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4.38 AVERAGE
4.38 AVERAGE
Wow - a very timely, powerful book. I agree with several of the other reviewers who said it should be required reading for all 8 - 12 graders. This book left me with a heavy heart.
I loved the two perspectives. I thought the authors wrote very realistically, shining light on the two viewpoints without judgement.
Looking forward to reading more by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. I will highly recommend this book to all our middle school students.
I loved the two perspectives. I thought the authors wrote very realistically, shining light on the two viewpoints without judgement.
Looking forward to reading more by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. I will highly recommend this book to all our middle school students.
All American Boys is just as powerful, though not as well known, as The Hate U Give. What separates All American Boys from THUG is the dual perspective. All American Boys is told through two alternating perspectives, first we have Rashad, the boy who was beaten by an officer after being falsely accused of shoplifting. The other perspective we see is that of Quinn, a boy who is close with, and has been raised by said officer. Quinn struggles to come to terms with the fact that someone he looked up to has just committed and unpardonable act, while Rashad is left feeling violated and wondering why this happened to him. All American Boys is very well written, extremely thought provoking, and leaves the reader feeling upset with police brutality and the unfairness of being judged based on the way one looks. I appreciated the dual narrative, Rashad is a likeable character through and through, while Quinn is unlikable initially, but develops significantly as a character. Definite worthwhile read!
I did not finish the book. I thought it was too confusing to keep track of all the characters at once. The beginning is really good though.
I think this a really powerful book that's a great and necessary YA read, especially for white kids who might have been raised not being taught about institutional racism and police brutality. Sometimes the writing from Quinn's POV was a little meh but overall this is a really good book
I have so many thoughts about this book. It is such a difficult topic to tackle and to do it with an authentic voice is difficult. I loved this book far more than "The Hate U Give" but it might be an unfair comparison considering the difference in authors. I knew that Reynolds was an award-winning African-American male author who had written several young adult novels. I believe he was at the National Book Festival and was even sponsored (by a fund set up in the memory of a good friend) to speak at our local library system. It was not until my students selected "All American Boys" was I able to finally experience his writing.
Police brutality is not a new subject in our nation nor will it be going away anytime soon. But this is a story that goes far beyond police brutality towards blacks in society, it gets to the bare idea of whether an individual is a good person and whether they are willing to stand up against injustice. Desmond Tutu (who spoke at my college graduation) states that, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor"(a quote that Reynolds uses in his novel). The book is told in the viewpoints of two individuals; that of the African-American teen who was the victim of the police brutality and that of a white teen who witnessed the brutal attack. Unfortunately, the police officer who committed the crime is the older brother of one of his best friends which sets up an intense moral dilemma for the eyewitness. I think the book asks the question of whether you are willing to be on the right side of the battle and how strong your morals/beliefs are as a person. I have met some incredible people in my life Reverend Kyles (who was at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's side when he was assassinated) and some of the original Tuskegee Airmen. These individuals stood up for injustice and I shall be forever marked by just being in their presence. I love how this book makes me question as a teacher whether I am doing right by my students-in inspiring them to stand up against the wrong in the world.
Police brutality is not a new subject in our nation nor will it be going away anytime soon. But this is a story that goes far beyond police brutality towards blacks in society, it gets to the bare idea of whether an individual is a good person and whether they are willing to stand up against injustice. Desmond Tutu (who spoke at my college graduation) states that, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor"(a quote that Reynolds uses in his novel). The book is told in the viewpoints of two individuals; that of the African-American teen who was the victim of the police brutality and that of a white teen who witnessed the brutal attack. Unfortunately, the police officer who committed the crime is the older brother of one of his best friends which sets up an intense moral dilemma for the eyewitness. I think the book asks the question of whether you are willing to be on the right side of the battle and how strong your morals/beliefs are as a person. I have met some incredible people in my life Reverend Kyles (who was at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's side when he was assassinated) and some of the original Tuskegee Airmen. These individuals stood up for injustice and I shall be forever marked by just being in their presence. I love how this book makes me question as a teacher whether I am doing right by my students-in inspiring them to stand up against the wrong in the world.
Wow, such an amazing book! I think I have said this a couple of times now but Jason Reynolds is my new favorite author.
2017 Well Rounded Challenge- Read a YA book
2017 Well Rounded Challenge- Read a YA book
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This shifting POV book allows readers to look at a situation from two different points of view and allow us to get a sense of competing pressures on all sides. This was really well written by both authors.
A powerful, important novel. I don't usually like reading from teenage boys' perspectives--the language bothers me (I don't mind swearing, but bad grammar and the slang is irritating). But it was such a well-done story, with two distinct narrators whose differing perspectives on such a prevalent issue makes it relevant for all readers. It focuses on a brutal beating of an innocent black boy, and puts a spotlight on how society and the justice system need to change to keep these travesties from continuing.
Great YA book! I think this book would lend itself to some great discussions.
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No