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Synopses & Reviews
In the highly anticipated sequel to her
New York Times bestseller, Nic Stone delivers an unflinching look
into the flawed practices and silenced voices in the American juvenile
justice system.
Vernell LaQuan Banks and Justyce McAllister grew up a block apart
in the Southwest Atlanta neighborhood of Wynwood Heights. Years later,
though, Justyce walks the illustrious halls of Yale University... and
Quan sits behind bars at the Fulton Regional Youth Detention Center.
Through a series of flashbacks, vignettes, and letters to Justyce — the protagonist of
Dear Martin — Quan's story takes form. Troubles at home and
misunderstandings at school give rise to police encounters and tough
decisions. But then there's a dead cop and a weapon with Quan's prints
on it. What leads a bright kid down a road to a murder charge? Not even
Quan is sure.
Review
"Nic Stone's layered, painfully timely sequel about racism, police brutality, and incarceration will hit you hard." Hello Giggles
Review
"A powerful, raw, must-read told through the lens of a Black boy ensnared by our broken criminal justice system." Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
Review
"This book
expands the conversation about systemic racism to include young men of color who don't fit the demands of respectability politics....offer[s] a nuanced perspective on the juvenile justice system." School Library Journal
About the Author
Nic Stone is an
Atlanta native and a Spelman College graduate. After working extensively
in teen mentoring and living in Israel for several years, she returned
to the United States to write full-time. Nic's debut novel for young
adults,
Dear Martin, was a
New York Times bestseller and William C. Morris Award finalist. She is also the author of the teen titles
Odd One Out, a novel about discovering oneself and who it is
okay to love, which was an NPR Best Book of the Year and a Rainbow Book
List Top Ten selection, and
Jackpot, a love-ish story that takes a searing look at economic inequality.
Clean Getaway, Nic's first middle-grade novel, deals with coming
to grips with the pain of the past and facing the humanity of our
heroes. She lives in Atlanta with her adorable little family. Find her
online at nicstone.info or @nicstone.