Review: All American Boys

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rashaad and Quinn are both high school seniors who attend the same school, but do not know each other. They have a friend in common named English who is on the basketball team with Quinn and English has been Rashaad's best friend since they were kids. Rashaad is African American and Quinn is Caucasian. Both young men getting ready for a Friday night party.

The book is told from each boy's perspective switching off every chapter sectioned off by a day of the week. Rashaad is going into a convenient store to buy a bag of chips before meeting his friends. Quinn outside of the store waiting to ask someone to buy him beer to bring to the party. And then everything in their world changes.

Rashaad in the store leaning down to get his phone, a women behind him who doesn't know he is there falls backward over him, a police officer in the store, a man behind the counter who thinks Rashaad is trying to steal the chips. Chaos erupts and Rashaad ends up handcuffed and dragged out to the sidewalk where he faces an intense, could be deadly, police beating.

Quinn sees it all unfold on the sidewalk, and when the police officer's face is in view is when Quinn realizes it is his best friend's older brother, Paul.

A community, school and friendships will be tested, questioned and ended in this story. A story that unfortunately is too real today. I would suggest this book for high school and higher - could be an excellent, teachable moment in classrooms if your school will allow a book with such a high use of language.

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