Dear Martin
(Libby/OverDrive eAudiobook)

*Starred Review* Perhaps a bright young man who is fourth in his graduating class, captain of the debate team, and on his way to an Ivy League school shouldn't have too many worries. But Justyce McAllister's grades have no influence on the police officer who handcuffs him while he's trying to help his inebriated ex-girlfriend. The African American teen is shocked and angered when the officer is cleared of all charges, and so he turns to the written work of Martin Luther King Jr. for direction, inspiration, and therapy. He presents a simple question to the late civil rights leader: What would you do, Martin? After Justyce witnesses the fatal shooting of his best friend by an off-duty officer, and his name is negatively spread through the media, he begins to withdraw from friends and family, only finding solace in his teacher, new girlfriend, and his continued ruminative letter writing to Dr. King. Stone's debut confronts the reality of police brutality, misconduct, and fatal shootings in the U.S., using an authentic voice to accurately portray the struggle of self-exploration teens like Justyce experience every day. Teens, librarians, and teachers alike will find this book a godsend in assisting discussions about dealing with police, as well as the philosophical underpinnings of King's work. Vivid and powerful.--Boyd, K.C. Copyright 2017 Booklist

Actor Graham delivers a resonant performance of Stone's debut YA novel, which explores the experiences of a black student in a predominantly white high school. Like other teens, Justyce is trying to understand who he is in an age of social media and social inequality. As one of a few African-Americans in an elite high school, he is already familiar with issues of race that permeate education, but an unprovoked run-in with the cops brings home just how different Justyce's experiences are from those of his friends. Stone skillfully weaves recent events and statistics of the violence inflicted upon black men and boys by the police in the novel, which Graham underscores with subtle hints of emotion, emphasizing how teenage people of color must navigate a fundamentally different set of rules than white teenagers. But the highlight of the audiobook is the in the way Graham captures Justyce's frustration and pain in a series of letters that he wrote to his historical role model, Martin Luther King Jr. Together, Stone and Graham deliver an intimate and raw audiobook that will linger in listeners' minds. Ages 14-up. A Crown hardcover. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Gr 9 Up-Justyce McAllister seemed to have it all-Ivy League aspirations, near the top of his class academically at a top-notch boarding school, captain of the debate team-until he is arrested while helping a friend. Feeling that he was racially profiled, he begins a journal of letters to Dr. Martin Luther King and asks himself, "What would Martin do?" when situations arise. And situations do arise, when white classmates make racist comments and dress in KKK robes for Halloween. In class, difficult subjects are discussed, such as the reality of racial equality and the effectiveness of affirmative action. Meanwhile, Jus reluctantly finds himself attracted to his white debate partner, knowing that his mother will disapprove. When tragedy strikes, Jus is forced to take a long look at himself and the life he is leading. Jus's first-person letters to King are interwoven with his third-person experiences. Dion Graham narrates, turning in a performance that is believable and convincing. Often he is soft-spoken, reflecting Jus's quiet nature, but as Jus's anger builds, Graham's narration reveals that as well. VERDICT With appeal to both reluctant readers and avid listeners, this thought-provoking audiobook deserves a place in any audio collection alongside The Hate U Give.-Julie Paladino, formerly at East Chapel Hill High School, NC © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

I know your kind: punks like you wander the streets of nice neighborhoods searching for prey. Just couldnt resist the pretty white girl whod locked her keys in her car, could ya? So seventeen-year-old Justyce McAllister, who is black, hears after being shoved to the ground by a police officer (CASTILLO [the officers nameplate] reads, though the guy looks like a regular white dude). Thing is, the girl is mixed-race and is Justyces sometime-girlfriend (and drunk), and he was helping her get home. The opening scene is one of several that illustrate Justyces feeling that no matter what I do, the only thing white people will ever see me as is a nig--an n-word. Ranked fourth in his class at exclusive Braselton Preparatory Academy, hes been accepted to Yale, but his classmates assume its only because of affirmative action. In his own neighborhood, people criticize him for being a race-traitor whos gotta stay connected to the white man for the ride to the top. To sort his life out, Justyce begins writing Dear Martin letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Alternating with the main narrative, the letters are an effective device. What would Dr. King think about recent events surrounding Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and the many others who have died and become headlines, the real-life people who inspired this novel? Stone veers away from easy resolutions while allowing hope to reside in unexpected places. dean Schneider (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In this roller-coaster ride of a debut, the author summons the popular legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. to respond to the recent tragic violence befalling unarmed black men and boys. Seventeen-year-old black high school senior Justyce McAllister, a full-scholarship student at the virtually all-white Braselton Prep, is the focus. After a bloody run-in with the police when they take his good deed for malice, Justyce seeks meaning in a series of letters with his "homie" Dr. King. He writes, "I thought if I made sure to be an upstanding member of society, I'd be exempt from the stuff THOSE black guys deal with, you know?" While he's ranked fourth in his graduating class and well-positioned for the Ivy League, Justyce is coming to terms with the fact that there's not as much that separates him from "THOSE black guys" as he'd like to believe. Despite this, Stone seems to position Justyce and his best friend as the decidedly well-mannered black children who are deserving of readers' sympathies. They are not those gangsters that can be found in Justyce's neighborhood. There's nuance to be found for sure, but not enough to upset the dominant narrative. What if they weren't the successful kids? While the novel intentionally leaves more questions than it attempts to answer, there are layers that still remain between the lines. Though constrained, the work nevertheless stands apart in a literature that too often finds it hard to look hard truths in the face. Take interest and ask questions. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

*Starred Review* Perhaps a bright young man who is fourth in his graduating class, captain of the debate team, and on his way to an Ivy League school shouldn't have too many worries. But Justyce McAllister's grades have no influence on the police officer who handcuffs him while he's trying to help his inebriated ex-girlfriend. The African American teen is shocked and angered when the officer is cleared of all charges, and so he turns to the written work of Martin Luther King Jr. for direction, inspiration, and therapy. He presents a simple question to the late civil rights leader: "What would you do, Martin?" After Justyce witnesses the fatal shooting of his best friend by an off-duty officer, and his name is negatively spread through the media, he begins to withdraw from friends and family, only finding solace in his teacher, new girlfriend, and his continued ruminative letter writing to Dr. King. Stone's debut confronts the reality of police brutality, misconduct, and fatal shootings in the U.S., using an authentic voice to accurately portray the struggle of self-exploration teens like Justyce experience every day. Teens, librarians, and teachers alike will find this book a godsend in assisting discussions about dealing with police, as well as the philosophical underpinnings of King's work. Vivid and powerful. Copyright 2017 Booklist Reviews.

First-time author Stone explores an African-American student's increasingly intense feelings of displacement in his predominantly white high school in a tense story that will grab readers' attention and make them think. Written as a mixture of script-style dialogues, third-person narrative, and letters to Martin Luther King Jr., the novel explores high school senior Justyce McAllister's confrontations with racism and his search for identity at a prestigious prep school, where he is one of only eight black students. After nearly getting arrested while trying to help his ex-girlfriend, who's "stone drunk" and trying to drive herself home, Justyce becomes acutely aware of racial profiling and prejudice close to home. Pushed to the brink of despair when a close friend is shot by a white off-duty police officer, Justyce doesn't know what to do with his anger. Though some characters are a bit one-dimensional (including Justyce's debate partner/romantic interest and the interchangeable bros at his school), this hard-hitting book delivers a visceral portrait of a young man reckoning with the ugly, persistent violence of social injustice. Ages 14–up. Agent: Rena Rossner, Deborah Harris Agency. (Oct.)

Gr 9 Up—Justyce is an African American teen caught between two worlds. He knows that the education he's receiving at a private school will grant him more economic opportunities, however he begins to question the effects his private school education on his own identity. Some of his classmates believe that the racial pendulum has swung too far, giving African Americans an unfair advantage over their white counterparts. The kids he grew up with believe Justyce has assimilated too much and has forgotten where he came from. He questions his blackness, his relationship with his biracial girlfriend, and his attraction to his white debate partner Sarah Jane. Through a series of journal entries, Justyce attempts to figure out his place in the world by exploring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King. A violent altercation between a retired white police officer and his best friend causes Justyce to examine what it means to be an African American male in 2017. The length and pace of this well-written story make it a perfect read for reluctant and sophisticated readers alike. The main characters are well balanced and will resonate with teens. However, the voice of African American women is largely absent from the narrative. The characterization of Justyce's mother and his girlfriend are one-dimensional compared to some of the other protagonists. Still, this important work should be read alongside Jason Reynolds's and Brendan Kiely's All-American Boys and Kekla Magoon's How It Went Down. VERDICT An good choice for school and public libraries.—Desiree Thomas, Worthington Library, OH