All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Genre: Fiction Targeted Age Group: 12-18 Summary: Rashad was looking for a bag of chips when he becomes manhandled by punch happy cop Paul Galluzzo, who mistakes Rashad for a shoplifter. The only witnesses to this violence are the video camera and Quinn Collins, varsity basketball player and classmate of Rashad. Soon Quinn is having to confront the fact that Paul, who has raised him since the death of his father, could possibly be guilty. Why I chose this book: This is a 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Award book along with being a recipient of the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature. I was also enticed by the fact that the book was co-authored and would be showcasing two different perspectives around the tough subject matter of police brutality and racial tension. Review:

This book is a timely and profound novel. The power of perspective is key within this novel. Throughout the book the reader will see the story alternate between Rashad, the Black teen beaten by a police officer for "shoplifting" and Quinn, the white teen who is the only witness to this incident besides the video camera and knows the police officer who has beaten Rashad. Within the beginning of the book you have a glimpse into the way in which Rashad has to move in this world. The fact that he is not trying to appear suspicious in the store is something that Black people have to deal with when shopping in a store. After the beating of Rashad, Quinn is conflicted as he has only seen the good sides of Paul, the police officer, who has been a role model to him in the absence of his father. Reading from Quinn's perspective we are able to see the white perspective through his eyes and the interactions with his family and friends. Within Quinn's perspecitve you find family and friends immediately coming to the defense of Paul, there is no question of whether what he did to Rashad was wrong. It is a matter of that Paul was simply doing his job. There is no pause taken to question whether Paul's actions were excessive force being used.

In Rashad's perspective the reader also picks up on the fact that Rashad bears the responsibility of how is he perceived by others. This can be seen in the initial interaction with his father in the hospital where Rashad's father is questioning how he presented himself in the convenience store where the incident took place. While in Quinn's perspective he is bearing the responsibility of being a great basketball player and student, help his mom around the house and be a role model for his younger brother. Both boys are experiencing responsibilities placed upon them from their families and the outside world.

The novel greatly explores the themes of race and social class. While Quinn and Rashad attend the same school and go to the same parties, they have never interacted with one another. This is due to most of their school segregating themselves socially among racial lines. Social class is also explored through Rashad's father a former police officer who shows to value appearance over truth. He views other Black people as criminal or troublesome due to their appearance and how they present themselves and he places these ideals on Rashad. Rashad's father is playing into a social system that continues to value appearance and stereotypes than the actual truth.

I would greatly suggest this book for teens. Reynolds and Kiely work well together weaving the Black and white perspective of a reality that we have become all too familiar with especially in recent years with the rise of coverage through the news and social media.

Reynolds, J., & Kiely, B. (2015). All American Boys. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books.