A searing look into the repercussions of police brutality, from alternating viewpoints of two teens – one white, one black. Relevant and timely, this is a necessary story about events that shouldn’t be so real.
IF YOU ARE NEUTRAL IN SITUATIONS OF INJUSTICE, YOU HAVE CHOSEN THE SIDE OF THE OPPRESSOR.
Synopsis:
“Rashad Butler and Quinn Collins are two young men, one black and one white, whose lives are forever changed by an act of extreme police brutality. Rashad wakes up in a hospital. Quinn saw how he got there. And so did the video camera that taped the cop beating Rashad senseless into the pavement. Thus begins ALL AMERICAN BOYS, written in tandem by two of our great literary talents, Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely.” – BrendanKiely.com
Review:
All American Boys is such a relevant look at prejudice, police brutality, and white fragility. This is the story that NEEDS to be read in high school. The truths in these stories need to stop repeating, and by educating ourselves like Quinn and others in this story, we can break the cycle.
Each character is imperfect and nuanced, which creates such a rich multilayered story. The authors didn’t answer all the questions, and they didn’t tie up all the loose ends for a happy ever after. It feels REAL. I like that they leave much to interpretation, and hope.
I can’t recommend this story enough!
*I loved the audio version, with two different narrators for Quinn and Rashad. The narrators infused the story with emotion and vulnerability that can be lost by just reading the book.
Book Details
All American Boys
by Jason Reynolds, Brendan Kiely
Guy Lockard (Narrator), Keith Nobbs (Narrator)
Published September 29th 2015 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books / Simon Schuster Audio
