From the Desk of Zoe Washington

This is a wonderful book for kids and adults to see how wrongful incarceration hurts many people, but it doesn't become trauma porn. Zoe is a person with a life and the others around her are real and trying to live their life. This is a book I would like my kids to read.

So I've actually had this one on my to read list for at least a year now and was really excited to get the opportunity to read it for this talk.

Zoe Washington receives a letter from her father, who she hasn't heard from ever before. But she doesn't know how to respond: What does a girl say to the father she's never met, hadn't heard from until his letter arrived on her twelfth birthday, and who's been in prison for a terrible crime?

The thing is, he says he didn't commit this crime. Zoe isn't sure what to believe, but she stops prepping for entry to the Food Network's Kid Bake Challenge to figure it out. This middle grade novel handles the complex topic of mass incarceration and wrongful convictions with a deftness that will have readers absolutely endeared to Zoe. Marks even gets to bring up the Innocence Project. It's really an amazing story; it reminded me of a similar young adult novel called “This is My America” by Kim Johnson. This is definitely more appropriate for middle grade readers. I highly recommend it. It's realistic fiction, but it also has adventure, serious moral issues, family and friend drama - and, I don't want to spoil it for you, but I think the ending is very classic, heart warming middle grade - y. Definitely read this one.

The best! I loooooved it!!!!

A sweet middle grade story about the meaning of forgiveness, family and the very thought-provoking theme of innocence and guiltiness in the prison system.

On Zoe's 12th birthday, she receives a letter from her biological father Marcus, who's been in prison her whole life. Shocked but curious, she writes him back. What follows is a summer filled with baking, friendship, and some hardhitting messages about the criminal justice system. Marks tackles a lot: idealized career aspirations, conflict in friendships, how limiting it is to see the world in absolutes. But most importantly, she explores the suffering caused by wrongful conviction. She discusses how racism and classism remove opportunities for thorough legal counsel and lessen likelihood of sympathetic judges and jurors. She shows how innocent people end up forever held accountable for things they never did. From the Desk of Zoe Washington is a unique, compassionate, altogether stunning debut. Its depiction of institutional racism in America is comparable to [b:The Hate U Give 32075671 The Hate U Give Angie Thomas https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476284759l/32075671.SY75.jpg 49638190] (albeit less depressing because it's written for a younger audience), and I'd love to see it gain similar acclaim. I'd recommend this to fans of [b:Front Desk 36127488 Front Desk (Front Desk, #1) Kelly Yang https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507986199l/36127488.SX50.jpg 51903030] and [b:Breakout 36528200 Breakout Kate Messner https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1509720063l/36528200.SY75.jpg 49008564].