It’s always a good time to educate yourself on injustices that minorities face on a daily basis. Now more than ever, you may want to learn about their struggles but have no idea where to start. “All American Boys,” by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds is a young adult novel about police brutality and the criminal justice system we have in America which does not always exhibit “justice for all.” This novel tells the story of a black teenager named Rashad who is wrongfully accused of stealing from a convenience store. When taken into custody, he gets assaulted and almost killed by his arresting police officer. Quinn, a white teenager, witnesses Rashad’s attack. He has to decide whether or not to come forward and turn in the guilty police officer, who happens to be his best friend’s oldest brother, or just stay silent while Rashad is in a hospital bed fighting for his life. This case of police brutality gives Quinn a new outlook on life: he realizes his privilege, and it is important for others to do the same. 

This book is written from both the perspective of Quinn and Rashad. Books with multiple points of view are often very interesting because you get to see multiple sides of the conflict. In addition to the multiple perspectives in the book they were each written by a different author. Rashad’s story is told by “New York Times” bestselling author and a two-time Walter Dean Myers Award winner, Jason Reynolds, who is black like Rashad. Quinn’s perspective is told by a winner of the Coretta Scott King Author honor award and a Walter Dean Myers Award winning author, Brendon Kiely, who is white like Quinn. It is also easier to get to know the characters if they’re the ones telling the story.  For example, if the story was only from Quinn’s perspective, we may not know Rashad’s true intentions. 

Before witnessing Rashad’s attack, Quinn was never concerned about racial injustice and had never experienced it, but he could not get over seeing his innocent classmate beaten within inches of his life by someone who he’s known and loved his entire childhood. This book shows that teenagers can rise up and fight for what they believe in because innocent people like Rashad deserve justice. When the incident first takes place, Quinn finds himself siding with the white cop “just doing his job,” but throughout the story, he begins to see a different perspective. Quinn realizes he has a choice to make here. Will he make the right one?

“All American Boys” is a quick and easy read (covering difficult topics) that I would recommend to anyone. Although this novel is a work of fiction, it’s the harsh reality for many people of color in the United States and other places where racism is prominent.