Further Recommended Reading

All American Boys

Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, 2015

Rashad and Quinn are teens living in the shadows of both of their fathers' reputations and expectations when one night changes them both forever. Each boy must decide what kind of life he will live going forward, as the shock waves of a police beating shake them and everyone around them to the core.

This breathtakingly honest, artfully written, emotionally smart look at lives rocked by police brutality; it moves beyond headlines, hashtags, and stereotypes. It tells the story of two ALL AMERICAN BOYS whom readers will love and cry for as the teens are forced to grow up fast following the violent incident. The authors take readers on a journey with two fun, likable, and acutely emotionally aware teen boys as they navigate their own sense of morality even when the adults around them are often unable to or cannot give clear guidance. The alternating narratives are brilliantly written, allowing readers to deeply feel, see, taste, smell, and experience the world through Rashad and Quinn's eyes during this snapshot in time. It is an intimate, hopeful, frightening, and necessary experience. Readers are going to fall in love with these all-American boys. (Common Sense Media review. The site gives it a 5 star rating, recommends age 12+, and also notes that there is violence and strong language. Also a reference to two teachers having sex.) 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book.

Common Sense Media

Good Reads

The Hate u Give

Angie Thomas, 2017

Wrenching, soul stirring, funny, endearing, painful, and frustratingly familiar, this novel offers a powerful look at a few weeks in a fairly typical teen girl’s life -- with one horrific exception. Sure, she worries about school, issues with friends, and her secret boyfriend, but she is also the sole witness to the fatal shooting of her best friend by a police officer. In The Hate U Give, author Angie Thomas manages to bring humanity --deep, emotionally binding, full-bodied humanity -- to the victims of police brutality and the families and friends they leave behind. The scenarios that revolve around the shooting are achingly routine -- unarmed African American, the media’s push to blame the victim, a lax investigation, and a lack of charges or convictions. However, set against the backdrop of typical teen life, of community and family life, the consequence of the officer’s actions and the actions others take after the tragedy take on a life and power beyond what any think piece or talking points on the subject could achieve. (Common Sense Media)

Common Sense Media

Good Reads

Stamped

Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi, 2020

Stamped tells the story of competing ideas about race as they have evolved in the United States from the colonial period to the present. The authors present these ideas in relatable, young person-friendly ways and discuss the conflicts between people who write about them, embody them, and act on them. Three kinds of ideas (and people) are identified: "Haters" (segregationists) believe Black people are different from and inferior to White people and preach separation of the races. "Cowards" (assimilationists) believe Black people are damaged, whether through external or internal causes, and focus on how they can win the approval of Whites. Antiracists believe there's nothing wrong with Black people, and focus on dismantling systems of racism.

Jason Reynolds' extraordinary gifts with language make reading this history with commentary feel almost like listening to a freestyle rap artist. It's an ambitious experiment with a few flaws. Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi set out to make Stamped something other than a history book. Rather than a list of dates or an interpretation of the same major historical events, it mixes historical facts with commentary to trace a history of ideas. That makes it a fun departure from books that aim to teach about events, but the idea that it's "not a history book" doesn't quite ring true. Readers should be aware that the authors present a strong, subjective point of view, not a neutral investigation. At times, it seems stories were cherry-picked to support the thesis instead of a thesis being crafted around the most significant historical events. Still, it's an entertaining and important read. (Common Sense Media, Age 12+, 4 stars)

Common Sense Media

Good Reads