Dear Martin

 Dear Martin

Stone, N. (2017). Dear Martin. Random House Children's Books. ISBN 9781101939499

Plot Summary:

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.

(Dear Martin (Dear Martin, #1) by Nic Stone, 2017)

Analysis:

Nic Stone’s novel is loosely based on current events. Throughout the book the main character, Justyce, conducts a personal experiment. He keeps a journal answering the question “What would Martin (MLK, Jr.) do?” Justyce lives in a world where he doesn’t know where he belongs. He is from a poor African American neighborhood but is able to attend a private boarding school. The book examines racism, social justice, stereotypes and friendship from angles of privilege as well as poverty. Justyce is profiled and falsely accused by a white cop.  In a second encounter with an off-duty white police officer, Justyce and his best friend Manny are shot and a trial ensues. This starts him on a journey through the complexities of racism in modern culture. Black and white stereotypes and their roots are painfully examined in his lived experience. 

Stone’s characters have strong voices and her writing is clear and intelligent. She asks us not to think about what we will do, but who we will be in a world of complex injustice.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to examine modern American racism. The author inadvertently ignores stereotyping and objectification of women in the story. While this particular injustice is not the focus of the book, it is an unfortunate oversight. The author writes truthfully and approaches sensitive subject matter in a style appropriate for any reader.

Book Reviews:

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

–Booklist, Starred Review

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

–Publishers Weekly

Connections:

• This book begins an important discussion about racism and privilege and how we may be perpetuating discrimination without realizing it.

Awards:

A New York Times Bestseller!

A William C. Morris Award Finalist!

An ALAN / Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Finalist!

A 2018 BookExpo Editors' Buzz Selection!

An Indies Introduce Selection!

A Kids' Indie Next List pick!

Dear Martin (Dear Martin, #1) by Nic Stone. (2017, October 17). Goodreads. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24974996-dear-martin

Stone, N. (2017). Dear Martin. Random House Children's Books.

This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5385.