Dear Martin

“You can't change how other people think and act, but you're in full control of you. When it comes down to it, the only question that ever matters is this: If nothing in the world ever changes, what type of man are you gonna be?” –Doc, page 205 of the eBook version

Dear Martin is about a teenage boy in Atlanta who is begins to have a greater awareness of the racial tensions and violence in his community after he is wrongfully detained. He tries to make sense of these interactions through the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. He begins to write letters (hence: ‘Dear Martin') to help him reflect on his progress.

At times, the situations that Martin finds himself in seem too coincidental and too unrealistic; however, I think it was balanced well. The characters had depth and were believable. There is a side plot with Martin and a girl he has a crush on that was both a sweet distraction and another look at the effects of racism. The author seemed hesitant to explore this path further, and I hope that if Martin's story continues, she sees where this idea goes.