Kim Johnson

"Incredible and searing." --Nic Stone, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin The 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.

This Is My America

While writing letters to Innocence X, a justice-seeking project, asking them to help her father, an innocent black man on death row, teenaged Tracy takes on another case when her brother is accused of killing his white girlfriend.

Vicky (A City Girl's Thoughts)

Thank you, Random House Books for Young Readers (under Random House Children's), Netgalley, and Kim Johnson for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review. 

With the ongoing current events regarding the treatment of African Americans at the hands of police and systemic racism due to White Supremacy, now is the best time to read works by Black authors regarding their experiences and culture. Kim Johnson's story illuminates how the criminal justice system in Texas discriminates against people of color who are wrongfully convicted, including how deep systemic racism is ingrained there. 17 year old Tracy Beaumont evacuated New Orleans, Louisiana to Texas with her family after Hurricane Katrina, but her dad was accused of murder sometime after they arrived. They know, including the police, that Mr. Beaumont is innocent, but they still arrest him and put him on death row. Tracy constantly writes to Innocence X, an organization that helps people in situations like her father's, to take on his case but they don't answer. She's about to give up on them when her family's life is suddenly altered even more: her brother Jamal, Track and field athlete, suddenly accused of killing his White classmate. Knowing he's innocent and won't receive fair justice after witnessing how Texas' criminal justice system deals with his father's case, he mysteriously disappears on his own. Tracy vows to fight for him and prove his innocence to a system thats supposed to provide fair justice without her intervention. 

Johnson's writing uplifts the African American community through her portrayal of family life and culture young teens might not know of while introducing them to recent current events such as the Black Lives Matter Movement. Tracy is a strong girl who's an active leader in social justice for her age, but she isn't immune to stress and the pressure it takes to be a spokeswoman for her people's injustice - a role available for adults but increasingly ignored by those in power, which leaves teens and college students to take on that role and fight to be heard. However, I would have preferred if she had just remained friends with Quincy, just like she did with Dean. Quincy is an African American boy who's been her friend since childhood but after Tracy and Jamal's dad's arrest their friendship splintered. Throughout the story we find out Quincy likes Tracy (yes, this is a friends-to-lovers trope) but she also likes Dean, a White boy who befriends her upon her arrival to Texas. I'm glad Johnson didn't let Tracy choose Dean (I have nothing against interracial dating/marriage but since this story takes a serious look at race relations and the downside of Blacks befriending/loving Whites, I appreciate Johnson showing us how complicated it is for Blacks to like Whites when White Supremacy has permeated their culture to the point Whites commit subtle acts of racism ingrained in them through generations) but I felt like she rushed Quincy and Tracy's romance when they had major obstacles to overcome, obstacles that can NOT be solved so fast. I also wished the suspense was written-in and interspersed better. Overall this is a great story for young teens to educate themselves about the ongoing racial disparity between Whites and Blacks in the U.S., even though we're taught there's none.

Jelke Lenaerts

I received a galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. 

This book has content warnings for racism, police brutality and white supremacy.

I can't say anything else about this book besides that I highly recommend everyone to read this book. I was completely captivated by this book and just couldn't put it down. I was completely sucked in. I really liked our main character. She was very headstrong and didn't let anyone silence her no matter how hard they tried. I liked seeing that in a main character and the narrative not punishing her for it. I loved the family dynamics in this book. They just completely came to life. All the characters did. The friendships also were amazing in this book and I liked how the main character had such a different relationship with all of her friends but she loved them all anyway. For the rest I just felt everything the main character felt and felt so anxious whenever she went out trying to find answers. I don't think I've ever felt so anxious during a mystery. I loved how this book didn't back down from any hard things happening and shone a light on a part of history and current day that most preffer to keep cover up. It just hurts me to say that all of the things happening in this book is so real because it shouldn't be. The police is supposed to protect everyone, not frame innocent black people.

Alexis 

5/5 stars 

This was an absolutely beautiful, amazing, and completely relevant story. This book put me on an emotional roller coaster from the very start. I knew it was going to be an extremely powerful moving story, and it surpassed any ideas I had. I cannot accurately describe it the emotion I felt while reading this. There were times I was afraid and uncomfortable, and that's how I knew the author did her job right. While I am not black I feel like this is an accurate description of what happens in America. I would put this right at the top with The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I recommend that everyone please gives this book a read.

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: This Is My America

Author: Kim Johnson

Book Series: Standalone

Diversity: BIPOC main character and side characters

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: BIPOC books, ownvoice novels, social justice books

Publication Date: July 28, 2020

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books

Pages: 416

Recommended Age: 16+ (language, violence, police brutality TW, slight gore)

Synopsis: 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 and Jason Reynolds won’t want to miss this provocative and gripping debut.

Review: This book was so fantastic! There’s a lot of components that are amazing about this book and I think that this should be taught in schools. The book did well to breakdown racism and how White people, across all mediums, do racist things subconsciously and intentionally. There was a news segment in which the main character broke down how the segment was racist in how it portrayed her brother. The news segment used a photo that made the brother look like a criminal rather than what news media uses for White people, which is usually a family photo or graduation photo, even if the White person did an unspeakable act and they don’t contest their guilt. The book also showed the bias reporting of media, showing that while Jackson Ridges was murdered by police when he resisted arrest, the news reported it as just that he died, implying he died by means other than police brutality. The book also showed trial bias and presented facts that Black Americans do not get a fair trial the majority of the time. The book showed her father being sentenced by an all-white jury, which should not have happened but unfortunately does, and shows how the court will unfavorably treat Black people in terms of the amount of evidence needed to be presented to concluded that a person is guilty. The book also had very accurate facts about prison systems, especially about private or for-profit prison systems and how they operate. Many prison systems have staff that will retaliate against an inmate’s family for things the inmate has done or the things that the family has spoken out about. The book was not only factual, but also gut wrenching. The scenes with police brutality, especially when Tracy, our main character, has a gun pointed at her when she is in an area the police are investigating, and with the racist actions of the towns people are devastating and hard to read, but are very important to read about. The author doesn’t shy away from the hard truths of what being Black in America really means in this book. This is a hard read, but a worthy read and should be taught in schools.

If I had to point out an issue, I’d say that, while not an issue, I would like to see the aftermath of what happens when an inmate is released from confinement and I would have liked to see how the family planned to sue the county for retribution from the grievance caused to them.

Verdict: A must read.

No words can explain how much I enjoyed the adventure of this book!!! I’ve literally read a few pages and gotten a lil bored reading this book until I finished my last book and finally started this book. And boy was I wrong!!! This was a great book. Sort of reminds me of Angie Thomas’s famous book but with a better outcome of it (aka the ending of the book).

Ana Couto

What a phenomenal book! Kim Johnson's characters leap off the page -- they have so much personality, emotional depth, and authenticity. This is one of those novels where you forget that you're reading a book once you start getting into it -- it's that immersive. It tackles the topic of racial injustice in the United States with such precision and care, and it ultimately concludes with a hopeful and uplifting ending. Seriously -- what a great book! It left me speechless. Definitely adding this one to my all-time favorites shelf. 

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Kate

TW: racism, off page (historical) lynching, white nationalist groups, KKK, police harassment 

4.5* This is My America is a powerful, superbly written and inspiring read that will undoubtedly stick with readers far beyond the last page. 

Expertly exploring the not so just justice system and its historically unfair and violent targeting of Black people, This is My America is not only filled with raw emotion and pain but also hope and perseverance. At its heart, it's about a daughter refusing to give up on her family and give into a system that's working against them. 

Tracy's perspective was such a treat to read from. She's strong, powerful and determined, with a voice she's not afraid to use and a passion for justice that I hope more people adopt after reading this stunning book. Each character throughout this novel had their own place and voice that helped carry the story. The relationships were portrayed with a wonderful nuance and depth and each one added a new dimension and elevation to the plot. 

Overall, this is a phenomenal and compulsive read that should be on everyone's TBR.

This Is My America

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