Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Available At: DCC (HS), Eagleview, Liberty, Pine Creek, Rampart, Timberview
Categories: Anti-Police, Cursing, Drug Abuse, Racism, Violence
Description: A seventeen-year-old African American male perceives authority and American culture as being unjust toward black Americans due to racism.
YA Label?: Yes
Notes: This book contains profanity; racism; controversial racial and social commentary; and alcohol use involving minors.
Rating: 2
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Snippets
Page 5: “…Now he’s got the urge to kiss her even though her eyes are red and her hair’s a mess and she smells like vodka and cigarettes and weed.”
Page 7: “The cop shoves him to the ground beside the police cruiser as he asks if Justyce understands his rights. Justyce doesn’t remember hearing any rights, but his ears had been ringing from the two blows to the head, so maybe he missed them.”
Page 23: “I’ll come right out with it, then: Do you guys feel we’ve achieved full ‘equality’ with regard to race?”
Page 49: “IWhat if Trey is right? What if, no matter what I do, the only thing white people will ever see me as is a nig—an ‘n-word’?”
Page 72: “I’m scared of black girls, man.”
Additional Snippets Here