Welcome to Litsy!

My goodness, what a powerful story. This coming of age story in verse explores themes of racism, discrimination, police brutality, and inequality. It packs a punch with poignant prose and an unblinking reality. Zoboi has collaborated with Yusef Salaam, one of the exonerated NY five, and it is a timely and important read. Good on #audio #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

I‘m pretty sure this was going to be the month I didn‘t buy any books, but then I read the tagged book and had to own my own copy, and somehow all those other friends with really good deals made their way into my kart… 🙄 #bookmail #feedingtheaddiction

#faceoncover #luckyinlove @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks One of my top reads from this month! I sent away for my very own copy as soon as this one went back to the library.

Well, Sunday's #Hyggehour readathon did not go to plan. I was planning on reading The Glass Universe by Dava Sobel. Unfortunately, this little chap had to be rescued from a cat fight. I spent the hour calming him and treating his wounds. Poor boy 🐾

@Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie

I wanted at least one contemporary read specifically in honor of black history month, and I ended up being blown away by this for more reasons than I could possibly fit in a single review! I appreciate political fiction most when it‘s not heavy handed, and maybe that‘s one reason I‘ve had especially good luck with novels in verse. 👇🏼

#hyggehour is on the late side tonight cause I spent most of the 8 o‘clock hour soaking in a hot bath. I do feel much more relaxed now, and kitty and I are finally settling down with a cup of tea and this incredible book that I started this morning. #litsolace

This book came into my possession a few months (love LFLs!) ago and I‘m honored to prioritize it during Black History month. It is a moving novel in verse made even more powerful with inspiration from Yusef Saleem (of the Exonerated Five) to help create this masterpiece.

February #DoubleSpin Category: Paperback Shelves @TheAromaofBooks

#NewYearNewBooks Day 13: The #Artist vibe in this cover is on point. 🎨🎨🎨🖌️🖌️🖌️ Another one of my recent Big Bad Wolf book haul in Sharjah.

#DoubleSpin
This is a heartbreaking, short novel in verse about a young artist boy sent to juvie for a fight.
Yusef Salaam is one of the famous Exonerated Five and is now a prison abolitionist, Zoboi works with him here to paint a raw and important picture of children in prison.
It is a beautiful and thoughtful novella and worth the time
4.5⭐

60th book of the year!

Such a powerful novel in verse that reflects on the bias of the prison system and the strength & refuge found through art. Amal's story is bittersweet and moving as he fights to maintain his sense of self after he is wrongly incarcerated & his life upended. This was a beautiful audiobook to listen to.
#Booked2023 @BarbaraTheBibliophage @Cinfhen @alisiakae

This.

Edit-as I stated in the comments before anyone comes after me —-these babies were INNOCENT and CHILDREN and he took out an an ad in every NY paper to have them MURDERED. They were 14-16 years old and INNOCENT.

This photo was spied during one of my daily walks during quarantine in mid 2020. Butterflies are such a powerful metaphor used often in this novel/poetry. How one person‘s action/lack of action/choice has so many unforeseen consequences. 🦋

Can we really call it a criminal “justice” system? Great book, horrible reality.

I really liked this book. The perspective it showed me was influential. I loved how the book showed situations from different perspectives. I found that really interesting. I would 100% recommend this book. 9/10

a novel written in verse about a Black teen wrongfully convicted and sent to prison. Amal narrates his story as he goes through this traumatic event and the parallels he sees in prison and school and the various racial based aggressions he faces.

What an excellent read! Powerful and thought provoking.

It‘s great it‘s very educational and talks a lot about human rights.

Powerful story. Beautiful prose.

Finished this #novelinverse for #booked2021. It‘s a quick but thought provoking read inspired by the incarceration story of one of the Central Park Five. The book draws a direct line from the Middle Passage to the modern day slavery of the prison industrial complex; and also tells a more personal story about the value of art and poetry in extreme circumstances.

Finished Future Girl (it was great! Can‘t wait for the TV adaptation). On to Punching the Air, for the book in verse prompt of #booked2021

This book had me feeling every emotion

This story is heartbreaking and so sad and it is the true story for so many people on a daily basis. I enjoyed this story (which is weird to say considering the plot), it held my interest from the first word to the last. It made me emotional and made me feel for the character as he was fighting for his voice to be heard. Highly recommend!!

🥊🥊🥊🥊

This novel in verse tells the story of sixteen-year-old Amal, who has been (wrongly) convicted of attempted manslaughter and sent to jail. His art and poetry sustains him…but barely. I am more conscious than ever of my privilege and thankful for books that make me look more closely at the things that privilege has made me blind to. I read this in an afternoon and will be recommending it to students.

I totally missed the #YAbuddyread discussion...but I finished the book & I‘m glad I did. It‘s a powerful novel in verse, told in the voice of a wrongfully convicted teen. Amal‘s journey was heartbreaking, seeing his passion & talent for art & poetry in the midst of a system designed to crush him. I do wish the book had been fleshed out more—I was left wondering about the context of Amal‘s conviction, as well as where his story would go at the end.

I think of that trip that never happened
and the Door of No Return

My life, my whole damn life
before that courtroom
before that trial
before that night
was like Africa

And this door leads to a slave ship
And maybe jail maybe jail
is is America

Locking you up isn‘t enough
for them They will try
to crush your spirit until
you‘re nothing but—

Dust
we both say together

And what does dust do, Amal?
What did Maya Angelou say about dust?
Umi asks.

It rises, I whisper

You gotta say it loud enough
for me to hear it, baby—
Loud enough for you to believe it

This page stuck with me. I‘ve heard this. Repeatedly, on social media, on news stations. On the ad Drump took out to condemn a group of innocent boys in 1989. This book was all HEART. And all the stars. #yabuddyread

#BookReport. The Queen of Hearts was meh (LitsyAtoZ) Opal & Nev is a mild pick. I wanted to love it but it didn‘t generate any depth of emotion for me. (Booked2021) Glad to have wrapped up Emma. Still my least favorite Austen. Punching the Air is 5 🌟 for me. A young black man‘s journey after being arrested and convicted for assault told in verse. I gave the modern retelling of Emma 40% and that was too much.

Any other thoughts? I saw the ending discussed in some reviews.

#YABuddyRead

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Questions from bookbrowse.com

Wow, this book. It‘s frustrating and challenging and beautiful and heartbreaking and…everything. The ending killed me because I need to know! But it had to end that way. We can have the dream while allowing for the likelihood of the ugly reality.
#YABuddyRead @megnews

3✨ Summer School teaching is more like babysitting so I‘ve been reading a lot! Finished this for #YABuddyRead for June. I‘m giving it 3 stars because it doesn‘t feel finished. It is a great read. It is written in verse and I‘m impressed it was written by two authors since it pulled together well. I had to look up the Central Park 5 from the author‘s note, so I guess I know how it ended even though this was not the story.

This month's #YABuddyRead was beautiful. Hearbreaking and difficult and anger-inducing, but beautiful. It tells the story of Amal, a creative black youth wrongfully imprisoned, through captivating verse and abstract artwork. I imagine I'll be revisiting this book again and again. 5 ⭐

@megnews

Reminder: #YABuddyRead discussion this Saturday. I just finished the questions and so excited for discussion!

I didn‘t realize this was a novel in verse until after I started listening to the audio. I appreciated the rhythm of listening, but I kind of wish I had read it in print to see it on the page. Beautiful imagery in a tough story that emphasizes the importance of art.

#audiobook #NovelInVerse #YA #YABuddyRead

Poignant writing, words are heavy with sadness yet beautiful. Moved both by the story and verses. 4🌟

#YAbuddyread #doublespin #bookspinbingo

Excellent read! I bet the audio version is great!

#bookspinbingo

#YABuddyRead

Excellent!
#YABuddyRead

#YABuddyRead

Loving this book so far...I think I really dig stories told in verse!

28/100, 5☆, This was an intense and beautifully written story. It reads like spoken word and has such wonderful cadence. I highly recommend. I listened on audio and I could listen to it on repeat because it is so rich with poignant themes and undertones.