Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. For seven years, Tracy’s father has been in prison. Soon he will receive the death penalty for a crime he didn’t commit. Ever week she writes a letter to Innocence X, begging for them to take her father’s case and finally prove his innocence. But when her brother is framed for the murder of a classmate and goes on the run, Tracy starts digging into things. What she discovers is generations of systemic racism and police misconduct - and someone knows what she is after and does not want her to find the truth. This one is out on 7.28.20 and is perfect for fans of The Hate U Give and All-American Boys. I will definitely be recommending it to my 8th graders.

Tracy tries to get representation for her father who is wrongfully imprisoned and sentenced to death. With less than a year before he is scheduled to die, Tracy’s father is running out of time. As Tracy tries to navigate an appeal, two very different boys vie for her affection, and her brother is on the run to avoid arrest for a crime he did not commit. This is a heartbreakingly honest portrayal of the unfair treatment of Blacks in the US. It is a timely novel and a must read for ms/hs teachers and their students.

This book was outstanding! I couldn’t read it fast enough. So many emotions. This is My America covers powerful and absolute vital issues that are and have been going on in our country. Johnson weaves this story perfectly, drawing you in from the first page and leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat until the very end, all the while you’re walking away with knowledge that every person needs to hear and learn. This needs to be on everyone’s TBR. I highly, highly recommend this book!

Another powerful BLM story for teens! Can't wait for publication so I can add it to my library and get it into kids' hands.

Tracy Beaumont's life revolves around saving her father from being wrongly executed after spending the past seven years on death row. She writes weekly letters to Innocence X - a project that helps exonerate the wrongly convicted, but with less that a year until the execution she knows time is running out. Then the unimaginable happens when the police show up at her house in the middle of the night looking for her brother Jamal as a suspect in the death of a white girl. Instead of being the promising track star, Jamal is now literally on the run for his life. Determined to save both her brother and father, Tracy becomes an amateur investigator and ultimately uncovers secrets even she didn't expect.

This Is My America is an incredibly relevant story for the current movements and conversations taking place surrounding systematic racism in America. I was instantly invested in the story from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down. Johnson excels at writing a compelling book while weaving a meaningful message throughout its story beats.

The story is mainly focused on Tracy's efforts to clear her brother's name and to get InnocenceX to help get her innocent father off death row. When her pursuit of justice leads to confronting the truth about her town and it's occupants, Tracy's hunt for the truth becomes even more important.

One of my favorite things about this story is that it really shows all the types of racism that fall under the umbrella of systematic racism. As Tracy investigates the murder, readers see first-hand the way she combats the many faces of racism, some people are bold while others are quiet & micro aggressive and Johnson does a good job of highlighting why quiet racism is just as harmful as bold racism. It's even discussed in a way that is easily recognizable throughout the story and really does a good job showing how racism permeates throughout all the systems in America.

Another I enjoyed about this story was that the characters were all varied in their experiences and in personality. While many side characters have stereotypical personalities at some points, each of them have these incredible strengths that enable them to support Tracy throughout her investigation. The story itself starts off feeling more like a teen drama but then as events happen it starts getting more twisted. Characters that seemed one way would turn out to be totally different then the audience expected. Other characters show their true colors the entire time and are still used in the narrative to show how multi-faceted racism in America is.


However, I was glad that the villain was never a surprise nor were they sympathetic in any way. I’d read in one of Leah Johnson’s (author of You Should See Me in a Crown) tweets, she discussed how when it comes to racists in stories, there is no need to make them multidimensional because there are evil people in the world who exist to uphold a racist system. In this story there are plenty of multi-dimensional characters, the villain is not one of them. That character solely exists to uphold white supremacist values and show just how dangerous the rhetoric of the far-right is.

Overall I felt the story was told well, it blended the elements of mystery & taking down racist systems in ways I haven’t seen many YA novels tackle. This Is My America stands apart from its other YA mystery counterparts because Johnson doesn’t hesitate to talk about the very real and ugly side of America that many readers either don’t know about or want to think about. I’d highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good contemporary novel that discusses social justice issues with a side of mystery.

This is My America is an incredibly timely story that should be on every library and classroom shelf. Like The Hate U Give, this book will connect to readers and represent teens who feel like they've never been seen before. The story is perfectly paced and suspenseful. A blend of social justice and YA thriller, this novel will keep readers turning pages.

This book is certainly being released at the time for it to make a maximum impact.

Tracy is rightfully obsessed with getting her dad off of death row. After all, he has less than a year, and her family doesn't have anything left to fund an appeal.

Jamal, her track star brother, gives her a chance to appear on national TV, and she steals his spotlight while hoping to attract a lawyer, leading to tension in the family. And then the police show up in the middle of the night, looking to arrest Jamal for murder.

This book delves into what it means to dig into your past, as well as what the "justice" system actually looks like for Black people.

There is a lot for teachers to use in this title, especially paired with non-fiction titles like The New Jim Crow or Just Mercy, or other fiction titles like Dear Martin, The Hate you Give, or The Black Kids.

Oh my, where to begin... this book is brilliant! I kept abandoning my family and my to-do list in favor of a few more pages of this wonderful book. "This is My America" is a timely reminder of the failures of the American justice system and the steps we still need to take to do better. At the same time it is a compulsively readable mystery with romance, family, and secrets. Packaged all together - you will have a difficult time putting this one down.

Tracy is a high school junior in Galveston County, Texas. She is a columnist for her school paper and leads workshops in the community related to social justice. She is part of a tight-knit, loving family, but she only gets to see her dad once or twice a week because he is on death row in Texas penitentiary for a crime he didn't commit. Tracy writes weekly to Innocence X in the hopes of attaining their help to turn over his wrongful conviction before it is too late; Tracy's father's sentence is to be carried out in about 9 months. Then, as if things weren't already looking grim for the family, Tracy's older brother is accused of a violent crime against a local girl and is on the run. Tracy immediately knows something is fishy about the situation and starts digging into what really happened with the help of her friends. But, their investigation digs up some secrets it seems some members of the small town will do anything to keep buried. Tracy can only hope she finds enough to help her brother and hopefully still get help to save her dad.
P.S. Be sure to read through Kim Johnson's terrific acknowledgements for a great list of further reading and resources used in the writing of the book.

Don't wait to get your hands on this beautiful book! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an ARC of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

This is one powerful book, guys. It's been a few months since I've read it, but it has stayed with me since, especially in light of what is going on now.

Tracy is a high school student who is trying to get Innocence X to re-evaluate her father's case for a crime he didn't commit. He is sitting on death row with only so many months and Tracy is desperate. At the same time, her brother is also accused of a crime Tracy is sure he wasn't apart of.

I could not put this book down. It captured my attention from the very first chapter and was a fast paced story from the very beginning. There were so many twists and turns, and they were executed perfectly. Johnson doesn't hold back on the injustices African Americans face, especially when it comes to crime. I've also got to note that everyone should read her acknowledgments. Johnson recommended so many other books that deal with a lot of different topics and I've added most of them to my TBR pile.

This is the book that I did not know I needed. It is as if this was destined to come about/release during this time of high racial tensions. Kim Johnson does a phenomenal job of breathing life into the characters of the book. This follows the story of teenager, Tracy Beaumont (shout out to Texas), her father on death row, her brother who was athlete-turned-suspect, and several others. Tracy was set to work with a fellow student, Angela, on an exposé, but Angela's death put an abrupt halt to it. As a result, Tracy is having to take on additional tasks to prove her brother's innocence, plead for her father to be taken off death row and exonerated, while having to deal with the realities of being Black in a neighborhood/school that caters to the white citizens. As a native-Houstonian, I can easily put myself in the position of the characters, and it broke my heart/allowed me to feel their emotions.

This is My America highlights the realities of Black people around the country, as we are guilty until proven innocent. Several men, women, and children are unjustly arrested, convicted, and sentenced to death (despite lack of evidence) simply because of their background/the color of their skin. This book hit me hard in a way that so many other books have not. I will make it a point to bring this into the classroom, because this is a book that the Black Youth in America needs. As a secondary teacher, there is not one student that I have taught that knows their rights or what to do when they approached by police. This book motivated me to organize sessions/lessons for students to know their rights and what to do in particular situations. I know there is no way that I could not keep this book on my bookshelves.

This book was amazing! This book follows Tracy who is on a mission to free her dad who is on death row for murder and he is innocent. This book is one I couldn't put down and everyone needs to read. This book sheds a big ass light on what we are living in the US.

5 Stars I would give more if I could.

Thank you to the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion

This is a must-read, especially in our current political climate. A perfect book that brings to light the truths of what happens when society thinks so little of black people and so highly of police officers. The paragraphs and conversations about race, class, and justice are phenomenal. Kim Johnson brings the conversations to the forefront and refuses to shy away from the truth.

As someone who lives in Texas, I think that this is a fair representation of small towns. There are usually only a few black people in these towns and they are looked at as a circus act. I think that the KKK and white supremacy groups were a necessary aspect to this novel because Texas has a lot of people who think like that and take actions to try and make the world more white.

I also felt that the romantic dynamic was very well thought out. The fact that Tracy struggles with possibly being with a white boy is very realistic and her fears are valid. Although it almost felt like a love triangle between Dean and Quincy, I think it was a very real portrayal of having to choose sides. In the midst of Tracy's traumatic teenage years, she is not only having to try and save her family from a corrupt police department, but she is also trying to figure out if she could be more than friends with a white boy or does she choose to be with a boy who understands the experience of being black and will not question the way she goes about things when it comes to the law.

This was a novel that I will not soon forget. It is powerful, important, and a conversation starter.

Really good necessary read in the present climate.

Tracy tries to find help for her wrongly imprisoned father while falling in love with a white boy and learning the dark history of the community in which they both live. Trying to navigate the challenges of present and past clashing, her brother gets caught up in it, too.

Looking for justice, peace and love - Tracy's story is one that unfortunately rings true to many today.

What Kim Johnson manages in This is My America is to blend the Nancy Drew and One of Us is Lying mysteries with topics of actual substance.

Tracy Beaumont writes Innocence X every week attempting to get them to take her father’s case and save him for him death sentence, which is less than a year away. In the midst of this all, someone else close to her gets caught up in a new murder.

Race with Tracy as she fights to save her family and begins to uncover dark secrets about her town and people she knows. Along the way, the reader also gets schooled in the work covered in Just Mercy, white supremacy, and the rise, or maybe just the newly public, of hate in America. This is one you can’t put down!

Perfect to pair in a classroom with Just Mercy.

This was an amazing read that gave me chills. A murder mystery that puts the spotlight on systemic racism and mass incarceration while exploring the hideous affects of white supremacy in a small town. The relationships and character development are dynamic and well thought out. Tracy, the teenage narrator, uses her investigative journalist skills to exonerate her father of a murder she knows he didn't commit. I found myself both terrified for her while cheering her on (and angered that she couldn't go to the police).
I read this book over a couple of days and couldn't put it down for the final 40%.
The author's note at the end is well worth reading.

WOW. I don't cry with books or even get emotional, but this one almost brought me to tears. This Is My America is a raw, unflinching look at how the criminal justice system is not set up to help Black Americans, especially those incarcerated. This book looks at the toll that takes on Black families and Black communities when their loved ones are sent away into a prisoner system that relies on keeping them there, and how dire this becomes if you happen to be in a state that still has the death penalty. Tracey is a determined character that, being that she's only seventeen, still has her insecurities and doubts. She's scared for her family and herself, but it's the literal fear of death and grief that pushes her to save those she loves most. It's inspiring because there are so many Black children in America who have seen their parents and loved ones swallowed up into a system that, if it frees them, spits them back out broken, and these children have to keep on living their lives and going to school and looking towards the future. This story will also (hopefully) make you angry because there should be no reason for innocent, non-violent people to end up in a prisoner system and forgotten about and then, depending on the state, patiently awaiting their death date. This should not be the reality for any child in any country, yet here we are.

This book isn't normally the kind of book I'd reach for, but I loved every second of it. The book was very powerful and much needed in these times. I felt the way the author conveyed emotions in this book was perfect and I felt everything the characters in the book felt. It was deep and meaningful and definitely a powerful book I would recommend to anyone.

With the state of this country today, I was skeptical about reading this book without feeling prejudices already going on around me. With that being said,

Tracy Beaumont is a 17 year old black girl fighting to save her father from death row. He's been in jail for 7 years on a double murder that he swears he and his partner Jackson Ridges did not commit. Jackson was killed b the police while trying to take him in, his son Quincy also was shot. His daughter Beverly is now a police officer on the same force that killed her father 7 years prior. All of this is very important as it ties into the next leg of the story

Tracy is the middle child. Her older brother Jamal and her younger sister Corrine are all affected by her father's incarceration. Tracy is her father's advocate as far as getting him a lawyer to help appeal his conviction. Her brother Jamal is a track star who gets in trouble for murder of a fellow classmate named Angela. While trying to clear her brother's name, Tracy uncovers some horrible truths about people that she thought she knew.

Legal injustice, racism, family strength, love, pain, passion all can be found on the pages of this book. I absolutely loved how the author penned this tale. It keeps up with current injustice with police and African Americans. It paints the strength of a determined young woman, a young black woman who refuses to give up on family. #BOM #BlackFamiliesMatter!

In her debut novel, Kim Johnson is about to enter the list of vaunted YA authors who deal honestly on issues of race with American youth of today (think Jason Reynolds, Angie, Thomas, Nic Stone). Set in a small Texas town and the world of high school, the protagonist, Tracy Beaumont, is a burgeoning school journalist with a tight-knit family, scarred by their past, and a father who has spent years on Death Row. When the editor of their school newspaper is found murdered, the entire ugly cauldron of racism, police violence towards Black people, and the prejudice found in the microcosm of school, all erupt as Tracy's brother runs for his life while she must find answers to save her family. I raced through this book, admiring the research put into it and the credible characters she creates. Highly highly recommend adding to your TBR list.

Tracy Beaumont is desperate for Innocence X to take her dad's case. She knows he is innocent of the crime for which he was convicted because he was home the entire night. But when fingers were pointed his way, the police did little to investigate what really happened. Seven years later, and her dad's execution is only 267 days away. She has written letter to Innocence X for most of those years and refuses to give up hope now. When her brother is accused of killing one of their classmates, it is easy for every one to say the son of a convicted murderer is clearly capapble of doing the same. Tracy knows that just like their father, Jamal is innocent. But how can she prove they both deserve more grace than they have been given?

Kim Johnson's writing fills another hole in YA literature that has been in desperate need of filling. I appreciate the way she approaches these serious topics of false imprisonment, racism in the criminal justice system, and a bevy of other social justice concerns. I believe that teens and adults alike will benefit from reading This Is My America. I will absolutely be recommending it to my students!