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All the Ways to Go
From the author of The Doughnut Fix comes another funny, heartfelt book about overcoming the fear of letting down the people you love and the amazing things that can come from a summer of nothing going your way.
Milo Bloom, chess prodigy, has a he doesn't want to play chess anymore. If only he had the courage to tell someone. Instead, he blows a major chess tournament on purpose. If no one knows he wants to quit, no one can be disappointed in him.
The problem is, winning that tournament was a ticket to chess camp, and the loss means his summer plans are shot. Enter Roxie, a girl he's never met, who shows up at his door uninvited to tell him all about how he and his mom will be spending the whole summer with her and her mom in the "cat room" in their New Jersey home…what?
Surprise! Before Milo knows what's hit him, he's living at Roxie's house, where creepy cats rule, meat products are banned, and Roxie, who doesn't seem to understand the concept of personal space, won't give him a second alone.
But when Milo and Roxie stumble across two people playing a fascinating game they've never seen before, they become determined to learn the ancient game of Go. Between late-night library adventures and creating a Go club at their summer camp, Milo and Roxie form an unexpected friendship, realizing they have a lot more to learn from each other than just the game of Go. That is, if Milo can face his fears and tell his mom how he really feels about chess so he can stop living a lie.
Milo Bloom, chess prodigy, has a he doesn't want to play chess anymore. If only he had the courage to tell someone. Instead, he blows a major chess tournament on purpose. If no one knows he wants to quit, no one can be disappointed in him.
The problem is, winning that tournament was a ticket to chess camp, and the loss means his summer plans are shot. Enter Roxie, a girl he's never met, who shows up at his door uninvited to tell him all about how he and his mom will be spending the whole summer with her and her mom in the "cat room" in their New Jersey home…what?
Surprise! Before Milo knows what's hit him, he's living at Roxie's house, where creepy cats rule, meat products are banned, and Roxie, who doesn't seem to understand the concept of personal space, won't give him a second alone.
But when Milo and Roxie stumble across two people playing a fascinating game they've never seen before, they become determined to learn the ancient game of Go. Between late-night library adventures and creating a Go club at their summer camp, Milo and Roxie form an unexpected friendship, realizing they have a lot more to learn from each other than just the game of Go. That is, if Milo can face his fears and tell his mom how he really feels about chess so he can stop living a lie.
Unknown Binding
Published September 3, 2024
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About the author
Jessie Janowitz
3 books105 followers"The Doughnut Fix" is Jessie Janowitz's first book!
Jessie grew up in New York City and still lives there with her family.
Her debut middle grade novel THE DOUGHNUT FIX was a 2018 Cybils finalist, a Spring 2018 Junior Library Guild Selection, an Amazon Best Book of the Month (Apr 2018), and received a starred review from The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. The sequel, THE DOUGHNUT KING, out from Sourcebooks May 2019, is also a Junior Library Guild Selection.
Jessie grew up in New York City and still lives there with her family.
Her debut middle grade novel THE DOUGHNUT FIX was a 2018 Cybils finalist, a Spring 2018 Junior Library Guild Selection, an Amazon Best Book of the Month (Apr 2018), and received a starred review from The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. The sequel, THE DOUGHNUT KING, out from Sourcebooks May 2019, is also a Junior Library Guild Selection.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 17, 2024
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
“Go teaches you how to balance building old connections with risking making new ones.”
When twelve-year-old Milo throws the game in his latest chess tournament, he doesn't have the heart to tell his mother that he's lost his passion and drive for chess - I don’t love chess like I used to.' It's not that he doesn't love it, it's just that the feeling of winning and getting in the zone seems to be a foreign concept to him, now. 🥺 He is just too afraid to see how disappointed she'll be if he tells her that, considering how exceptionally talented he is at chess. But, a summer of surprises and a newfound discovery and growing appreciation of a game called Go will teach Milo about All the Ways to Go in making life work with his family and his friends. 🫶🏻
I never was much of a fan of the animanga Hikaru no Go, but I did appreciate that it merited a mention. And as this was written with the hope to inspire readers to be interested in Go, then, yes, it certainly delivered in that regard. Jessie Janowitz highlighted just the right amount of detail into this fascinating unique game to entice young minds to give it a chance. I learned a lot about it, too, how 'the Go board is supposed to be a mirror for life' - how its more than just a game in its way of teaching the player about stuff that can be used in everyday life and also help shape the way you view it too. With humorous catchphrases and playful concepts, Milo got to see a whole new perspective about how playing a game can have its merits, without making him lose his way. ❤️🩹😟
“Yeah. Life should be more like Go.”
“I think maybe that’s kind of the point of Go. That if you lived life the way you played Go, everything would be better.”
Milo was a relatable character; his frustrations, his doubts, his annoyances, his reluctance - his emotions were portrayed honestly and realistically. A lot of his grievances were treated with the right attitude that I totally sympathized with him. It is always interesting to see how the relationships that start off on shaky ground can eventually find a common ground. And though ten-year-old Roxie and I did not hit it off right from the start, her ability of warming up to Milo, actually Milo warming up to Roxie's personality, was cathartic.
They're both different in their own way, and that does make them at odds at times, but how they connect over Go and one summer of living together was nicely done. 🫂 Their friendship was quirky, but endearing; it was nice to see how the two of them bonded over playing Go, lying in secret, playing by the rules, and helping one another out of difficult situations and their respective challenges that they encountered in real life. 'Go is more than just a game. It is a how-to manual for life.' She may be an eccentric oddball, but who ever said there was anything wrong with that? Newbies to the game, she was there to assist him and see things from a fresh perspective that allowed him to get in the Zone - on his own terms. 😊
“We’re made by the experiences we have. We’re the things we do and the choices we make.”
There was also a dynamic supporting cast - ranging from Fat Cupcake the Cat to Gruth, Milo's Grandma who enlivened this Go-appreciative middle grade read. I enjoyed Milo's texts with his grandmother - refreshing and honest and helpful, and appreciated having the older more experienced players guide Milo and Roxie in a quirky challenging way that made them more eager to become more skilled at Go. 👍🏻 It was an interactive premise that built upon a heartwarming and wholesome conclusion even to Milo's own inner conflict of failing to connect with his mother about his lack of excitement over his love for Chess. 'Balancing the happiness of the self with the happiness of others.' It's a hard battle, but it's one that Go teaches him that it's the only way to move forward. And had it not been this opportune summer - though, after much reluctance and protestations, then perhaps, Milo would have never learned about this game of strategy that 'is believed to be the oldest board game in the world that is still played today'. ✨
“Go teaches you how to balance building old connections with risking making new ones.”
When twelve-year-old Milo throws the game in his latest chess tournament, he doesn't have the heart to tell his mother that he's lost his passion and drive for chess - I don’t love chess like I used to.' It's not that he doesn't love it, it's just that the feeling of winning and getting in the zone seems to be a foreign concept to him, now. 🥺 He is just too afraid to see how disappointed she'll be if he tells her that, considering how exceptionally talented he is at chess. But, a summer of surprises and a newfound discovery and growing appreciation of a game called Go will teach Milo about All the Ways to Go in making life work with his family and his friends. 🫶🏻
I never was much of a fan of the animanga Hikaru no Go, but I did appreciate that it merited a mention. And as this was written with the hope to inspire readers to be interested in Go, then, yes, it certainly delivered in that regard. Jessie Janowitz highlighted just the right amount of detail into this fascinating unique game to entice young minds to give it a chance. I learned a lot about it, too, how 'the Go board is supposed to be a mirror for life' - how its more than just a game in its way of teaching the player about stuff that can be used in everyday life and also help shape the way you view it too. With humorous catchphrases and playful concepts, Milo got to see a whole new perspective about how playing a game can have its merits, without making him lose his way. ❤️🩹😟
“Yeah. Life should be more like Go.”
“I think maybe that’s kind of the point of Go. That if you lived life the way you played Go, everything would be better.”
Milo was a relatable character; his frustrations, his doubts, his annoyances, his reluctance - his emotions were portrayed honestly and realistically. A lot of his grievances were treated with the right attitude that I totally sympathized with him. It is always interesting to see how the relationships that start off on shaky ground can eventually find a common ground. And though ten-year-old Roxie and I did not hit it off right from the start, her ability of warming up to Milo, actually Milo warming up to Roxie's personality, was cathartic.
They're both different in their own way, and that does make them at odds at times, but how they connect over Go and one summer of living together was nicely done. 🫂 Their friendship was quirky, but endearing; it was nice to see how the two of them bonded over playing Go, lying in secret, playing by the rules, and helping one another out of difficult situations and their respective challenges that they encountered in real life. 'Go is more than just a game. It is a how-to manual for life.' She may be an eccentric oddball, but who ever said there was anything wrong with that? Newbies to the game, she was there to assist him and see things from a fresh perspective that allowed him to get in the Zone - on his own terms. 😊
“We’re made by the experiences we have. We’re the things we do and the choices we make.”
There was also a dynamic supporting cast - ranging from Fat Cupcake the Cat to Gruth, Milo's Grandma who enlivened this Go-appreciative middle grade read. I enjoyed Milo's texts with his grandmother - refreshing and honest and helpful, and appreciated having the older more experienced players guide Milo and Roxie in a quirky challenging way that made them more eager to become more skilled at Go. 👍🏻 It was an interactive premise that built upon a heartwarming and wholesome conclusion even to Milo's own inner conflict of failing to connect with his mother about his lack of excitement over his love for Chess. 'Balancing the happiness of the self with the happiness of others.' It's a hard battle, but it's one that Go teaches him that it's the only way to move forward. And had it not been this opportune summer - though, after much reluctance and protestations, then perhaps, Milo would have never learned about this game of strategy that 'is believed to be the oldest board game in the world that is still played today'. ✨
September 21, 2024
I loved Milo and his struggle to understand why he didn’t enjoy chess anymore. The Go game was woven into the story in a way that will have readers curious, too.
May 29, 2024
What happens when you are at the top of your game, when you no longer have the joy that comes from learning new things? This is the problem that Milo is having. He has been playing chess since he was quite young, and he no longer gets the same feeling that he used to. So he purposely loses an important game, just so he can get the whole thing over with. He doesn’t tell his mother though. He can’t think of how to.
And then through a series of events, when he and his mother go to Princeton, NJ to visit friends, he comes across two people playing Go, and he feels that spark he used to feel, and now everything is about Go. But how does he let his mother know. He says “[If only] i was old enough to live on my own and move to a country where chess was outlawed. I know, chess is probably legal everywhere, but it was worth checking.”
I love how organic this whole story is. The internal struggle, the love that grows for the game. Of course, all this could have been solve, if, say it with me, he had communicated with his mother. But where would all the middle-grade and young adults books be if children actually communicated with their parents.
If you aren’t into learning anything about Go, you might find bits boring, but I actually found it interesting, when strategy was discussed. I also liked how Roxie, whose house they are staying at, goes spelunking in the local library after hours. (Spelunking is usually done with caves, but it works here).
This book is coming out the 3rd of September 2024. Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
And then through a series of events, when he and his mother go to Princeton, NJ to visit friends, he comes across two people playing Go, and he feels that spark he used to feel, and now everything is about Go. But how does he let his mother know. He says “[If only] i was old enough to live on my own and move to a country where chess was outlawed. I know, chess is probably legal everywhere, but it was worth checking.”
I love how organic this whole story is. The internal struggle, the love that grows for the game. Of course, all this could have been solve, if, say it with me, he had communicated with his mother. But where would all the middle-grade and young adults books be if children actually communicated with their parents.
If you aren’t into learning anything about Go, you might find bits boring, but I actually found it interesting, when strategy was discussed. I also liked how Roxie, whose house they are staying at, goes spelunking in the local library after hours. (Spelunking is usually done with caves, but it works here).
This book is coming out the 3rd of September 2024. Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
July 9, 2024
When twelve year old Milo's passion for chess falls away, he becomes intrigued and reignited when learning the game of Go. He also finds an unlikely friend in the clever and matter-of-fact Roxie, when he and his mom stay with her and her family (mom and cats!) for the summer. Humorous, thoughtful, and honest, All the Ways to Go offers a glimpse into the endless possibilities and futures that every person holds.
September 23, 2024
Middle grade students tend to be in a constant state of change-new schools, bodies morphing into something completely new, friend groups in constant flux, interests firming up and so much more. New Yorker Milo is no different. His nearly lifelong excellence at chess does not bring him the singular joy that it once did and the thought of continuing to participate in tournaments fills him with dread. Telling his mother, his greatest supporter, seems impossible so he throws a tournament hoping that will give him time to rediscover his passion for chess or be able to figure out a way to break it to her. The tournament loss removes summer chess camp from his dance card and mom nixes going to an expensive camp with best friend Henry so the duo ends up with a single mom friend of mom’s in New Jersey (Na) and her daughter (Roxie) and a camp for kids at Princeton University.
Author Jessie Janowitz (The Doughnut Fix) moves readers through the intro and gets Milo and his mom to New Jersey without much delay but does set the characters into their niches-Single mom who works hard to support the two emotionally and financially, Grandma Gruth (Grandmother + Ruth = Gruth) who has been Team Milo for his whole life but now lives in Florida with regular communication, and Henry, faithful best friend. Arrival in New Jersey is unsettling and filled with new and unwelcome people, places and food for Milo and coupled with his near panic over his inability to reenter The Zone he used to find in chess, he is downright miserable. A summer camp near fiasco (campers are all preschool to lower elem age and he and Roxie are much older proves to the start of something wonderful with the discovery of an ancient game called Go.
Thoughts-Great characters in Milo, Roxie, Mom, Na and Gruth! Each is unique and could provide great compare/contrast and character study opportunities but if reading for fun, certainly will be visualized accurately. Roxie is not identified as on the spectrum but her difficulty picking up on social cues and struggles with group interactions lean that direction. Both kids were conceived via donor sperm and in vitro and that fact is explained in a kid-friendly, not too biological deep way. Na is a free spirit and is raising Roxie in a “free range” manner while Milo’s mom is much more traditional. Both families are Jewish but neither are very faithful in their observances of their religious heritage. Side character Athena & Dell, who introduce Milo and Roxie to Go are friends but very different and add much to the storyline and even the personalities of some of the young campers are clear and very entertaining.
Recommended for those in grades 5-7 who enjoy realistic fiction, especially if they have an interest in board games. Text is free of profanity, violence and sexual content. Race of characters is ambiguous and no one is pictured on the cover leaving that determination up to readers.
Thanks for the finished preview copy, Sourcebooks.
Author Jessie Janowitz (The Doughnut Fix) moves readers through the intro and gets Milo and his mom to New Jersey without much delay but does set the characters into their niches-Single mom who works hard to support the two emotionally and financially, Grandma Gruth (Grandmother + Ruth = Gruth) who has been Team Milo for his whole life but now lives in Florida with regular communication, and Henry, faithful best friend. Arrival in New Jersey is unsettling and filled with new and unwelcome people, places and food for Milo and coupled with his near panic over his inability to reenter The Zone he used to find in chess, he is downright miserable. A summer camp near fiasco (campers are all preschool to lower elem age and he and Roxie are much older proves to the start of something wonderful with the discovery of an ancient game called Go.
Thoughts-Great characters in Milo, Roxie, Mom, Na and Gruth! Each is unique and could provide great compare/contrast and character study opportunities but if reading for fun, certainly will be visualized accurately. Roxie is not identified as on the spectrum but her difficulty picking up on social cues and struggles with group interactions lean that direction. Both kids were conceived via donor sperm and in vitro and that fact is explained in a kid-friendly, not too biological deep way. Na is a free spirit and is raising Roxie in a “free range” manner while Milo’s mom is much more traditional. Both families are Jewish but neither are very faithful in their observances of their religious heritage. Side character Athena & Dell, who introduce Milo and Roxie to Go are friends but very different and add much to the storyline and even the personalities of some of the young campers are clear and very entertaining.
Recommended for those in grades 5-7 who enjoy realistic fiction, especially if they have an interest in board games. Text is free of profanity, violence and sexual content. Race of characters is ambiguous and no one is pictured on the cover leaving that determination up to readers.
Thanks for the finished preview copy, Sourcebooks.
November 6, 2024
Milo is resolved to quit chess---but he can't summon up the courage to break it to his mom, so he self-sabotages himself out of summer chess camp. Unfortunately, this also means getting separated from his best friend for the summer as his mom makes alternate plans for the family. Now he's stuck in a state he doesn't want to be in with a new "friend" who drives him up the wall, and he's somehow gotten tricked into babysitting a camp full of runny-nosed rugrats. Little does he know that another game might be the answer to everything.
I can't say enough about Janowitz's book, with its fantastic characterisation, authentic feeling middle grade protagonists, and sympathetic, nuanced depictions of single parents. It's good to see parents in middle grade make mistakes but still care and be present. There's something about the naturalness between the characters and how an underlying heartbeat is established without feeling schmaltzy or sappy that brings to mind some of my favorite Louis Sachar stories. It's really an art.
In that vein, Janowitz's enthusiasm and admiration for the game of Go parallels what Sachar does for bridge in his book the Cardturner. There's so much joy and curiosity, you can't help but go along for the ride. I guarantee there will be readers who find themselves converts to the game.
As a bonus, it really is a very well done friendship story between a bit and a girl that is uncomplicated by romance and supports "found" family models. There is a character who is coded as neurodivergent that feels like it leans into a couple of Autistic tropes at points, but the character themselves is so interesting and likeable, becoming one of the favorite characters in the book, even, I feel like it still brings positive representation and attempts to normalize--and even celebrate-- different ways of thinking. Highly recommended.
I can't say enough about Janowitz's book, with its fantastic characterisation, authentic feeling middle grade protagonists, and sympathetic, nuanced depictions of single parents. It's good to see parents in middle grade make mistakes but still care and be present. There's something about the naturalness between the characters and how an underlying heartbeat is established without feeling schmaltzy or sappy that brings to mind some of my favorite Louis Sachar stories. It's really an art.
In that vein, Janowitz's enthusiasm and admiration for the game of Go parallels what Sachar does for bridge in his book the Cardturner. There's so much joy and curiosity, you can't help but go along for the ride. I guarantee there will be readers who find themselves converts to the game.
As a bonus, it really is a very well done friendship story between a bit and a girl that is uncomplicated by romance and supports "found" family models. There is a character who is coded as neurodivergent that feels like it leans into a couple of Autistic tropes at points, but the character themselves is so interesting and likeable, becoming one of the favorite characters in the book, even, I feel like it still brings positive representation and attempts to normalize--and even celebrate-- different ways of thinking. Highly recommended.
September 11, 2024
3.5 stars
Having enjoyed both The Doughnut Fix and The Doughnut King, I was excited when I saw that Janowitz had a new book coming out. As soon as I got my hands on a copy, I started reading it aloud to my family, because my siblings also enjoyed the Doughnut books.
Unfortunately, before we got too far, I realized that the main character had a donor dad…and while that was explained discretely, I still struggle with the fact that that topic is in a middle-grade book. I know that’s something that happens frequently these days, but as a Christian, I do not believe that kind of situation is God’s best plan for either parents or children.
Besides that (admittedly minor) element of the story, the rest of the book is pretty good—and sometimes, downright hilarious! I had a hard time putting the book down, and ended up reading ahead of the rest of the family—and stopped several times to give them teasers of some of the more salient points of humor in the story. I loved the way cats and board games came into the book, and also enjoyed watching the friendship between Milo and Roxie develop.
Overall, I did enjoy this book—and if the aforementioned element wasn’t included in the story, it could have easily been a five-star read for me.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.
Having enjoyed both The Doughnut Fix and The Doughnut King, I was excited when I saw that Janowitz had a new book coming out. As soon as I got my hands on a copy, I started reading it aloud to my family, because my siblings also enjoyed the Doughnut books.
Unfortunately, before we got too far, I realized that the main character had a donor dad…and while that was explained discretely, I still struggle with the fact that that topic is in a middle-grade book. I know that’s something that happens frequently these days, but as a Christian, I do not believe that kind of situation is God’s best plan for either parents or children.
Besides that (admittedly minor) element of the story, the rest of the book is pretty good—and sometimes, downright hilarious! I had a hard time putting the book down, and ended up reading ahead of the rest of the family—and stopped several times to give them teasers of some of the more salient points of humor in the story. I loved the way cats and board games came into the book, and also enjoyed watching the friendship between Milo and Roxie develop.
Overall, I did enjoy this book—and if the aforementioned element wasn’t included in the story, it could have easily been a five-star read for me.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.
October 15, 2024
What a great way to learn about the ancient game of GO with Milo and Roxie in this MG novel by author Jesse Janowitz. Even better are the underlying themes of friendship and finding the confidence to speak honestly. Milo is a chess champ. Milo is also done with being a chess champ. But he can’t tell his mom that so he throws a competition that excludes him from chess camp. Plan B: summer with his mother’s friend and her unique daughter, Roxie. Roxie isn’t exactly the kind of friend Milo would seek (not eat meat? Likes cats? No thank you!) but that is the joy of this story. The game of Go changes all that and Milo finds his voice and makes a great friend.
September 17, 2024
Usually a book like this would be put in a tbr pile (of which there are many), but it was sent by one of my favorite people and it had a big yellow cat on the cover who had Jake's coloring and Ike's "build" so I had to read it. I liked it. There was a lot of the game "Go" in it, but the author handled it so that the how to play didn't get tedious. (Instructions at the end of the book for those interested.) Good book about making the right choice for you even at a young age. Definitely recommended for middle graders.
December 4, 2024
This was great and I can't wait to learn how to play Go!
May 9, 2025
It was fantastic! Perfect for a read-aloud with upper elementary or middle school students. Wonderful tie-in to games in the classroom and building community.
September 6, 2024
This was a good middle grade read. I enjoyed following Milo in this story and liked his interactions with Roxie as the became friends. I think many middle graders will be able to relate to the characters in this book. All The Ways To Go was a very well written and engaging read that many people will enjoy.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Young Readers for the gifted copy.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Young Readers for the gifted copy.
November 18, 2024
Havent read a good middle grade fiction in a while!
April 21, 2025
Jessie Janowitz has quickly become one of our all time favorite authors. Her books are like listening to a good friend telling a story. They are warm, witty, heart felt and real. We laughed, had great conversation and could not stop listening whenever we had a chance- at home, in the car, before bed. The challenges of growing up are explored through characters that are so relatable- she eases the reader through the aches and pains in a way only a true story teller can- with humor and wit and compassion. LOVE ALL OF HER BOOKS! Cannot wait for her next one!!!!
So well written and beautifully spoken PLEASE make an all the ways to go part TWO!!!!
So well written and beautifully spoken PLEASE make an all the ways to go part TWO!!!!
March 14, 2025
Very fun. Kids learn a lot, and it was fun for me to learn about the game, too!
January 25, 2025
A lovely book about a fascinating summer
I love this book! Milo and Roxie are interesting characters, as are their mothers, and everyone else chronicled in the adventure of Milo's summer vacation.
The author expertly draws us in to Milo's life.
At first, Milo's summer looks to be a disaster. Attack cats, strange people, a strange place. But then something unexpected and magical happens.
I love this book! Milo and Roxie are interesting characters, as are their mothers, and everyone else chronicled in the adventure of Milo's summer vacation.
The author expertly draws us in to Milo's life.
At first, Milo's summer looks to be a disaster. Attack cats, strange people, a strange place. But then something unexpected and magical happens.
May 22, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Milo has been a very successful young chess player, but during a big tournament at the Javits Center in New York City, he finds himself struggling to focus on the game... and care. He makes a move that essentially throws the game, but one that won't let his single mother know that he threw it. Losing ruins his chance at going to a summer camp for chess, but he hopes that he can go with his best friend to a different one, since he can't spend the summer with his grandmother. Gruth (Grandma Ruth, as he calls her) is his favorite person, but she's moved to Florida to be with her sister. His mother, who is a coder, informs him that he won't be going to camp, but the two of them will be spending the summer in Princeton with Nava, a friend from her mothers' group, and her daughter Roxie. It's a bit odd that Milo isn't told until Roxie, who is a "free range" child, shows up at his door in New York City, but it should be an indication of the kind of summer he will have! Milo isn't thrilled about the fact that Roxie and her mother are vegetarians and have a number of rescue cats, but the neighborhood is an intriguing one, and Roxie finds adventures like "spelunking" in one of the university libraries in the middle of the night! (With permission; they don't steal any books!) He's also not pleased with going to a "Little Explorers" summer camp run by Pat and Lou, who is there for community service. He and Roxie are much older than the other campers, so the two get roped into being Counselors in Training. They do demand lunch breaks, and during one of these, they meet two college students, Athena and Dell, who are playing a game called Go. Milo has been lying to his mother about playing chess on the computer; she's put a lot of time and money into his training, and while he no longer loves chess, he doesn't want to disappoint her. Milo becomes enthralled with Go, and he and Roxie do some deep research dives into the game. They ask Pat to try easier versions with the campers, and its a hit. Milo even makes peace with the cats, who can be rather comforting, and comes to realize that sometimes stepping away from the usual and embracing new experiences can be enjoyable.
Strengths: As adults, we forget that tweens are at the mercy of their parents' decisions. Milo controls little about his world; he misses Gruth, although the two text daily, he continues playing chess because his mother is so invested, and he has no say in the decision to decamp to Princeton for the summer to live with strangers... and their cats! How many adults would take this well? I did love the relationship with Gruth. The two play Battleship Online and communicate frequently, and I imagine there are a lot of children who have this kind of long-distance relationship with grandparents. I can also attest to the fact that cats, while they are generally quite evil, can be good companions, having spent a week with my daughter's cat last year. Nava and Milo's mother both chose to have children with the help of donors, so fathers never come into the picture at all, and I've only seen this represented a few times in middle grade literature (Robert's Nikki on the Line, Erskine's The Incredible Magic of Being, and Melleby's The Science of Being Angry). The summer camp is believable, and hanging out in Princeton was fun. I loved that Janowitz gave a specific, real address for the street where Roxie lived! Of course, the main draw of this book is the game of Go, and there's a lot of information on not only the history of this ancient game, but also the philosophy of how to play.
Weaknesses: I came to the conclusion while writing this that the thing that I personally hate the most in the entire world is GAMES. This made reading the description of the history of Go, along with the details of playing, a bit slow for me. There is certainly enough going on in the story that I was able to enjoy the humor and relationships in the book, but readers who DO like to play games will like this even more than I did.
What I really think: While there are plenty of middle grade books about chess (Giles' Not an Easy Win or Gerber's Focused for a start) and a growing number of escape room or puzzle room books (Reese's or Puzzleheart Currie's Mystery of Locked Rooms), there aren't a lot of books about any other games. There's Martin's new Wander Lost, which was an intriguing fantasy involving vintage board games, but the book this reminded me the most of was Anderson's One Last Shot (miniature golf). I did love this author's The Doughnut Fix and The Doughnut King, so it was great to see a new title by her!
Milo has been a very successful young chess player, but during a big tournament at the Javits Center in New York City, he finds himself struggling to focus on the game... and care. He makes a move that essentially throws the game, but one that won't let his single mother know that he threw it. Losing ruins his chance at going to a summer camp for chess, but he hopes that he can go with his best friend to a different one, since he can't spend the summer with his grandmother. Gruth (Grandma Ruth, as he calls her) is his favorite person, but she's moved to Florida to be with her sister. His mother, who is a coder, informs him that he won't be going to camp, but the two of them will be spending the summer in Princeton with Nava, a friend from her mothers' group, and her daughter Roxie. It's a bit odd that Milo isn't told until Roxie, who is a "free range" child, shows up at his door in New York City, but it should be an indication of the kind of summer he will have! Milo isn't thrilled about the fact that Roxie and her mother are vegetarians and have a number of rescue cats, but the neighborhood is an intriguing one, and Roxie finds adventures like "spelunking" in one of the university libraries in the middle of the night! (With permission; they don't steal any books!) He's also not pleased with going to a "Little Explorers" summer camp run by Pat and Lou, who is there for community service. He and Roxie are much older than the other campers, so the two get roped into being Counselors in Training. They do demand lunch breaks, and during one of these, they meet two college students, Athena and Dell, who are playing a game called Go. Milo has been lying to his mother about playing chess on the computer; she's put a lot of time and money into his training, and while he no longer loves chess, he doesn't want to disappoint her. Milo becomes enthralled with Go, and he and Roxie do some deep research dives into the game. They ask Pat to try easier versions with the campers, and its a hit. Milo even makes peace with the cats, who can be rather comforting, and comes to realize that sometimes stepping away from the usual and embracing new experiences can be enjoyable.
Strengths: As adults, we forget that tweens are at the mercy of their parents' decisions. Milo controls little about his world; he misses Gruth, although the two text daily, he continues playing chess because his mother is so invested, and he has no say in the decision to decamp to Princeton for the summer to live with strangers... and their cats! How many adults would take this well? I did love the relationship with Gruth. The two play Battleship Online and communicate frequently, and I imagine there are a lot of children who have this kind of long-distance relationship with grandparents. I can also attest to the fact that cats, while they are generally quite evil, can be good companions, having spent a week with my daughter's cat last year. Nava and Milo's mother both chose to have children with the help of donors, so fathers never come into the picture at all, and I've only seen this represented a few times in middle grade literature (Robert's Nikki on the Line, Erskine's The Incredible Magic of Being, and Melleby's The Science of Being Angry). The summer camp is believable, and hanging out in Princeton was fun. I loved that Janowitz gave a specific, real address for the street where Roxie lived! Of course, the main draw of this book is the game of Go, and there's a lot of information on not only the history of this ancient game, but also the philosophy of how to play.
Weaknesses: I came to the conclusion while writing this that the thing that I personally hate the most in the entire world is GAMES. This made reading the description of the history of Go, along with the details of playing, a bit slow for me. There is certainly enough going on in the story that I was able to enjoy the humor and relationships in the book, but readers who DO like to play games will like this even more than I did.
What I really think: While there are plenty of middle grade books about chess (Giles' Not an Easy Win or Gerber's Focused for a start) and a growing number of escape room or puzzle room books (Reese's or Puzzleheart Currie's Mystery of Locked Rooms), there aren't a lot of books about any other games. There's Martin's new Wander Lost, which was an intriguing fantasy involving vintage board games, but the book this reminded me the most of was Anderson's One Last Shot (miniature golf). I did love this author's The Doughnut Fix and The Doughnut King, so it was great to see a new title by her!
May 6, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley, publisher, and author for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
All the Ways to Go is a charming children's book by Jessie Janowitz that will appeal to both young and adult readers. I enjoyed reading about Milo's bond with his grandmother Ruth, as well as their excursions. The author effectively portrays the concerns and interests of young children, such as wanting to go to summer camp, feeling too tall or short for their age, and how they, along with their interests, change over time. The book uses vivid analogies that both children and adults can relate to, such as the car being as green as a green apple Blow Pop and the cat appearing as large as Clifford the Big Red Dog. These analogies help readers visualize the descriptive writing while also providing them with something to relate to that they might see, do, or have in their own lives. There was plenty of comedy throughout the novel, giving it a lighthearted and amusing tone. The novel also features comedy while highlighting the loveable behaviors of kids, such as flushing a harmonica down the toilet, and the wonders of their brains.
The characters, particularly Milo and Roxie, show excellent character development and growth. The writing is descriptive, well-written, and inventive, allowing readers to vividly picture settings, characters, games, and scenes. The plot is well-developed, simple to follow, and engaging, with each chapter leaving readers curious about the next adventure. The book also provides readers with an opportunity to learn about games like Go and other games like Mahjong and Chess through Milo and Roxie. I liked how the author dedicates pages at the end to explain the history, rules, and plays of the game Go while also providing additional resources for readers to play the game themselves.
However, the author's use of the phrase "truth" pulls the reader out of the story. I understand the author's use of this to make a point about Milo telling himself truths, but I felt the flow of the book would be better without this declaration of sorts since I believe the author's writing does an excellent job of conveying Milo's truths without it.
All the Ways to Go is a gripping children's book by Jessie Janowitz that includes intriguing adventures about interests, life changes, friendships, experiences, and games like Go. This book is appropriate for children aged 10 and older, as well as adults who appreciate stories about adventures in libraries, daycares, the strange habits of cats and humans, and games such as chess and Go.
All the Ways to Go is a charming children's book by Jessie Janowitz that will appeal to both young and adult readers. I enjoyed reading about Milo's bond with his grandmother Ruth, as well as their excursions. The author effectively portrays the concerns and interests of young children, such as wanting to go to summer camp, feeling too tall or short for their age, and how they, along with their interests, change over time. The book uses vivid analogies that both children and adults can relate to, such as the car being as green as a green apple Blow Pop and the cat appearing as large as Clifford the Big Red Dog. These analogies help readers visualize the descriptive writing while also providing them with something to relate to that they might see, do, or have in their own lives. There was plenty of comedy throughout the novel, giving it a lighthearted and amusing tone. The novel also features comedy while highlighting the loveable behaviors of kids, such as flushing a harmonica down the toilet, and the wonders of their brains.
The characters, particularly Milo and Roxie, show excellent character development and growth. The writing is descriptive, well-written, and inventive, allowing readers to vividly picture settings, characters, games, and scenes. The plot is well-developed, simple to follow, and engaging, with each chapter leaving readers curious about the next adventure. The book also provides readers with an opportunity to learn about games like Go and other games like Mahjong and Chess through Milo and Roxie. I liked how the author dedicates pages at the end to explain the history, rules, and plays of the game Go while also providing additional resources for readers to play the game themselves.
However, the author's use of the phrase "truth" pulls the reader out of the story. I understand the author's use of this to make a point about Milo telling himself truths, but I felt the flow of the book would be better without this declaration of sorts since I believe the author's writing does an excellent job of conveying Milo's truths without it.
All the Ways to Go is a gripping children's book by Jessie Janowitz that includes intriguing adventures about interests, life changes, friendships, experiences, and games like Go. This book is appropriate for children aged 10 and older, as well as adults who appreciate stories about adventures in libraries, daycares, the strange habits of cats and humans, and games such as chess and Go.
May 24, 2024
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, which follows:
In "All the Ways to Go," Jessie Janowitz masterfully captures the anxiety and pressure many children face when trying to live up to their parents' expectations. This heartfelt novel follows Milo Bloom, a chess prodigy who no longer wants to play the game but struggles to find the courage to tell his mother. Janowitz's honest and sincere depiction of the friction between a mother and her adolescent son is both relatable and achingly poignant.
Throughout the novel, unlikely friendships blossom, reminding readers that connections can be found in the most unexpected places. The growing bond between Milo and Roxie, as they discover the ancient game of Go and navigate their personal struggles and their cohabitation, is a testament to the power of friendship and the importance of being true to oneself.
Janowitz's writing is engaging, empathetic and above all FUNNY, allowing readers to connect with the characters on a deep level, laughing along with them at the absurdity of their various circumstances. The story's pacing is propulsive, balancing moments of introspection with exciting plot developments. And, of course, the adorable (if, for Milo, polarizing) fat cat is an added bonus.
(Another refreshing aspect of this book is that Milo's mom is a single mom by choice, an underrepresented family dynamic that deserves more attention.)
"All the Ways to Go" is a must-read for young people as they start to understand themselves. And grappling with the fear of disappointing loved ones, and the challenges of forging one's own path, are aspects of life we confront at every age. This wonderful book is a lovely reminder that it pays to be true to yourself and that the most meaningful relationships are built on honesty, understanding, and the courage to embrace change.
In "All the Ways to Go," Jessie Janowitz masterfully captures the anxiety and pressure many children face when trying to live up to their parents' expectations. This heartfelt novel follows Milo Bloom, a chess prodigy who no longer wants to play the game but struggles to find the courage to tell his mother. Janowitz's honest and sincere depiction of the friction between a mother and her adolescent son is both relatable and achingly poignant.
Throughout the novel, unlikely friendships blossom, reminding readers that connections can be found in the most unexpected places. The growing bond between Milo and Roxie, as they discover the ancient game of Go and navigate their personal struggles and their cohabitation, is a testament to the power of friendship and the importance of being true to oneself.
Janowitz's writing is engaging, empathetic and above all FUNNY, allowing readers to connect with the characters on a deep level, laughing along with them at the absurdity of their various circumstances. The story's pacing is propulsive, balancing moments of introspection with exciting plot developments. And, of course, the adorable (if, for Milo, polarizing) fat cat is an added bonus.
(Another refreshing aspect of this book is that Milo's mom is a single mom by choice, an underrepresented family dynamic that deserves more attention.)
"All the Ways to Go" is a must-read for young people as they start to understand themselves. And grappling with the fear of disappointing loved ones, and the challenges of forging one's own path, are aspects of life we confront at every age. This wonderful book is a lovely reminder that it pays to be true to yourself and that the most meaningful relationships are built on honesty, understanding, and the courage to embrace change.
December 20, 2024
Milo doesn't know how to tell his mother that he no longer enjoys playing chess, that he has lost the "zone," so he deliberately loses a match, hoping that will end everything and that he can go to summer camp with his best friend Henry. That one lost match, however, leads to a chain of events that couldn't have been remotely foreseen. He and his mom end up in New Jersey for the summer instead, staying with a vegetarian, cat-loving mother and daughter, Nava and Roxie. Milo's mom met Nava online and they became "talk-walk" friends, and now Milo is doomed. Even worse, he and Roxie are signed up for Little Explorers camp for the summer. Milo, at 12, and Roxie, at 10 are miles older and taller than the preschool-through 7-year-old campers, and worse, they are recruited as CIT's, i.e., unpaid help. Milo misses his grandmother, away in Florida, and can't figure out how to tell his mom to stop pushing about chess. How can he tell her that all of her money and time have been wasted? However, at lunchtime, Milo and Roxie meet grad students Dell and Athena, who are playing a game Milo has never seen. This chance encounter will change everything about Milo's summer. This book was hard to put down. The characters and situations are very relatable and engaging.
December 26, 2024
Milo finds that playing chess doesn’t bring him the joy that it once did, but he’s not sure how to share that with his mother, who’s his biggest supporter. After losing a match on purpose, he is no longer eligible to attend summer chess camp, so his mom comes up with an alternative plan—a summer in New Jersey with his mom’s friend and her daughter, Roxie. Milo finds Roxie and her passion for cats unsettling at first. When they are sent to a summer day camp and serve as counselors in training, they begin to find common ground, helped by their discovery of game Go. Milo is intrigued by the game and once again finds his passion for game playing, even though the game isn’t chess. He’ll need to figure out how to come clean with his mom to move forward.
The friendship between Milo and Roxie grows naturally as the story progresses. The supporting characters, including Milo’s long-distance grandmother Gruth, the campers and counselors, and the college students who introduce Milo and Roxie to Go add depth while helping to drive the story forward and at times provide comic relief, too. Friendship, family, and friends who become family are central to this middle grade book about change and being true to yourself.
The friendship between Milo and Roxie grows naturally as the story progresses. The supporting characters, including Milo’s long-distance grandmother Gruth, the campers and counselors, and the college students who introduce Milo and Roxie to Go add depth while helping to drive the story forward and at times provide comic relief, too. Friendship, family, and friends who become family are central to this middle grade book about change and being true to yourself.
July 19, 2025
Milo is a child chess prodigy and usually wins the tournaments he enters. Recently, though, he found he has lost his playing zone and no longer finds joy in the tournaments nor in the game itself. His mother was surprised but did not suspect he threw the most recent tournament, especially since the prize was a chess summer camp. Not financially able to send Milo to the chess camp (or the summer camp he really wanted to go to with his best friend), she arranges for Milo and herself to spend the summer with another mom and kid who she met in a Single Moms support group. Milo, not happy about the new plans, finds Princeton dull, "new friend" Roxie is overly-attentive and he cannot figure out how to tell his mother he does not want to play chess anymore.
I enjoyed Janowitz's previous middle grade titles, and this one follows suit as a strong addition to any upper elementary middle school library. I liked the focus on a kid who plays chess, and the perspective that some kids may be better suited for homeschooling than public school systems. The introduction into the game Go was simply fascinating and I did a bit of research on my own to learn more about the game. This book has much potential for state reading award lists.
I enjoyed Janowitz's previous middle grade titles, and this one follows suit as a strong addition to any upper elementary middle school library. I liked the focus on a kid who plays chess, and the perspective that some kids may be better suited for homeschooling than public school systems. The introduction into the game Go was simply fascinating and I did a bit of research on my own to learn more about the game. This book has much potential for state reading award lists.
February 5, 2025
2.5 stars. The first 25% felt like I was reading a different version of the Doughnut Fix - very similar characters, conflicts, and setting. After that it became its own story.
The book is good and funny, but some of the life lessons the book teaches are a little off for me personally. There are some great lessons about friendship, social norms, and how you should share your emotions instead of lie about them. However, I didn’t care for the messages about putting so much focus on yourself, your happiness, and hoping your new self will be accepted.
Here are some content notes. I’ll write more later...
Words / phrases like:
“Smart ass” (once)
“Load of crap” (once)
Bejesus
Holy crudscicle
Geez
I swear
The boy lies a lot because he’s afraid to share what he really thinks / feels.
Two kids have donor dads - described as mom went to doctor to get the dad ingredients to go with her mom ingredients
The book is good and funny, but some of the life lessons the book teaches are a little off for me personally. There are some great lessons about friendship, social norms, and how you should share your emotions instead of lie about them. However, I didn’t care for the messages about putting so much focus on yourself, your happiness, and hoping your new self will be accepted.
Here are some content notes. I’ll write more later...
Words / phrases like:
“Smart ass” (once)
“Load of crap” (once)
Bejesus
Holy crudscicle
Geez
I swear
The boy lies a lot because he’s afraid to share what he really thinks / feels.
Two kids have donor dads - described as mom went to doctor to get the dad ingredients to go with her mom ingredients
June 8, 2024
Playing chess doesn't feel the same for Milo anymore. He can't get in the zone and he doesn't enjoy playing like he used to. To everyone else though, he is still the chess prodigy/champion that he's always been and he doesn't know how to tell his mom or his grandmother without having to bear the weight of their disappointment. When Milo and his mother spend the summer with her good friend Nava and Nava's daughter Roxie in Princeton, NJ, he uses the time to discover the things he likes doing, including an introduction to the game Go. (I'm not going to lie, I want to learn how to play Go after reading this.) It's good exploration of how to navigate the space between who we want to be and who others want us to be. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
December 22, 2024
I expected it to be a little more riveting because it's gotten good press but I wasn't sucked in. It's a sweetly sentimental with a side of funny that shows middle grade readers that it's okay to share what you're feeling and how you want to grow into the person you want to be without feeling guilty. In Milo's case, he blew a chess tournament because he's not really into chess anymore and didn't want to share that with his mom. In a weird happenstance, his mom decides they'll go to New Jersey and live with a friend of hers and that woman's daughter approximately the same age as Milo to attend a summer camp where Milo and Roxie discover the ancient game of Go.
I like the life messages but I needed the book to speed up. It dragged in many parts and lessened the message readers would learn from Milo's experience.
I like the life messages but I needed the book to speed up. It dragged in many parts and lessened the message readers would learn from Milo's experience.
February 6, 2025
I love this author’s other books for middle grade kids, and this one talks in detail about chess, but then also opens readers’ eyes to a new (well VERY old actually) game, which is a cool bonus.
As a total side note: since many teachers love pairing middle grade books with picture books, I wanted to mention a picture book that I think goes really well with this novel. Nervous Nigel by Bethany Christou has a common theme as this #mglit: the fear of disappointing your family by not being what you were expected to be, and it’s adorable, too. I love both books and think they’d lend go awesome discussion.
As a total side note: since many teachers love pairing middle grade books with picture books, I wanted to mention a picture book that I think goes really well with this novel. Nervous Nigel by Bethany Christou has a common theme as this #mglit: the fear of disappointing your family by not being what you were expected to be, and it’s adorable, too. I love both books and think they’d lend go awesome discussion.
October 23, 2024
DID NOT FINISH.
I couldn’t in good conscience finish this one. It had so much going for it; a witty title for one, fun, hilarious characters and a pretty sweet setting. It’s discovered pretty quickly, however that the two main characters’ moms met in a FB group about “solo” parenting. At first it seems like their husbands left but it is soon explained that both were conceived through IVF. Not only is it a bit awkward but I don’t think it is accurately portrayed either.
I was quite bummed as I like this author’s other books and believe she is a good writer!
I couldn’t in good conscience finish this one. It had so much going for it; a witty title for one, fun, hilarious characters and a pretty sweet setting. It’s discovered pretty quickly, however that the two main characters’ moms met in a FB group about “solo” parenting. At first it seems like their husbands left but it is soon explained that both were conceived through IVF. Not only is it a bit awkward but I don’t think it is accurately portrayed either.
I was quite bummed as I like this author’s other books and believe she is a good writer!
December 28, 2024
Milo used to love chess until he suddenly didn't. The more he learned about Go, the oldest board game in the world, the more excited he became. Though his mother still believed he loved chess, should he be the person he wanted to be and tell her the truth about hating chess, or was it better to hide himself to be who she wanted him to be? Read more on my blog about this ARC sent from the publisher in exchange for a review that will keep middle school readers talking long after it pages are closed: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....
March 24, 2025
This is the first time I have read a Jessie Janowitz book. This one is a Young Adult book, about Milo and his family and friends who go to Princeton University for the summer camp. Milo is a dedicated chess player but he is changing his mind--and is afraid to tell his mom who is so proud of his champion status. Once he discovers the Japanese game Go, his game-playing days are extended.
Janowitz writes well and thoroughly gets involved in the world of teenagers and younger and thoroughly outlines the relationship between mothers and sons. I highly recommend this book.
Janowitz writes well and thoroughly gets involved in the world of teenagers and younger and thoroughly outlines the relationship between mothers and sons. I highly recommend this book.
June 21, 2025
This book felt a bit all over the place. There are charming, hilarious and heartwarming moments. Plenty of likable characters and relatable minor life problems. But the main character/narrator didn't feel real to me. His voice didn't seem authentic for a middle school boy. There were also some minor factual errors that an editor should have resolved, like the idea of the Princeton library 1) using Dewey decimal, 2) checking books out based on the spine label, and 3) having a back door that isn't alarmed at night. I'm also dubious about the single-elimination chess tournament at the beginning.
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