Stone, N. (2017). Dear Martin. Crown Books for Young Readers.
ISBN: 9781101939499
Summary
Dear Martin tells the story of Justyce
McAllister who faces teenage struggles while attending an elite prep school as
an accomplished African American student. Justyce faces a harsh realization
about how his academic excellence and future plans at college fail to shield
him from the effects of institutional racism. The police violence and Manny's
fatal shooting drive Justyce to start writing letters to Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. as a way to deal with his injustice experiences and maintain his core
principles. His real-world experiences and journal entries force him to doubt
everything he used to believe about fairness and identity together with the
American justice system. The first novel by Nic Stone delivers both urgent and
timeless themes that express deep emotions within modern racial conditions.
Critical Analysis
Nic Stone uses Dear Martin to study race and justice and identity through
the emotional experiences of Justyce McAllister who faces challenges as a Black
student at a mostly white prep school. Stone makes the novel stand out by using
personal letters from Justyce to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr as a tool for
self-reflection and resistance. The letters allow readers to observe Justyce's
growing comprehension of racial injustice together with his psychological and
emotional state.
The author uses direct yet forceful writing to present natural dialogue
that accurately represents how teenagers communicate. The story moves at a
quick pace while maintaining its depth because each chapter creates emotional
moments and important revelations and plot tension. Through Manny and SJ the
narrative gains complexity because they demonstrate how privilege interacts
with racism and friendship affects young people. Through his portrayal of Jared
as an antagonist Stone presents a realistic depiction of everyday prejudice and
systemic injustice.
Justyce faces an inner struggle to reconcile his authentic self with how
others perceive him which reflects the split identity that many teenagers of
color experience. The author creates a space for readers to think instead of
offering straightforward answers. The novel maintains a hopeful outlook even
when it depicts tragic events. The story shows pain but it gives readers a
feeling of survival strength. Stone uses this emotional and thought-provoking
story to push readers toward experiencing discomfort while questioning their
assumptions before hearing the voices that society tends to ignore.
Reviews
- Booklist (Starred Review): “Teens,
librarians and teachers alike will find this book a godsend… visceral and
powerful.”
- Kirkus Reviews: “Vivid and powerful… Stone
takes readers on a ride that will leave them breathless and wanting more.”
- Publishers Weekly: “Powerful, wrenching, and
compulsively readable.”
- School Library Journal: “This is a book that begs
discussion, and Stone has much to say.”
Connections:
- This book is an ideal choice for
high school book clubs, discussion circles, or classroom units focusing on
civil rights, justice, or identity.
- Teachers could use this novel
alongside readings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches to explore how
past movements still influence today’s youth.
- Justyce’s story can resonate with
students who may feel misunderstood or stereotyped. Paired readings with
books like The Hate U Give or All American Boys can lead to
rich comparative discussions.
Bibliography:
Reynolds, J. (2019). Long way down (Reprint ed.).
Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books. ISBN: 978-1481438261
Summary:
Through fast-paced verse Long Way Down follows Will during his
battle with his older brother Shawn’s murder death at age 15. Will puts his
weapon into his jeans waistband before entering the seventh floor elevator
because he intends to carry out the neighborhood "rules" that include
no crying, no snitching and always seeking revenge. The elevator stops at every
floor to show Will a ghostly figure from his past who died because of the same
violent cycle that took their lives. Through his visitors Will must face the
harsh realities about vengeance as well as justice and the expenses of obeying
"the rules." The elevator stops on the ground floor where Will faces
an ominous decision to either end the pattern or join it.
Critical Analysis:
The verse novel Long Way Down uses poetic form along with white
space and rhythm to portray Will's internal turmoil during his sixty-second
experience. Jason Reynolds uses symbolism and metaphor alongside emotional
resonance to present complex themes about gun violence and masculinity and
generational trauma. The gun weight exceeds my expectations according to Will
as he says "it feels heavier than I expected. Like holding a
newborn." Will experiences a heart-wrenching comparison between new life
and death instruments which powerfully shows his lost innocence.
Through its function as both a noun and verb and proper name
Will's name develops into a complex metaphor which displays his multiple
possible directions. The neighborhood's three unspoken rules of no crying and
no snitching and revenge exist as both a framework and a prison for Will since
these rules were originally intended for people who are already broken.
Throughout the book Will uses anagrams to express his mental state through
wordplay. Grief leads people to develop violent impulses according to the anagram
"anger = range."
The elevator ride functions as a symbolic vertical descent which
contains the entire story. Each ghost on each floor adds to the emotional
weight Will is carrying which leads to the appearance of his brother Shawn. The
final line of the book, “You coming?” is an open-ended question that leaves
readers breathless and reflective. The decision Will faces remains uncertain as
he prompts readers to evaluate the expenses of violence between continuous
patterns and disruptive changes.
Professional Reviews:
★ “An intense snapshot of the chain reaction caused
by pulling a trigger.” Booklist
★ “Astonishing.” Kirkus Reviews
★ “A tour de force.” Publishers Weekly
Awards:
·
Newbery Honor Book
·
Coretta Scott King Honor Book
·
Printz Honor Book
·
Edgar Award Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction
·
Walter Dean Myers Award Winner
·
Longlisted for the National Book Award
·
A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021)
·
Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner
·
Parents’ Choice Gold Award
·
A Buzzfeed, Vulture, and Entertainment Weekly
Best YA Book of 2017
Connections:
Long Way Down offers strong opportunities for
classroom engagement and emotional exploration. Students can create mind
maps as they read, tracking the ghosts, floor-by-floor
revelations, and how Will’s internal conflict evolves. Another meaningful
activity involves having students write their own
“rules,” inspired by the rules Will is expected to follow. This
can prompt reflection on unspoken rules in their own families or communities.
Finally, incorporating anagram activities
encourages creative thinking while reinforcing key themes—students can analyze
or create anagrams to explore how language shapes understanding and emotion.
Bibliography:
Nijkamp, M. (2016). This is where it ends. Sourcebooks
Fire. ISBN: 978-1492622482
Summary:
The entire narrative of This Is Where It Ends unfolds across 54
terrifying minutes within Opportunity High School in Alabama. The story follows
four students Claire, Autumn, Sylvia and Tomas, through their distinctive
views, as Autumn's estranged brother Tyler brings a gun into the school
assembly which transforms into a disastrous situation by locking the doors. The
story presents different narrative viewpoints between Claire, who is outside at
track practice and Sylvia and Autumn who remain trapped inside and Tomas who
searches the school for information. The school community experiences
widespread chaos and grief as characters face their most profound fears
together with their regrets about surviving. Through the story the author
displays how Tyler reached this point by showing his past and present moments
and how survivors manage their recovery from the traumatic events.
Critical Analysis:
The author uses raw emotional language to address school
shootings with both urgent care and compassionate understanding. Through
multiple character perspectives Nijkamp shows how traumatic events affect
different members of the school community including siblings and survivors as
well as friends and bystanders. The setting of Opportunity High serves as both
a physical and emotional representation of loss and Tyler represents the
manifestation of terror and unhealed pain. The allegorical description of Sylvia
and Autumn reveals their innocent nature by calling Sylvia the "brightest
spotlight on the darkest stage" and Autumn a "graceful swallow"
when she dances. Nijkamp uses vivid imagery to depict beauty and tragedy
through the contrast of Autumn's happy state "when she opens up, she is
the sun" against the frightening presence of her brother. The book
examines grief alongside domestic abuse and mental illness and LGBTQ+ identity
issues at the same time it keeps the story moving at a rapid pace. The most
powerful element of the story explores the different choices people make with
their pain because some grow stronger while others like Tyler succumb to
despair. The emotional depth of this novel forces readers to think about real
school violence and its effects on communities while showing ways to start
healing processes.
Professional Reviews and Awards:
·
“A gripping tale from start to finish.” School Library Journal
·
“A Buzzfeed Best YA of 2016”
·
#1 Young Adult Debut of 2016
·
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller
·
Goodreads Choice Award Finalist for Young Adult
Fiction
·
Featured on multiple “Most Anticipated YA” lists
by Bustle, BookRiot,
and Buzzfeed
Connections:
1. Have
students chart the events from each character's perspective to explore
narrative structure and how shifting viewpoints impact empathy and
understanding.
2. Students
can write journal responses on topics such as grief, healing, sibling
relationships, or standing up for others.
3. Analyze
the use of metaphor, imagery, and allegory, especially around Sylvia, Autumn,
and Tyler’s character arcs.
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