New York : Crown, 2017
210 p. ; 22 cm.
Nic Stone has written a really interesting book that picks up on many of the racial issues that are roiling US society today - such as white privilege, racist police violence, profiling, criminal justice, equity, and income inequality. And she manages to do it with a really likable, but complex teen named Justyce who is on scholarship at a prestigious boarding school where the students are predominately white.
Though being a stand-out student, Justyce - doing nothing wrong - finds himself being roughly arrested (and threatened) by police. This experience leads him down a path of questioning and introspection (chronicled in his journal/letters to MLK - the dear Martin of the title).
There is a lot of wrestling with how to fit in, how to advocate for yourself and pride in racial identity, and a nice (and racially complex) love story thrown in for good measure. The plot takes a dramatic turn and I don't want to spoil that for you, but it is the heart of the novel's conflict.
This book - like The Hate U Give - is a good book to recommend for students interested in thinking about issues around Black Lives Matter and would be a good discussion starter. Stone's strength is developing complex characters and she's not bad a spinning out a good plot, too.
I would recommend this novel.
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