This book addressed so many of the current discuss topics on race in America. Police brutality, prejudice and stereotyping, interracial relationships, media bias, corrupt judicial systems, and gang activity are all presented in this story about two boys, Justyce and Manny, who are navigating what it means to be black and living in the prep boarding school world.

The issues I had with this book were mostly extraneous: pacing, formatting, length. There were so many meaty ideas presented, but this felt more like a think piece than a story. At times the characters came across as two dimensional caracitures when I wish there was more complexity. It would be great as a discussion starter, and I am so happy that it has resonated with so many and sparked a love for reading in many who thought they hated reading. That’s what important.

3.5 stars

I tried reading this book but sadly I didn't make it very far while reading this book. I think that the different point of views made it a bit difficult to understand . I usually love this author's books and I hoped that this one would work out for me.

If anyone doubts that black teen-aged boys are profiled by law enforcement, (as well as others), they should read this insightful epistolary novel. The Martin of the title is THE MARTIN, and the protagonist hopes that by writing to Dr. King, he can come to terms with the treatment he receives at the hands of the police.

You know that saying, the hero we need? It’s one of those that pop culture seems to alternatively apply to anyone/anything that does well – and, for a moment, as I contemplated how to start this review, I thought about calling Dear Martin, by author Nic Stone, the book we need.

It’s not the book we need, though – I realized not long after. It’s the book we deserve. And that’s something altogether different and more transcendental.

Why, you ask? What makes this different from hundreds of other books who go a little political and who attempt to present us with the author’s perspective on life, the universe, and everything, as Adams would say?

For that, I have two answers: good writing and a great sense of the moment we live in, and what people might not want to hear, but absolutely need to.

Look – I’m not a black teenager in America. But I am a WOC in a world that increasingly feels more hostile towards those that don’t adjust to the Hollywood stereotype, or maybe the Trump one. And though doesn’t reflect my personal experiences with this kind of systemic hatred, it does give me a window into someone else’s perspective in a way that doesn’t feel exclusionary, but inviting.

You don’t need to be like Justyce McAllister to appreciate Dear Martin. You just need to have a beating heart and an open mind.

I can’t even begin to imagine what this book will be for that black teenager in America, but I can say what it felt like for me. It felt like a punch in the gut and a promise of a better tomorrow, at the same time. It felt like we’re finally on the path to being able to face the mistakes of the past head on, and maybe, work together to overcome them.

It felt like everyone needed to read this book.

And, usually, if someone’s writing a review and saying this, it’s because the book is well written (which this is), not because the book might make you see reality in a different way.

Isn’t it lucky that in this case, it’s both?

Here’s the press release for the book – in case you need more fact than words. If I can ask you something, though, let it be this: don’t read anything else about the book other than this before you actually open it up. Let yourself be surprised. It’s worth it.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can’t escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates.

Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack.

Oh, yes. And, imagine, if the book can give you so many feels without actually opening, just wait for the lessons it will teach you once you do.

Dear Martin, published by Crown Books for Young Readers, will be available October 17th 2017.

This book is an important read for teens. Dear Martin is a great start for many teens to understand what black male teens face on a regular basis. Nic Stone did a really great job here making us feel the anger, frustration, and sadness the Juatyce is facing. Great read alike to All American Boys, Monster, and The Hate You Give.

A very straight forward depiction of race inequalities in America, particularly the struggle teens face socially, educationally, and economically due to the color of their skin. Most of my students preferred this novel to others in the same genre simply because it cuts straight to the facts without unnecessary narration or description.

African American realistic fiction!

Written as a mixture of script-style dialogues, third-person narrative, and letters to Martin Luther King Jr., the novel explores high school senior Justyce McAllister's confrontations with racism and his search for identity at a prestigious prep school, where he is one of only eight black students. To sort his life out, Justyce begins writing “Dear Martin” letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. What would Dr. King think about recent events?
This book is a good choice for teens, librarians, and teacher.s

A teen book that speaks into discussions about racial profiling and the challenges faced by young black men in America. Rough and real, Stone's skillful writing keeps this from feeling agenda driven At the same time, there is a lot to discuss. Recommended for older teens.

Thank you Nic Stone for writing this and sharing the experiences of a person of color from their own point of view. This is a thoughtful and beautifully written book with much to discuss

Even though this book came out 9 months ago, I only just now got around to reading it even though I have been looking forward to this read for over a year.

I went in with a very basic idea of what the book is about from having read the description and heard some raves about it. but there were also definitely some points in the story where I was surprised by what happened which kept me riveted. I devoured this book in just two short hours because the story kept me captivated.

It is heart-wrenching to think that this is the reality that too many people live in our world. There are great messages throughout of finding one's self, of self-perception versus social perception (and how self-perception is shaped in the context of society), a re-contextualization of social justice messages in relation to modern-day events and circumstances, and a human connectivity despite differences that links many of the characters in multiple ways. A lot of really important things going on in this book that all people would benefit from taking some time to ponder.

There were some things about this book I didn't like, though. I loved the individual voices of each of the characters and they all felt different and authentic, but the narrative voice didn't do it for me. It felt very cliched voice-over-y to me at times. I appreciated the structural shifts between the news casts/articles in the second half of the book, but I wasn't a fan of the switch between narration and script-like structure. I can see how that speeds up the narrative at points to get to the meat of the issues, but it also felt like it was circumventing the struggle in coming up with well-written dialogue in the throes of the driving action of the story. Some of the plot points just felt too conveniently glossed over (specifically in the relationships throughout the book and the events that transpire in tying up the ending of the book). I wanted more from some of those pieces to really be fleshed out more fully in the development of the characters and story. As well, I wasn't a huge fan of the ending of the book. It felt rushed and too tidy (even though there were still uncleaned-up messes in the lives of the characters). Some of the characters also felt overly stereotypical to me. I recognize that there are people in the world that align with each of the characters, though (which is a sad thought). I can see the role that these characters play in the story, but I like more complex characters and it felt like there were very few of them in comparison to the number of characters that show up throughout the book.

I think everyone should read it with an open mind and just take from it whatever they can.

Must read. This book made me cringe when characters just refused to realize that their comments were racist and hurtful. EVERYONE should read this book and rethink their roles as bystanders in society.

This was a super quick and emotional read. The language took a little bit of getting used to. Also many characters were relegated to villain status which wasn’t super realistic. However the story itself still sucked me in with its gut-wrenching twists and turns. And the conversation it will inspire makes it a must read despite its flaws.

Justyce McCallister has everything going for him: captain of the debate team, awesome grades, an acceptance letter from Yale, two gorgeous girls vying for his attention…but the police don’t care about any of that. When they see Justyce, all they see is a thug. After being arrested and released without charges, Justyce’s eyes are opened to the harsh reality of being young, black and male in modern America. Frustrated and lost, Justyce seeks solace in writing letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and trying to emulate the man’s teachings. But being like Dr. King is easier said than done. Raw and heartbreakingly honest, Nic Stone’s debut novel perfectly captures the frustration faced by young black men growing up in a society where the cards are stacked against them. Young people will empathize with Justyce and his struggles to fit in and stay true to himself. A definite must read for American youth of all races, colors and creeds.

Dear Martin is fresh, relevant, and engaging. With its unique perspective and unforgettable characters, this is a must read! I used the novel at my school with a group of 18 teachers to spark discussion and increase compassion and empathy. It was well received by the group and inspired an authentic conversation about how Dear Martin can and will be used with our students.

Could Nic Stone's "Dear Martin" be any more perfect? The answer is no. No, it could not. Timely, important, and absolutely necessary. 5/5 stars.

Justyce McAllister is only one of three African-American students in his senior class at a ritzy private school. He earned his way there through hard work and intellect and he is bound for an Ivy league college in the fall. However, as the world around him seems to disintegrate, as there are more deadly assaults on male African-American teens in the news, Justyce begins to feel an anger he cannot explain stirring inside him. After he is arrested and manhandled by a white police officer, that anger seems to fester. To try to channel his feelings and reestablish his calm, Justyce beings what he calls the "Martin Project." He looks to history and to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to help him deal with the injustice he sees around him, to choose calm and intellect over violence and anger, but sometimes it just doesn't seem to help. When he and his closest friend Manny, another African-American student at his private school, find themselves in an altercation with another white man over nothing more than loud music, Justyce finds himself facing not only racial injustice but sudden and certain death. The man has a gun and his actions deeply affects Justyce's life, his path, his mindset, and thanks to the ensuing media circus, his reputation. Nic Stone does a wonderful job of capturing the voice of youth, taking an honest look at the current racial climate in America, and sparking the kinds of conversations in our youth and adults that could lead to change. This novel sits well beside All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Recommended for students in grades 10 and up. The novel contains profanity, under-aged drinking, sexual innuendo, and violence.

Dear Martin is a relevant and important read about social justice, police brutality, and racism. Similar to THUG, it is a story of a boy who is killed by police basically because he is black and the social justice movement that is set in motion in the aftermath.

This book was great! I listened to the audio version and really enjoyed the reader. I wish the synopsis did not include the part about the shooting - that would've come as a great twist, especially since it happened so late in the book. I think "The Hate U Give" tackles the same topics a little more intriguingly, but I would still recommend "Dear Martin" to anyone looking for a book about this timely topic.

I loved every second of it, how raw and true it felt, the fast narrative, the language, the characters, how it tackled difficult topics in a honest and sensitive way... everything

Are we really all equal? Or are some of us still more equal than others? Justyce is put in handcuffs for hours for trying to get his drunk ex-girlfriend home safely by a police officer who assumed he was attacking her. He has top SAT scores, he's at the top of his class at school, but none of that mattered to the policeman, only the color of his skin. Justyce writes to Martin Luther King, Jr. trying to figure out who he is and how to deal with the way he is treated by the world around him.

I started this book in audio and then finished it on my kindle. The audio is very good, just over four hours. When I got to the halfway point of this book, I had to put it down, and walk around my living room to relieve the stress of the story. I had to do it again at about the three fourths point also. Towards the end of chapter 17 Justyce is thinking about something he's been told by another character: "Resistance is existence.... These white people don't got no respect for us.... There's no escaping the Black Man's Curse...." I get it, but it crushes me, and made me think--what am I doing to change things?

Especially relevant today are these words from Martin Luther King Jr.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things
that matter.” “I Have a Dream” speech, 1963