All American Boys by Jason Reynolds
Available At: Electronic, Aspen Valley JH, Challenger, Chinook Trail (MS), DCC (MS), DCC (HS), Eagleview, Liberty, Mountain Ridge, Pine Creek, Rampart, Timberview
Added Electronically & to Aspen Valley JH approx. Nov 2023
Categories: Anti-Police, Cursing, Drug Abuse, Racism, Sexual, Violence, Whiteness
Description: When sixteen-year-old Rashad is mistakenly accused of stealing, classmate Quinn witnesses his brutal beating at the hands of a police officer who happens to be the older brother of his best friend
YA Label?: Yes
Notes: This book contains inflammatory racial and social commentary; profanity; alcohol and drug use; and violence.
Rating: 2
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The above scale indicates whether, in our view, the referenced book violates established and upheld Federal (Miller Test) and State (Colorado Obscenity Test) standards. Books that violate ALL established standards will have a table printed in red. Under Colorado Law, willful distribution of such material is deemed a Class 6 penalty carrying a fine and/or up to 18 months in prison.
Snippets
Page 11: “Two weeks after I graduated from high school, my father came to me and said, ‘The only people who are going to live in this house are people I’m making love to.’”
Page 39: “The cop was white and it took me a second to recognize him, because his face was angled down the whole time, but then, when he raised his head for a second, I realized right away it was Guzzo’s older brother, Paul. Holy shit! Paul! Paul was hitting the other guy, again, and again, smashing his face into the sidewalk. The blood kept coming.”
Page 156: “‘On drugs? What are you? Seventy-five? Since when have you ever gotten off your ass, let alone thrown a punch, when you were stoned, man?’ ‘Meth?’ ‘Only white people do that shit.’”
Page 223: “In the United States, in the seven years period ending in 2012, a white police officer killed a black person nearly two times a week.”
Page 285: “Firstly, I want to thank all the librarians and educators who support All American Boys and who have championed it and opened conversations about police brutality, race, racism, systemic racism, whiteness, and white privilege in your communities.”
Additional Snippets Here