Light It Up by Kekla Magoon
Available At: Pine Creek, Rampart
Categories: Told from multiple viewpoints, Shae Tatum, an unarmed, thirteen-year-old black girl, is shot by a white police officer, throwing their community into upheaval and making it a target of demonstrators.
Description: Anti-Police, Racism, Violence
YA Label?: No
Notes: This book contains inflammatory racial and social commentary.
Rating: 2
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Snippets
Page 5: “Dude, there are people throwing shit through windows,” says Wick. “How is that not a riot?” “Sounds like a reasoned response to militaristic policing,” DeVante answer.
Page 88: Riots aren’t happening in white communities. Childs: Unarmed white children aren’t being shot by police, either. Host: So, it all comes down to race? Childs: (Shrugs) Let’s not forget that Shae Tatum was shot around five p.m. If the police want to protect the citizens of Underhill, maybe they should think about decreasing their presence, not militarizing it. If they want to prevent wrongful shootings, maybe they should think twice about making it harder for people to legally walk the streets.
Page 226: White people: We matter most! We deserve preferential treatment! Cops: You have the right to express your opinion. Here’s a permit. Black people: We want equality! We deserve justice! Cops: You’re out of control. Here’s a bullet.
Page 248: DeVante cuts me side-eye. There’s something he’s not saying, like usual. Apparently there are things I don’t get because I’m not black. Whatever. I’ve studied the issues. I do get it. Black people are oppressed and racism is alive and well in the twenty-first century, which sucks. But personally I think everybody’sequal and I don’t judge people on race. What else am I supposed to do?
Additional Snippets Here