I've been waiting for Dear Justyce since the summer when I ordered it. I was so happy when it came in this week, although it was hard not reading it right away! Dear Justyce is the sequel to Dear Martin, a book I really loved reading.
Dear Justyce is the story of Quan from Dear Martin, a boy much like Justyce, but without all of the advantages Justyce had. Quan's story is the story of a boy who tries to do the right thing, but his home life, his dad's incarceration, and trouble at school led him along a different path than Justyce. When Quan finds himself in jail facing charges of murder, he begins writing Justyce who is in his first year of prelaw at Yale. As Quan tells his story, from the day he met Justyce to witnessing his father's arrest to the abuse his mother faced in her relationship, we learn of all the disadvantages that led to Quan looking for connections and a sense of belonging.
This story was so hard to read because while Dear Justyce is a fictional story, it isn't hard to imagine how similar it is to many youth today. I never heard the term "school to prison pipeline" but this story painted a very real picture of the American juvenile justice system.
I know there are many kids at school who will be waiting to borrow this book from me.
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