Click the following links to read the book synopsis on Goodreads or The StoryGraph.
I have read a handful of novels written in verse in the last year by Jason Reynolds, Elizabeth Acevedo, and now Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam.
This compelling, poignant novel had me angry, sad, engrossed and on edge. Knowing that Yusef Salaam, one of The Exonerated Five, weighed in and helped write this book felt like a punch to the gut. This work of fiction could easily be changed up a bit and become a non fiction story about his experience being wrongfully convicted and put in prison.
My ONLY complaint about this book is that the ending cutoff too early for me – as a reader, I would’ve liked another 30 pages or so.
Reminiscent of Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, I would file this book into the “required reading” section of my imaginary syllabus.
Please see @bookswithsyd recent post of this book for an #OwnVoices review (and let it be known that her picture absolutely blows mine out of the water, you don’t have to tell me because I already know)! I will share her review in my stories today as well.
4.5 ⭐️ and a whole lot of tissues.
Content warnings:
Racism
Violence
Racial slurs
Police brutality
Forced institutionalization
Hate crime
Grief
Bullying
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Jenna, Stop Reading! 