This book is a companion to Nic Stone's Dear Martin. You can read Dear Justyce without having read Dear Martin, but a few small references may be lost on the reader. Having said that, this book is still a must read.

The story revolves around the character Quan -- a young African American boy living in the urban Atlanta setting. He is a character you immediately love, even though he doesn't always make the best choices. Unfortunately the circumstances of his home life are not on his side. What is on his side is his childhood friend, Justyce. The story continues to unfold and character motivations are revealed through a series of letters Quan writes to Justyce. Readers will also be introduced to ensemble characters that will also prove to be on Quan's side -- even characters you wouldn't expect. Although the story may seem bleak at times, readers will feel a sense of hope at the end and hopefully a sense of duty to take action and be there for a child in need of someone positive on their side.

Definitely take the time to read the notes from the author. Here words cut to the heart and resonant with such truth that readers will want more.

On a side note -- I truly appreciate that Nic Stone made the teachers in the book positive roll models!

Dear Justyce not only follows in Dear Martin's footsteps, but presents a real look at the system of how young black men struggle in today's society. This book is a must read for everyone and offers a clear look at what people can do to help disrupt the system. While Dear Justyce is clearly fictionalized, it brings to light what we need to do as a society to help young black men and women find the support they need.

This is a heartwarming book that would be great to teach in a classroom setting or offered to any and all young adults.

As expected, this was excellent. Quan is such a likeable character and, with every mistake he makes, your heart breaks because you want him to succeed. I love the way she shed light on our broken prison system without fully removing hope that it could one day improve. I also love how beautifully Justyce nestled his way into this story and how seamlessly his story continued as a mirror and a stark opposite to Quan's. Mostly, I loved the support system she created for Quan even though, as she said in the afterword, it's the most fictional part of the story. Unfortunately, we tend to throw away delinquent teens rather than create a support network to help them lower recidivism and thrive. It's hard to read about our fractured and racist Justice system and not feel cynical, but we have to try because otherwise no progress can ever be made. The Quans of the world deserve hopefulness and solidarity.

Fantastic read! You will not put this book down. We follow the story of Quan as he narrates to Justyce during his incarceration. Flashbacks show glimpses into Quan’s childhood and the first time he met Justyce. Having read Dear Martin you will see the two sides of coin contrasting the two lives of these characters. Young readers will relate heavily to Quan’s life and what happens when one doesn’t have someone in their corner.

I could not put this book down from the moment it was sent to me, Obviously I love Nic Stone and I loved Dear Martin - so I was really looking for to this one, I think the thing I admire most and found the most compelling in this book were the dynamic and real black friendships, especially the support that Quan has from different people in his life, including Justyce. This book is so real, gripping, and evocative. The writing, the characters, the story - it’s all a perfect recipe for success and I can’t wait until Young black and brown kids have this book in their hands to provide hope in a world where they can often feel overlooked or forgotten. In this book, Stone nods at them that she sees them, because she does. I will forever cherish this book.

Wrong place, wrong time. Young. Poor. Black. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. I know you probably haven’t because stories like Quan’s don’t get told. They’re subtitles on the back page of the newspaper, if that. Thank you Nic Stone for giving kids like Quan a voice, a face, and a name. Fans of Just Mercy will love this book and see that Quan is just one example of many—a young Black man unjustly placed in an overcrowded prison system. They deserve their own justice. They also need our support. I plan on doing the best I can to give it to my students so they don’t end up in the system. Read the Author’s Note at the end. Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Nic Stone has once again used her magic to capture hard truth in this eye-opening novel.

Quan has been incarcerated for a crime to which he confessed. He has spent more than a year waiting for a trial - 16 months spent with a lot of time to reflect on not only the moment in time leading to his arrest, but also the defining moments of his childhood.
Childhood acquaintance Justyce McAllister shared his Dear Martin notebook with Quan and now Quan is writing letters to Justyce. Sharing truths no one else knows, including truths about what happened the night Officer Castillo was shot and killed.

This book was heart -wrenching. It was difficult to read because of how true it is. Having spent even a minuscule amount of time volunteering in a juvenile detention center, my brain couldn’t stop thinking about all those young men and how Quan’s story was a reflection of so many of their experiences. Even more difficult to process was that the support Quan gets from Justyce and other advocates in his life is, as Stone says in her author’s note, the most fictional part of the story.

I am so glad those young men texted Nic and asked her to write about boys like them- to be their voice.

Quan’s story is the other side of Dear Martin. It’s the story that needed to be told, but it’s the hardest to tell. Most of us remember Justyce and kids like him, but kids like LaQuan? We like to pretend we don’t see them, or that there’s nothing we can do for them.

Nic Stone’s sequel to Dear Martin is even more powerful if that’s possible. It reminds us that we can all make a difference if we just really look and listen and most of all if we care. What chance do you have when you have everything stacked against you?

Nic Stone never disappoints.
Dear Justyce is the best mirror/window book I've read in 2020.

The social and racial biases of our nation written out in this story will make readers angry.
The honesty will open eyes and bring hope. Believe that the cycle can be broken.

Familiar characters from Dear Martin are throughout the story, however, Dear Justyce can stand on its own.

This sequel to Dear Martin does not disappoint. Dear Justyce takes readers on a journey exposing the school-to-prison pipeline and the injustice that many black and brown young adults face in this country. Readers follow Vernell LaQuan Banks Jr. through his experience as a young child watching his father being arrested to Vernell, himself being incarcerated. While incarcerated, Vernell (Quan), writes letters to Justyce McAllister, who is completing his first year, Pre-Law at Yale. Through these correspondences, readers learn more about Quan’s story and what ultimately leads him to be incarcerated. This novel was hard to put down, yet strikingly hard to read at times as a teacher. Nic Stone does a phenomenal job showing what life is like for teens who live life with financial instability, hostile family relationships, gang violence, and racial bias and injustice. While this book is a work of fiction it is rooted in an alarming reality. Readers who enjoyed books like Dear Martin, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, and Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds should read this timely and eye-opening novel.