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A review by ruth24
The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"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."
With the '92 LA, Rodney King riots as its backdrop, [b:The Black Kids|45800564|The Black Kids|Christina Hammonds Reed|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582185185l/45800564._SY75_.jpg|70604698] could not be more relevant as anti-Black racism is being centred on social media and protests are taking place in cities around the world.
Ashley struggles with her identity as a wealthy Black teenager who goes to a school where she doesn’t really mix with the other Black kids, many of whom are there on scholarship. At the beginning of the book, she’s not sure how she feels about the riots and admits she isn’t paying it much attention, but as the story progresses, she begins to realize just how much anti-Black racism affects her and her family – now and in the past.
The story also centres around conflict within her own family:
- A sister whose passion for justice conflicts with the bubble of safety her parents have built for her
- An uncle who resents her father for moving to a wealthy, white suburb
- Parents who hide her family’s dark history so their daughters don't have to shoulder the weight
I really enjoyed reading about Ashley's struggle with her identity and how she developed over the course of the book. I found it enlightening to see the many different ways she and other Black characters in the book reacted to and felt about the riots and everything that was unfolding around them.
[b:The Black Kids|45800564|The Black Kids|Christina Hammonds Reed|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582185185l/45800564._SY75_.jpg|70604698] is an amazing debut and the cover art is beautiful! I know many of us are working to diversify our reading so if you’re looking for a fictional story that blends real events, focuses on anti-Black racism and explores different opinions on riots, I highly recommend this one!
"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."
With the '92 LA, Rodney King riots as its backdrop, [b:The Black Kids|45800564|The Black Kids|Christina Hammonds Reed|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582185185l/45800564._SY75_.jpg|70604698] could not be more relevant as anti-Black racism is being centred on social media and protests are taking place in cities around the world.
Ashley struggles with her identity as a wealthy Black teenager who goes to a school where she doesn’t really mix with the other Black kids, many of whom are there on scholarship. At the beginning of the book, she’s not sure how she feels about the riots and admits she isn’t paying it much attention, but as the story progresses, she begins to realize just how much anti-Black racism affects her and her family – now and in the past.
The story also centres around conflict within her own family:
- A sister whose passion for justice conflicts with the bubble of safety her parents have built for her
- An uncle who resents her father for moving to a wealthy, white suburb
- Parents who hide her family’s dark history so their daughters don't have to shoulder the weight
I really enjoyed reading about Ashley's struggle with her identity and how she developed over the course of the book. I found it enlightening to see the many different ways she and other Black characters in the book reacted to and felt about the riots and everything that was unfolding around them.
[b:The Black Kids|45800564|The Black Kids|Christina Hammonds Reed|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582185185l/45800564._SY75_.jpg|70604698] is an amazing debut and the cover art is beautiful! I know many of us are working to diversify our reading so if you’re looking for a fictional story that blends real events, focuses on anti-Black racism and explores different opinions on riots, I highly recommend this one!