*Note: Advance Reader’s Copy | Book Release Date: 10/17/17
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I look at the cover; I see my son. I read each line, left to right and in between; I hear my son’s voice. Searching for understanding and hope in this dark place, this space where justice is not for all of us; what do I teach my son? Just like Justyce McAllister declares, there are those who will look at him and not see a man with rights. How did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. handle the deep-seated hate and racism he faced? How did he stand confident, in strength, in the face of it all? This is what Justyce grapples with as he begins writing letters to Dr. King, trying to make sense of the world after a good deed lands him in handcuffs. This is a year for Justyce that should be celebrated. Great grades, SAT and ACT scores, acceptance into a prestigious ivy league school, but when one poor decision turns fatal, life as he knows it comes undone. How will he put the pieces back together again? How will we? Justyce McAllister is your son as much as he is mine. How do we make this world a better place for him? For all of us?
Nic Stone’s debut novel tackles racism head on with grit and honesty. The conversations that are had and issues debated in this book are cause for self-reflection. What part do I play? Do I walk around pretending inequality doesn’t exist because the instances I hear and see are so distant? I think this is what Justyce was going through. He felt like his part was unclear and maybe even insignificant and while he recognized hate and racism for the evil that it is, it didn’t become all the way real to him until he confronted it first hand. Be prepared, Dear Martin will pull you in quickly and may cause you to emerge with a new perspective. If you haven’t added this to your wishlist for your classroom or library, please go and do it-quickly!
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