Book Review: Dear Martin

 

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Stone, N. (2018). Dear martin. Ember. ISBN: 1101939524

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This novel is about a young seventeen year old, Justyce McAllister, a good kid who tries to save his ex-girlfriend from driving drunk when a police officer misreads the situation, handcuffs him  using excessive force. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. In doing so, he starts writing letters to the deceased Dr. King.  Then, Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired, Manny is killed and Justyce is injured.

3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This novel was another page turner! Stone touches on so many issues that society faces such as racism, police brutality, and racial profiling. This book inspires changes in society, as it shares the story of Justyce, a young man who didn’t think much about race until he encountered it first hand and his life was turned upside down.

This novel provided some much depth for its characters. Justyce for example, is described as a smart kid who has a full paid scholarship when he graduates, he is captain of the debate team, and is looking to do well for himself until he encounters the situation with the cop. During this encounter, he is serotyped for his appearance (the hoodie and ear buds) and the cop can’t see past that. Because of this experience, he begins to write letters to Dr. King, his character expresses his feelings over the racism he encounters. These letters are magnificent they show Justcye in a new light. Through these letters, readers are able to get to know his character on a deeper level. I should also include that the slang used in the dialogue also provided readers with an inside look at Justyce personality and his take on the color of his skin. SJ is another great character in this novel. She comes off as an ally who isn’t afraid to speak up. This makes her character very relatable. Over all, this book was a great read, there is was so many issues addressed that American face, it is easy to see why this novel is a must read for young adults.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

A New York Times Bestseller

A William C. Morris Award Finalist

An ALAN / Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Finalist

Starred review in Booklist: "Vivid and powerful."

Starred review in Publishers Weekly: "A visceral portrait of a young man reckoning with the ugly, persistent violence of social injustice."

5. CONNECTIONS

*Have students create a one pager for this novel. The one pager should include basic elements of fiction such as characters, plot, and setting. It should also have graphics, symbols, quotes, and themes that represent the story and a brief synopsis of the novel.   

* Engage students in station rotations for this novel. Each station will engage readers to reflect on key elements of fiction. For example, Station1: Character Analysis, Station 2: Character Development, Station 3: Themes, Station 4: Author’s Purpose/Tone, and Station 5: Making Connections. Each station will have critical thinking questions students will need to reflect on and answer as a group. Their answers will be shared with others and they will be compared to their classmates.

*Other books similar to “Dear Martin”

Brendan, R. J. and K. (2015). All American boys. Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 1481463349

Stone, N. (2022). Dear justyce. Ember. ISBN: 1984829696

Thomas, A. (2022). Concrete Rose. Balzer + Bray, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers.

ISBN: 0062846728

Review completed for SHSU's MLA course. 

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