The Black Kids is an incisive look at systemic racism through the eyes of a Black teen in the Los Angeles of the 90s. It’s the book we all need in school to better understand our own country and its people, for better and worse.
Synopsis:
“Perfect for fans of The Hate U Give, this unforgettable coming-of-age debut novel explores issues of race, class, and violence through the eyes of a wealthy black teenager whose family gets caught in the vortex of the 1992 Rodney King Riots.” – Simon & Schuster
Review:
WOW!⠀
Honest, unflinching, heart wrenching, in a time-jumping stream of consciousness, THE BLACK KIDS will expand your understanding of social responses to the LA Riots of 1992. Hopefully it gives you a better sense of how the same events are experienced by people from different social/economical/racial classes.⠀
Christina Hammonds Reed has created a lyrical look at what it was like for one Black girl in a more affluent neighborhood and high school to experience the fallout from the LA Riots, and what being Black was like for her at that time. I’m enjoying reading how her experience differs not only from the rich and poor white kids, but also her poorer Black schoolmates as well. ⠀
It’s also a reflection of what growing up has been like for many of our peers that were around the same age during the 1990s – and how many things haven’t changed since then. (For example: how Black teens are more likely to be treated guilty until proven innocent, where white kids in the same situation might get a pass.)⠀
ADD THIS TO YOUR LIST!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Book Details
The Black Kids
by Christina Hammonds Reed
Expected Publication: August 4th 2020 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
