Hennepin County Library hardcover 310 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
This book was amazing. I put post-it notes on dozens of places, but I don't think I'll enumerate them in this entry. The story is told from two points of view: Rashad, a black teen junior ROTC officer who is an artist, and Quinn, a white teen basketball player whose dad died as a hero years earlier in the Middle East. When Rashad is beaten severely by a white police officer, people take sides, speak out, and struggle with what to say and do. There are so many layers and truths in this book. I will buy it for my school and I hope Carver County gets it as a book club kit - this would be a fantastic discussion book!
Some random thoughts / themes:
- I love how Rashad refers to his mom doing mom things (comforting, caring, etc.)
- Quinn's temptation (and others) to just not talk about it or deal with it (racism) . . . because for those of us who are white, that's an option. To just ignore the problem, since it doesn't "directly" affect us. Ouch. But so true!
- People's tendency to blame the victim. Rashad "must" have been doing something wrong (other than simply being black and having a white person trip over him) for the officer to attack him that way. Again, ouch. I've thought or said this of situations (not necessarily white officers and black people) . . . and I think of women being blamed for being raped because of the clothing they wore or the time of night they were outdoors alone . . . as a society, we are too quick to accuse and too slow to listen.
- So sad and true that we only seem to react when it's HUGE - a death, as opposed to the regular, every day stuff. I've heard black parents (especially dads) talk about how they prepare their children (especially sons) for how to react *when* they're confronted by police. Louie and I have three sons and we *never* had those kinds of conversations with them! This book is fiction, but from what I've read, heard, and seen, some of these experiences and feelings are VERY true to life.
- Whether for good or ill, people's perceptions about what constitutes a "thug" or an "All-American boy" often come down to physical appearance and snap judgments.
- Quinn: "I'm not racist!" She (Jill) hesitated and I sat there, stinking in my own sweat, needing her to say something. Eventually she did. "Not like KKK racist," she said. "I don't think most people think they're racist. But every time something like this happens, you could, like you said, say, 'Not my problem.' You could say, 'It's a one-time thing.' Every time it happened."
- When Rashad's dad talks about having been a cop and trying to do what's right, but having to make split-second decisions that might be life and death . . . there's just so much in this book that is worthwhile, especially in the current climate regarding race relations and police departments. I'm horrified by police officers being targeted by shooters. I'm so sad for the spouses, children, siblings, and parents of officers who are killed in the line of duty. But I also realize that we can't ignore the pain and fear and frustration of many black Americans who are tired of "same old, same old." I just don't want a backlash against police officers to be some sick "solution" for those who want change.
- I love Mrs. Fitzgerald from the gift shop! "Baby, I could tell by the look on your face that you ain't need none of that. Sometimes, when people get treated as less than human, the best way to help them feel better is to simply treat them as human. Not as victims. Just you as you."
This book is amazing! I hope we can afford a bunch of copies and get kids and adults reading and discussing it. There's a long waiting list at the public library so I'm glad I'm returning this today. Next reader!
<I published the above on 7.22.2016. I'm adding the below on 11.8.2023.>
When I was subbing at New Prague High School a few weeks ago, the students were reading this book. I thought I had read it before, but wasn't 100% sure. I had received a copy at some point in the past year, so I thought I'd just go ahead and read it again. Jason Reynolds is a fantastic author.
But I'm torn about re-reading it when I have so many other books waiting for me! And I feel as though this book isn't quite as powerful as Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give. Wow. Perhaps I should re-read that one!
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