This Is My America

Books | Young Adult Fiction / People & Places / United States / African American & Black

4.4

(374)

Kim Johnson

"Incredible and searing." --Nic Stone, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear MartinThe Hate U Give meets Just Mercy in this unflinching yet uplifting first novel that explores the racist injustices in the American justice system.Every week, seventeen-year-old Tracy Beaumont writes letters to Innocence X, asking the organization to help her father, an innocent Black man on death row. After seven years, Tracy is running out of time--her dad has only 267 days left. Then the unthinkable happens. The police arrive in the night, and Tracy's older brother, Jamal, goes from being a bright, promising track star to a "thug" on the run, accused of killing a white girl. Determined to save her brother, Tracy investigates what really happened between Jamal and Angela down at the Pike. But will Tracy and her family survive the uncovering of the skeletons of their Texas town's racist history that still haunt the present?Fans of Nic Stone, Tiffany D. Jackson, and Jason Reynolds won't want to miss this provocative and gripping debut.

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More Details:

Author

Kim Johnson

Pages

416

Publisher

Random House Children's Books

Published Date

2020-07-28

ISBN

0593118782 9780593118788

Community ReviewsSee all

"⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"

A Broke Book Buyer

"This is My America is such a good book, and you need to add it to your summer TBR! I was excited to see that this book was about an innocence case in Texas, and I couldn't wait to check it out. My sister used to volunteer with The Innocence Project of Texas, and it's an organization that I admire. This is My America grabbed my attention from the start, and it was very easy to get invested in the characters and story. This book takes you through so many emotions, and it's done so well. I'm not going to go into it much more because you need to see where it goes on your own. Just know that you should pick it up. I'll be thinking about this one for a while. CW - wrongful conviction, racism, lynching (off-page), cross burning"

Emily

"An amazing mystery book.It brings to light the struggles of the black community w/ police brutality,and their ancestors history which still affects them today.I don’t mean to speak over any black voices,I just want to give an honest opinion about this book and I 10/10 recommend"

Grace

"I could not put this book down. I will never understand the total weight of emotions that come with being judged, attacked, and preyed upon because of your skin color. And I value books that can give me insight into the harsh reality of living in the confines of racial injustice. Reminding me that if I want better for others, I must also make sure I do better by educating myself and self-reflecting. "

Emily Hall

"What a story to be published during this time! This is My America is a story with a strong, black female lead, and how she seeks justice in the world for her father and her brother. This was a riveting read, with love and justice at the heart. Being a white reader, this book made me stop and think many, many times, evaluating myself. This book confronted my views and set my mind on what equality and justice truly means in my thoughts and my actions. It will be a wonderful, stark read for those interested in racial equality, spitting out the truth, fighting it's own way for racial justice. Black lives truly do matter, and this book lays so much emphasis on that that I hope will make an impact on our world. This was a thrilling read, making me wonder just how things were going to turn out, all the while praying for justice to shine through the cruel inequality. I truly think this read can make a difference."