All American Boys

Bibliography: Reynolds, J., & Kiely, B. (2015). All American Boys . Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-1-4814-6333-1

Plot Summary: On his way to a party, Rashad, a young black man, stops at a corner store. The events that occurred during this simple errand lead to a store owner falsely accusing him of stealing.  A cop, who happened to be in the store, arrests and severely beats Rashad. Quinn, a young white man who happens to be headed to the same store, witnesses the beating, but runs away before he can be questioned. The story, told in first person by both characters in alternating chapters, follows the boys as they both struggle with issues of racism from different perspectives. In the end, they both learn that change doesn't just happen, but must be initiated by fighting for it.

Critical Analysis: The authors do an excellent job of using youth vernacular without being condescending or cliche. Even if the reader is unfamiliar with such terminology, the meaning is clear given the context. Examples include "more game than you" (13), "smoked him with the jokes" and "hit me when you're on your way over" (14). The alternating chapters from each boy's perspective helps to show both the similarities (both boys are dealing with crushes, both face some sort of inner struggle) and the differences (not just of race but of perspective) between the two boys.  The authors did a great job of telling the stories of these two young man on a topic that is still relevant and problematic today.  Regardless of race, many young readers could relate to either character in some way.  Their characters were thoroughly developed, and, at least for me, were successful in creating empathy in the reader. 

Reviews: 

    New York Times: "this book’s device of employing two narrators — one black, one white, each account written by a different author — is especially apt. The result is an intriguing insider-outsider look at an ­instance of ­police brutality.

    Kirkus Reviews: "If the hands and agenda of the authors are evident, their passion elevates the novel beyond a needed call to action to a deeply moving experience."

Awards:

    Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award, 2016

    Amelia Walden Award, 2016

    The Walter Dean Myers Award, 2016

Connections:

    Use in a Criminal Justice class. Have a discussion/debate about racial profiling. 

    Use in a Sociology class.  Have a discussion about systemic racism.

    Use in a History class. Have students read before or during a civil rights unit. Students can then research Civil Rights movements and compare and contrast the movements of Dr. King and Malcolm X.

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