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greenlivingaudioworm 's review for:
Kneel
by Candace Buford
"I didn't understand why Coach was so oblivious to the enduring trauma of police brutality - he was a Black man. Maybe he was so broken down by the system that he'd lost the will to fight for what was right. ... If this was justice, then maybe I didn't understand the meaning of 'liberty and justice for all.'"
This book randomly showed up on my doorstep this summer and while the synopsis of the book sounded great, I was a little hesitant to read another book about kneeling after I had just finished [b:Why We Fly|45184410|Why We Fly|Kimberly Jones|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1616142248l/45184410._SY75_.jpg|66816646] and that book left me anything but satisfied. I didn't need to worry though, because this book was much better than I was expecting. I think it helped to have only one character telling the story and the fact that the characters in this story were far more likable. Russell is a character that tells it like it is and he's so easy to relate to. I immediately felt connected with Russell and I wanted to know what his story was. There was so much story leading up to the actual kneeling event which helped me develop a deep interest in the characters.
Russell is one of the best football players on his high school team. Between him and his friend Marion, the quarterback, they are a duo ready to make waves on the football field. When Marion gets charged with all sorts of charges after a fight breaks out between two teams, Rus is left dealing with the fallout of Marion's absence. Angry at a system that continually kills Black men for carrying bags of Skittles or M&M's, Rus decides to take action. He kneels during the national anthem. He finds himself facing consequences far beyond what he expected from his family, friends, football team, and larger community. Rus' family isn't exactly thrilled at what Rus decided to do and Rus feels like maybe he made a wrong choice.
Where this book went right (compared to Why We Fly) is it focused on the aftermath of the kneeling. We see the reaction of people both close to Rus and people who don't know who he is. We see what effect that one action has on community activism and how Rus gets involved with social justice beyond taking a knee one night during the national anthem. I really appreciated how this book tackled a variety of activism methods including posters, demonstrations, and peaceful protests. I had a sick feeling in my stomach every time the police showed up, and for good reason. For Rus to not only get involved with social justice but to also get his teammates thinking about things beyond football was the kind of reaction I wanted. This book was very well done and will lead to some incredible conversations with young readers. I did think the ending was a bit rushed, especially with the epilogue, but I can understand why the book ended the way it did.
I would definitely recommend this book for readers who want to read a book that facilitates good quality discussion.
TW: violence, police brutality, unfair criminalization of a Black teenager, racism
**Thank you to Inkyard Press for the advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion.
This book randomly showed up on my doorstep this summer and while the synopsis of the book sounded great, I was a little hesitant to read another book about kneeling after I had just finished [b:Why We Fly|45184410|Why We Fly|Kimberly Jones|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1616142248l/45184410._SY75_.jpg|66816646] and that book left me anything but satisfied. I didn't need to worry though, because this book was much better than I was expecting. I think it helped to have only one character telling the story and the fact that the characters in this story were far more likable. Russell is a character that tells it like it is and he's so easy to relate to. I immediately felt connected with Russell and I wanted to know what his story was. There was so much story leading up to the actual kneeling event which helped me develop a deep interest in the characters.
Russell is one of the best football players on his high school team. Between him and his friend Marion, the quarterback, they are a duo ready to make waves on the football field. When Marion gets charged with all sorts of charges after a fight breaks out between two teams, Rus is left dealing with the fallout of Marion's absence. Angry at a system that continually kills Black men for carrying bags of Skittles or M&M's, Rus decides to take action. He kneels during the national anthem. He finds himself facing consequences far beyond what he expected from his family, friends, football team, and larger community. Rus' family isn't exactly thrilled at what Rus decided to do and Rus feels like maybe he made a wrong choice.
Where this book went right (compared to Why We Fly) is it focused on the aftermath of the kneeling. We see the reaction of people both close to Rus and people who don't know who he is. We see what effect that one action has on community activism and how Rus gets involved with social justice beyond taking a knee one night during the national anthem. I really appreciated how this book tackled a variety of activism methods including posters, demonstrations, and peaceful protests. I had a sick feeling in my stomach every time the police showed up, and for good reason. For Rus to not only get involved with social justice but to also get his teammates thinking about things beyond football was the kind of reaction I wanted. This book was very well done and will lead to some incredible conversations with young readers. I did think the ending was a bit rushed, especially with the epilogue, but I can understand why the book ended the way it did.
I would definitely recommend this book for readers who want to read a book that facilitates good quality discussion.
TW: violence, police brutality, unfair criminalization of a Black teenager, racism
**Thank you to Inkyard Press for the advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion.