---
product_id: 109611127
title: "When I Was the Greatest Kindle Edition"
brand: "jason reynolds"
price: "R291"
currency: ZAR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/109611127-when-i-was-the-greatest-kindle-edition
store_origin: ZA
region: South Africa
---

# When I Was the Greatest Kindle Edition

**Brand:** jason reynolds
**Price:** R291
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** When I Was the Greatest Kindle Edition by jason reynolds
- **How much does it cost?** R291 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/109611127-when-i-was-the-greatest-kindle-edition)

## Best For

- jason reynolds enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted jason reynolds brand quality
- Free international shipping included
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- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

Full description not available

## Images

![When I Was the Greatest Kindle Edition - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51xnbTCNX0L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds
  

*by B***Y on Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2015*

Jason Reynolds has written a diverse book all teens will want to read. I found this title on #weneeddiversebooks. This book is urban fiction (my students loved urban fiction!!!), involves a black teen with Tourette Syndrome, the toughness of neighborhood and family but also the closeness of community. Ali is a teen who becomes friends with brothers, Noodles & Needles when thyey move into his neighborhood. They hang out on the steps of their Bed-Stuy block but these 2 brothers lives are so much more gritty than Ali's. Ali has a tough, loving mother who works 2 jobs, an 11 year old sister wise beyond her years, and a father who seems to be absent. Ali has scruples and looks forward to his days with Noodles and Needles even calling them The Three Musketeers. But as time goes on, Ali begins to struggle with the way Noodles treats his brother, Needles. It all explodes one night, causing Ali to question if he can be friends with Noodles ever again. The writing is unflinching but also extols family, friendship, loyalty and honesty. I loved everything about this book and am definitely diving right into Jason Reynolds next book, The Boy in the Black Suit. Highly recommended.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    A Terrific Tale Capturing the Energy and Despair of Being Young in  Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
  

*by E***W on Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2014*

Ali is a kid growing up in Bed-Stuy with his strong Mom, Doris, and his younger sister, Jazz. His dad, a small time hustler sells stolen stuff out of his car (which he is living in), and the brownstone next door has disintegrated into a no-hope building for junkies and prostitutes after the long time owners have sold up and moved South (which happened a lot in Bed-Stuy in the mid 2000s when housing prices boomed, and owners who had gone through the hardest of times (Bed-Stuy = Murder City in the 80s) suddenly had golden tickets and moved away in their old age.) In his terrific Young Adult novel, Jason Reynolds captures the feel of Bed-Stuy, both the energy and the despair, all from the view of young guys whose futures may or may not have been been set in stone already.  Ali is part of a loving, if complicated, family, whereas his best friend Noodles who lives next door in the junky house with his checked-out despairing mother and his brother Needles who suffers from Tourettes. Both Noodles and Needles futures look bleak, but Ali and his level headed, warm hearted take on life could perhaps be their saving grace.Following there day to day activities, in a real, non-judgmental way, Reynolds creates a vision of families surviving, and love thriving in the cracks. Ali is mentored by a local boxing coach, a Vietnam vet missing his legs, but is perhaps to kind to really fight, while Noodles is already spiraling into petty crime and an anti-social rut which can only end badly if he can’t turn around. Together with Needles they get invited to an underground party, and their preparation for it and what happens there will change all of their lives.So why are these guys called Ali, Noodles, and Needles? Well, I’m not giving that away, but I do want to give up that there is a whole, unexpected knitting subplot going on, and there is a scene where Noodles and Ali go to a knitting store over in Cobble Hill that had me rolling  on the floor. Reynolds is interested in the race and class divisions that form the veins of NYC, and just as Ali is aware he is living in a world within other worlds, Reynolds shows us that, too, and in an entertaining, human way. It’s a wonderful book, and everyone should read it, regardless of age.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Great Read....
  

*by L***D on Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2019*

If you're looking for #ownvoices material, pick up any Jason Reynolds book. When I Was the Greatest is just a real story about three boys from Brooklyn. Also, the cover makes so much sense once you get into the story. Not at all what I was expecting.

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*Product available on Desertcart South Africa*
*Store origin: ZA*
*Last updated: 2026-02-07*