Thursday, January 12, 2023

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely



Genre: Middle Grade Realistic Fiction
Source: I own a copy

Jason Reynolds has written a powerful book here with a powerful message. Rashad Freeman is a young African American who has stepped into  a local store to buy a snack. His trouble begins when a white lady trips over him. The store owner causes him of trying to steal and the cop in the store takes things a little too far. Rashad is beaten to the point of being hospitalized.

Quinn Collins is a white boy on  his way to a party with friends when he heads to the local store to get some beer.  What Quinn gets is a front row seat to a young boy being beaten. The problem is that it is someone he knows and looks up to. 

What struck me was how the events that happened could have been ripped right out of the headlines today. As a teacher I could read how the teachers were feeling knowing they were told not to talk about it. I've been in their shoes where we've been told not to discuss certain incidents with students in the classroom.  I felt like some of the teachers were told how they were supposed to feel.

I was happy the way the author handled the tensions within the school and community. Awesome book everyone should read.


No comments:

Post a Comment