alcoholic and kept pushing her son to do better in life. His best friend l AWS o.N also came from a broken family but he dealt and drugs. He had a hard time in school. He always asked his friend to drive him around to different drug areas.His friend do not like to do this Sometimes it was really scary in this book.Because he would walk in oh my god. You try to help us find out.But it just did not work.So he broke up with Hm. I think the break up.
Was because he was pulled over by a police officer and this really scared him because he was drinking. You could see how 1 person is going for in. Life like the other person's sliding backwards.. The ending is not very pleasant, but it shows you.What can happen when things go crazy.

Ogle's novels in verse will appeal to the most reluctant of readers. While "poetry" might be a hard sell to some boys, a novel about what it means to be a "ride or die" is much easier to pitch. When We Ride shows us what it means to have few choices, a chosen family, and to be the hope of "getting out," when getting out is tougher than we know.

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! Loved this! Definitely worth the read!

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc. It was a great and quick read. Really enjoyed it and I would recommend reading it.

This book was just amazing. Lawson and Benny reminded me of Dallas Winston and Ponyboy Curtis from The Outsiders and coming from me, that’s a HIGH compliment. I felt so attached to both boys. I loved how the book showed the ups and downs of teenage friendship, especially between people going down different paths. I knew from the beginning that the ending was going to break my heart and even still, I was NOT PREPARED. I highly recommend this book for fans of complex friendships and novels in verse.
CW: alcoholism, drug use, gun violence, underage drinking, violence

Thank you to NetGalley and Norton Young Readers for the digital readers copy!

***ARC from NetGalley***
Benny and Lawson are more than friends, they are brothers.

This story centers on Diego Miguel Benevides, or Benny, as everyone refers to him. He is the only child of a single, alcoholic mother who works as a housekeeper and wants only the best for her son. He's a good kid, good grades, stays out of trouble. That cannot be said for his best friend Lawson,who has a disabled mother, no father, and no future. Lawson is the opposite of Benny. Lawson doesn't take school seriously, deals drugs to pay the rent.

The story is written in a form that reminds me of an epic poem. Short lines of prose, interspersed with tire tracks on the pages. Benny's prized possession is his car, Maria Carmen. She is the third character in this story.

The story takes place over the course of their senior year of high school and includes all of the stress, tension, and excitement of knowing they will soon be adults and everything is going to change. Or will it?

Beautifully written and sadly, resonates with the reality of high school kids with no options.

Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton Company for the eARC.

I love books in verse and When We Ride by Rex Ogle was no different. Benny was such an easy character to like. Lawson was an easy character to distrust. The story unfolded easily and in a way that offered hope and took it away over and over. I could have used a bit more at the end, but, still really enjoyed this.

This was my first by this author - but definitely will not be my last. What a powerful novel in verse! We follow Diego and his neighbor, best friend, brother Lawson. Diego is straight laced and on his way out of his hometown and off to college - if he can make it through senior year. Lawson, also a senior, has taken a completely different path - one that involves selling drugs to get by. Diego, known as Benny to Lawson, fights an internal battle between being there and helping Lawson out - how can he not when Lawson has no one to count on? - and keeping himself out of trouble and alive. Rex Ogle does a fantastic job of bringing these characters, and their struggles, to life on the page.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc and opportunity to read this one.

Just finished When We Ride. Mind blown. First, it’s a novel in verse for older, teen boys, featuring a Latino! Finally. Thank goodness. I keep encouraging our Latino students to grow up and write books. This is an easy read, and one that anyone can understand. Because of all its drug use and grappling with addiction, I’m just not sure how I want to use it in class. But, I will have it in my classroom library, 100%. I was totally enthralled, the words weave together so that you are there with Lawson and Benny in the dark streets. And I do mean dark, because this book is. It’s also real. Surprising. I’ll be thinking about it for awhile.