Published: 2024
Author: Jason Reynolds
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction / Romance / Coming-of-Age
Audience: Grades 9–12
Number of Stars: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Goodreads Link: Twenty-four Seconds from Now
Content Warnings: Mild sexual content and mild profanity.
Publisher’s Summary
Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.
Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church. Not his finest moment. And definitely one he would have loved to forget if it weren’t for the dog’s owner: Aria. Dressed in sweats, a t-shirt, hair in a ponytail. Aria. Way more than fine.
Twenty-four weeks ago: Neon’s dad insists on talking to him about tenderness and intimacy. Neon and Aria are definitely in love, and while they haven’t taken that next big step…yet, they’ve starting talking about…that.
Twenty-four days ago: Neon’s mom finds her—gulp—bra in his room. Hey! No judging! Those hook thingies are complicated! So he’d figured he’d better practice, what with the big day only a month away.
Twenty-four minutes ago: Neon leaves his shift at work at his dad’s bingo hall, making sure to bring some chicken tenders for Aria. They’re not candlelight and they definitely aren’t caviar, but they are her favorite.
And right this second? Neon is locked in Aria’s bathroom, completely freaking out because twenty-four seconds from now he and Aria are about to…about to… Well, they won’t do anything if he can’t get out of his own head (all the advice, insecurities, and what ifs) and out of this bathroom!
Review
Jason Reynolds is known for writing realistic fiction featuring Black teens struggling to find their identities, and this novel is a beautifully grounded take on teenage romance. Told from the perspective of seventeen-year-old Neon, the story employs a unique reverse timeline structure. It begins twenty-four seconds before a nerve-wracked Neon is about to be intimate with his girlfriend, Aria, and then unwinds through twenty-four minutes, days, weeks, and finally, twenty-four months prior.
While the topic of sexual intimacy can be difficult to tackle, Reynolds portrays the relationship in a positive, healthy way that doesn’t skimp on the realistic awkwardness of adolescence. It is refreshing to see a love story told specifically from a teenage boy’s point of view—one that highlights his sensitivity, intelligence, and snarky humor. The focus remains on the emotional connection and their relationships with friends and family rather than just “the act” itself. Neon is an incredibly relatable protagonist, and his vulnerability makes this a standout for high school collections and reluctant readers alike.
⏳ Narrative Structure: The Reverse Chronology
Reynolds uses a specialized structural device to build suspense and emotional depth. By starting at the climax and working backward, the reader understands the weight of the moment before seeing the work that went into the relationship.
- Suspense through Retrospection: Because we know where Neon ends up (panicked in a bathroom), every flashback carries more meaning. We look for the “clues” of how they built such strong trust.
- The “Countdown” Motif: The recurring use of the number 24 serves as a rhythmic anchor for the story, mirroring the 24-second shot clock in basketball—a nod to the pressure and timing involved in big life decisions.
- The Focus on Consent: The timeline emphasizes that this “moment” didn’t happen by accident; it was a choice built on two years of shared history and conversation.
🎒 Classroom & Curricular Connections
- ELA (Plot Structure & Narrative Voice):
- Activity Idea: Analyze the “Reverse Timeline.” Have students choose a pivotal moment in their own lives and outline it using Reynolds’ structure (seconds, minutes, days, weeks, months). How does looking backward change the way we view the “beginning” of a story?
- Health & SEL (Healthy Relationships & Consent):
- Activity Idea: Discuss the role of communication in Neon and Aria’s relationship. Analyze the conversations Neon has with his parents. How does having a support system affect a teenager’s ability to make healthy, informed decisions about intimacy?
- Media Literacy (Deconstructing Stereotypes):
- Activity Idea: Jason Reynolds often writes against the “tough” stereotypes of Black masculinity. Have students find examples in the text of Neon’s sensitivity and vulnerability. Compare this portrayal to common media depictions of teenage boys in romance.
- Creative Writing (Relatable Humor):
- Activity Idea: Neon’s internal monologue is “snarkily funny.” Have students practice writing a scene where a character is “overthinking” a simple task (like opening a door or ordering food) to practice capturing a realistic, anxious internal voice.
