Dear Martin - Nic Stone

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Bibliography: 

Stone, N. (2017). Dear martin. Crown. 

Plot Summary: 

Writing letters to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., seventeen-year-old college-bound Justyce McAllister struggles to face the reality of race relations today and how they are shaping him.

Critical Analysis:

Justyce McAllister is at the top of his class and his future is bright but none of that matters to the police who see him as a threat and a criminal because of his race. Helping a drunk friend is cause for arrest and playing loud music is enough to get you killed if you're black. 

Dear Martin is a very relevant look at race and policing in America. Justyce turns to writing letters to Dr. Martin Luther King as a way of expressing his feelings. 

Dear Martin is small but it packs a big punch(I saw that line in several reviews and I'm stealing it because its true). Dear Martin is unforgettable and gut-wrenching. Its clear-eyed and authentic. A definite must read.

Review Excerpt: 

Booklist (starred review)

Teens, librarians and teachers alike will find this book a godsend...Vivid and powerful

Publisher’s Weekly

A visceral portrait of a young man reckoning with the ugly, persistent violence of social injustice.

Connections:

Racial Discrimination - Bullying - Overcoming Adversity

Black Lives Matter

Bryan Stevenson TedTalk - “ We need to talk about an injustice”