All American Boys

Honestly, I don't think social justice novels are my cup of tea.

Quinn has a bit of a savior complex and I think his activism is a little performative. However, it is a beautiful exploration of both sides given the context.

I really enjoyed listening to this 2020 banned book. It exceeded my expectations.

This is my second Jason Reynold's book and I just love how fluid the dialog is. It feels like a natural conversation that teens would have and it never feels forced or choppy...always seamless!Similar to [b:The Hate You Give 53522062 The Hate You Give Angie Thomas https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1613832668l/53522062.SY75.jpg 49638190], it is a coming of age story about police brutality in a community. I enjoyed The Hate You Give, and what I liked about this book is the switching perspective of two characters, one white and one black. I think this really added to the journey and showcase separate experiences of an event they were both present for. Rashad, our sweet cinnamon-bun, who must process this wrongly done violence towards him by a police officer (later his father, who was previously an officer too) I liked his journey particularly, he had to process the unfair events against him, what it is to become a hashtag, and finding an understanding of what is a hard job and what is racism/brutality. (the two officer duality that comes from his father's perspective). Our other kid Quinn, who ran from the scene, has to confront white supremacy or the white privilege of doing nothing from what he witnessed. He goes on a journey of why speaking out is important...especially to other white folks. Quinn's story was quite the build up because after loosing his father, the officer that beat Rashad turned out to be his father-figure growing up and he feels like he owes him for years of emotional support...but after seeing his ugly side he doubts what he actually knows about him. There is a basketball scene that especially hints to Quinn of his (the officer's) side all along. Despite these kids stories being different, they complimented each other very well. I liked the reflective nature of this book and how each kid ended up being brave in their own respects and coming together.

This one is told from the perspective of the teenagers who live, witness and are surrounded by the tragic beating of Rashad Butler. It was interesting to read from their POVs.

I would have liked to see more of the offending officer's thoughts and his character development to get a full 360 view but I understand what the intention is here.

What would our kids do if they witnessed or heard about something like this happening? I can see why teachers are having their students read this one. It shows that even though they may be young...they have a voice.

important story/commentary but ultimately didn't really do much for me. not really interested in reading from the perspective of a white boy discovering racism exists.

“Because racism was alive and real as shit. It was everywhere and all mixed up in everything, and the only people who said it wasn't, and the only people who said, ‘Don't talk about it,' were white.”

“Our silence is another kind of violence.”

“I wondered if anyone thought that what we were doing was unpatriotic. It was weird. Thinking that to protest was somehow un-American. That was bullshit. This was very American, goddamn All-American.”

“Had our hearts really become so numb that we needed dead bodies in order to feel the beat of compassion in our chests? Who am I if I needed to be shocked back into my best self?”

These quotes provide all the reasons for five stars that anyone could think of. All-American Boys is an incredible book and, unlike some other books I've read, it's not just a call to action hiding behind mediocre writing. It is awe-inspiringly well-written and everybody should read it at least once in their life.

Not very well-written, but it's one powerful read..

Annotation: A ‘misunderstanding' in a convenience store with a police officer sends Rashad to the hospital, but when the misunderstanding stems from racism and someone almost dies for doing nothing wrong is it really just an accident? 


This book is meant to make the reader think. It is told from two perspectives, one black kid and one white kid, letting the reader experience two sides of this event. It is a great book in this time where these events are brought to light more and more. The authors did a fabulous job of capturing the internal struggles of the characters and making the reader feel the emotions. These emotional scenes both characters go through, such as Rashad being embarrassed of his face or disagreements Quinn has with his friends, can make this book really connect with the reader, who may have the same worries or concerns.

The authors' use of symbolism and changing the way a word, phrase, or action is portrayed within the book is to be commended. One example of this is the phrase ‘All-American boy' which Quinn hates to be referred to as, but he takes the term later in the book and begins to think deeper about it. This learning and deeper thinking about ‘every day' kind of things develops slowly over the book in a way I think benefits the reader, who can learn and analyze along with the characters. 

Speaking of characters, all of them are done so well. Every character has a life of their own and distinct personalities which make the side characters more than just cardboard cut-outs. This makes the book more vivid and real, allowing students a chance to see themselves not only in the main characters, but in the side characters as well. 
I would recommend this book to high school students or mature middle school students, but I do believe this to be a book everyone should read.