Review by junuri - Punching the Air

junuri 's review for:

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam

5.0

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This collection of poems by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam is purely a beautiful work of art. The poems are intentionally curated to tell a story of a Black boy whose being, dreams, and future and stifled by the criminal justice system. The literary strategy in each poems tells his story and calls out the systemic inequities that often harm Black children and communities. The poems humanize their dreams, creativity, and right to be.

I look forward to listening to the audio version of this book and reading it again. Five stars all around!

Content Warnings