Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for this digital ARC of DEAR JUSTYCE by Nic Stone, a sequel to DEAR MARTIN. This novel is about an incarcerated teen, Quan, who we briefly met in DEAR MARTIN. He’s Manny’s cousin and the one who was accused of killing the cop that put Justyce in cuffs. Quan writes letters to Justyce about his experience in prison. Outside of the letters, we get to know who Quan grew up to be and where it got him today.

I love this book and I finished it in two days. Quan had a hard past. His mother’s boyfriend was abusive. They didn’t have much money. Quan was never recognized for his intelligence. He witnessed his father get arrested. Soon, Quan was stealing and getting put in juvenile detention, and then he joined a group of men who could help him out. It was like his own family. But the true friend that got Quan through everything was Justyce, and we see their friendship grow.

It was exciting to get to see characters we knew in DEAR MARTIN, like SJ, who dates Justyce. I love the Jewish
representation. The loving teacher, Doc, helps Quan get his diploma. Even Jared makes an appearance, that racist classmate, but him and Justyce are friends now that they both attend Yale. Jared is learning to become a better, educated person.

I love how this book is formatted and told. It’s not just in letters, but Stone writes out these snapshots to vividly see the scene. Her paragraphs are poetic. Words are bolded, zig-zagged, and dropped down the page. I also appreciated this rocket ship at a playground to be this place where Quan goes when he’s upset, but when he grows up, it’s gone. It’s like a metaphor that the older we get, life gets harder and complicated and we lose our childhood.

I recommend reading this book to teens 13+ when it comes out on September 29th. It’s an important book to read now and shows how unfair the prison system is to Black people. Please, please, read this book. Know there are always people who have your back while it may not feel like it. You aren't alone.

3.75 stars. The characters and overall plot line had an impact on me, but not as much as they could have. Admittedly, I have not read Dear Martin yet, but I feel this book can stand its ground as a stand alone. I just felt like the obstacles were solved too easily and the character development didn’t resonate as much as it did in her book Jackpot. It felt like a middle-grade story despite the language - not as hard hitting as I was hoping for.

I really enjoyed Nic Stone's Dear Martin. In this book, Justyce's classmate, Quan, writes letters to him from jail. Justyce gave the notebook of letters he wrote to Martin Luther King, Jr. to Quan and Quan reads them, writing back to Justyce about some of the letters while also telling him his own story. Through Justyce, Stone tells the story of a young man who did not have some of the advantages Justyce did, although he had plenty of the smarts, and examines how easy it is for Quan to get into serious trouble.

I found Dear Justyce especially moving because of the young men who I have met during my time as a corrections librarian who very well could have been Quan. There have been a number of guys whose stories just break my heart, because of how much they had to offer, but how much was stacked against them. For some of them, it seems like they never even had a chance. Quan's father is in prison. His mother is abused by a series of boyfriends, the last of whom steals her EBT card and disappears for long enough stretches that Quan and his siblings start to starve. Quan turns to stealing to feed them. Before he knows it, even as he keeps his grades up at school, he gets involved with a gang for the community and protection it offers. And things escalate from there (I won't spoil it). 

The letters from Quan to Justyce are sometimes very direct about the intersection of racism and juvenile justice. Quan points out several times that there is a big disparity between the sentences Black kids get and the sentences White kids get for much more serious charges. Other times, such as when Quan gets involved with the gang, the story lets the reader ponder Quan's choices and the larger societal issues they reflect. 

One of the aspects of Dear Martin that I found especially productive was how Nic Stone uses Justyce's letters and his experiences to examine different facets of systemic racism. Dear Justyce has a much narrower focus and because of this I think it works well as a companion to Dear Martin, but may not stand as well on its own. 

I was not so sold on the novels turn to legal drama as Justyce gets involved in Quan's court case, but it works as a primer on how plea bargaining works (or doesn't) and how the justice system fails kids like Quan.

Very strong follow up to Stone's 2017 novel, Dear Martin, that explores the experiences of Quan through a combination of flashbacks and letters written to his old friend and current Yale student, Justyce. Unflinching in it's depiction of the criminal justice system's treatment of young black men, as well as the societal structures that help reinforce a school to prison pipeline, this novel can be read in conjunction with Dear Martin or as a stand alone. The portions dedicated to both Quan's experiences growing up and the psychological impact of his imprisonment are particularly impressive and arresting.

This is Quan's story, and while Justyce (from Stone's first book in this series) plays a part, he's not the protagonist. As Stone explains in her author's note and dedication, this is the story of the average African-American male in the United States who needs to have their voice heard. Quan is a smart guy who doesn't get love, acceptance, or support at home, so he goes looking for it elsewhere. But while his new "family" can provide financial stability and support, they also ask him to do shady stuff. And then the cops show up. And then a cop is dead. And then Quan is in jail. But Quan is lucky: his friend Justyce is on his side, and Justyce refuses to allow Quan to be locked up unjustly.

George Floyd's murder and the subsequent protests and riots that have spread across the United States have been going on for three weeks now. And this book is an embodiment of the systemic racism that Black AND white protestors are fighting against. This book can be a powerful fuel to feed that demand for dismantling that racism.

That said, the multimedia aspect of the content of Act II is jarring and so unexpected when it breaks its own established pattern of pictures + Quan's story to add Justyce's POV and his involvement in Quan's life. Like, I get why we need that POV, but it was left-field and breaks up the flow of the overall story.

Wow! What a great sequel! Quan’s story is heartbreaking and so real. It’s an important book to read, especially at this time of unrest.

Five raving stars from me! I got this from NetGalley (tentatively comes out 9/29). It's a sequel to "Dear Martin", but you can totally read this even if you didn't read the first book or it's been awhile. This book is told from the perspective of Quan, through a series of letters to Justyce (the protagonist of "Dear Martin"). Quan's life through a series of circumstances has him incarcerated. This book takes a searing look at systemic racism, the imperativeness of having someone in your life looking out for you, hope, and redemption. Side note: we all need the character of Doc in our lives. Other side note: Nic Stone is on fire - three books out this year alone!

**Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an impartial review).

Just read it! Nic Stone has once again written a thought-provoking novel that everyone should read. This book may be categorized as YA, but it should be read by adults as well. Ten thumbs up for this novel and the fantastic author who wrote it.

I was really hoping this one would be a winner for me, but it was not. Maybe it's because of the current national outcry we are experiencing from Black Americans. May the timing set my expectation too high. I loved Dear Martin and when I heard the author was writing something from the point of view of Quan I got so excited. I was hoping that many of the teens I work with would be better able to see themselves in Quan, because there are so many more Quans out there in the world. And maybe they will. I don't want to speak for teen readers. But I just didn't hear the voice of Quan the way I was hoping to. I still think there was a lot of Justyce in there. Quan was too articulate, had his feelings too figured out. I don't know many 18 year old boys who have that. Also, Stone even says in the afterward that the real Quans of the world would not have had the support system that Quan's character did. I wish she would have written it more true to real life. Yes, this would have made the story more painful to read, but also more relatable to young readers.

Wow. Just powerfully wow.

This book does not HAVE to be read in continuation to Dear Martin but it definitely helps to know the characters and what’s going on.

This book follows Quan, friend of protagonist Justyce from Dear Martin.

Quan isn’t as fortunate as Justyce. He doesn’t get to go to a fancy school or end up going to a prestigious university. Quan ends up in the cycle that many young black kids like himself end up - the roundabout cycle of jail. This time, though, Quan’s in big trouble. Writing to Justyce seems to be one of the best things for him, as we see throughout the book.

I want to write so much more about Quan but that would totally spoil the book.

I hurt for Quan. I hurt for the Quans of the world who feel that they have to do things in order to survive. This book is a book we need RIGHT NOW. (I write this as protests over ANOTHER Black man’s death by the hands of a cop continue throughout the US and world.) This book is a MUST READ for anyone who wants to understand how poverty, abuse, racism, and even schools contribute to why we have so many people of color in our jails.

We all have to do better.

Nic Stone has written the perfect sequel. I hope her authors note and forward are included in the final published version of this book, because they gave a nice context as to why she decided to write a sequel.
I loved having a different Black main character that was not at all similar to Justyce. I also loved the feeling of hope at the end of the book. It was much needed after being angry and sad about everything that happened to Quan.
I am ready for the world to hear Quan's story.

I finally read Dear Martin the other day and finished that at midnight. Lo and behold Netgalley was awesome enough to approve my request for this earlier in the day. I had every intention of reading Dear Justyce on another day, but me finally going to sleep at 4am says a different story.

I really liked Dear Martin, but this was even more powerful and real. I honestly think it was hard to remember that it is fiction because everything about Quan is real. This is a MUST read for young adults and adults alike. I learned more from this than any history book I had read in the past. As a former teacher, I would love to see the Dear Martin series become mandatory reading up there with "To Kill A MockingBird" and "Lord of the Flies".

When people ask me, “Do you like standalone novels or series more?” I always say standalone. I am not one to read sequels very often. My experience in the past has always been that the sequel pretty much never lives up to the first book. Nic Stone may have just changed my opinion with Dear Justyce. I read this book in one sitting and gave it 5 stars – the 6th book (out of 47) I’ve awarded 5 stars to this year.

The book can stand on its own without reading Dear Martin first, but I do think you will get more out of the story if you read them sequentially.

I loved Dear Martin – it opened my eyes to so many things by telling the story of a Black, middle class teenager that just wanted to do things right in life, but still kept getting a raw deal because of the color of his skin. But in Dear Justyce, we get an inside look at what life is like for a Black teen that isn’t given the opportunities that the main character in Dear Martin was given.

This book takes place immediately after Dear Martin and brings back some of the same main characters, but it gives us the unique perspective of a kid thrown into the juvenile detention system. The main character, Quan, details his life in jail and describes how differently the outcome is for kids based off the color of their skin. This is a story that needs to be read by all.

Adjectives to describe this book (arranged alphabetically):
Absorbing
Action packed
Bold
Compelling
Emotionally charged
Fast-paced
Gripping
Layered
Moving
Relevant
Suspenseful
Thought-provoking

Content warnings:
Brief description of a panic attack
Cancer
Death of a stepparent
Descriptions of sleep paralysis
Gangs
Graphic language (R rated, the F word and N word are used)
Juvenile imprisonment
Parental abandonment
Parental arrest/imprisonment
Police brutality
PTSD
Racism
Spousal abuse
Usage of the N word

Definitely purchasing this book for our high school library! I've read other novels by Nic Stone and liked them; this is a talented author who writes timely books.
Quan is sitting in jail, wrongly accused of a crime, looking back on what got him there, and thinking this is where he'll spend the rest of his life. He tells his readers his story as he looks back at the circumstances surrounding his arrest. (Stone uses letters, script, varied points of view.) Quan wonders about his choices AND the violent circumstances surrounding African American males in our society today! This is a must-read! Choked me up; I'll admit!

This book is a must read. So hard to read but so hard to put down. Such a powerful story. The book details out a life and the choices and circumstances that lead to Quan’s life behind bars. While this is a work of fiction, much of the things in this book are more real then most of us want to accept.

We have to stop closing our eyes and turning our heads way from these kids. They need to know someone is out there for them. We have to be the change and support they need. As Nic Stone states,
“ Sometimes a smile or a genuine “Hey, how are you?” has the power to move an emotional mountain. A listening ear can make a day, and an “I believe in you” could completely change a trajectory.” Thank you for this book, Nic Stone. Your message is so important.

Nic Stone always has a way with pulling me into her books and this was just like the rest. Except it was better. Dear Martin was my favorite book of 2017, and when I saw she was coming out with a book about Quan... I was nervous but so excited. I got this right at the perfect time with everything happening in the world. This book was beautiful and heartbreaking and exactly what people need to read in the time of the Black Lives Matter movement. Stone does such a great job at getting you emotionally involved in the characters and their stories. This was such an easy 5 star read, and I recommend this to anyone when it is released later on this year.

Dear Justyce is about a young boy named Vernell LaQuan Banks Jr. (Quan for short) writing letters to his friend Justyce McCallister while incarcerated. Quan goes through so many difficult obstacles at a young age and throughout his life before and during his arrest. During his difficult time in jail, Justyce has been his ray of light in a dark place in his life when he feels no one is there for him.

This is a great book for all of us to read for reflection and ways to help to those that need it the most. This story reminds me to become more than just an advocator of reading/librarian, but also a human being to our young students. It is great to demonstrate in the author's note that the readers are valuable no matter what. It has a great message for everyone. I highly recommend this book.

Quan, 17, writes letters to his friend, Justyce, describing the events that lead him to prison. The sequel to "Dear Martin" illustrates how the juvenile justice system treats African-Americans.

I finished Dear Martin last night and I was so happy to be able to start Dear Justyce right after. I tore through this sequel and I ended up loving it even more than Dear Martin.

In Dear Martin, we didn't really get a good sense of who Quan was, only what he did. We knew that he shot and killed a police officer and that he was in a gang, Getting to know him was a really valuable thing for me. We see him as a kid and we see just how much he wants to take care of his younger siblings and how desperate he is for family. (His dad is in prison, his mom is pretty much checked out and her new boyfriend is awful.)

Quan is almost the anti-Justyce. Both teens are incredibly smart, but Justyce has a good support system and that's something Quan didn't have. Between the lack of concerned adults in his life and his longing for family, it's understandable how events unfolded as they did. We also see the effects of racism on him (he got a 98 on a math test and his substitute insisted that he must have cheated; no one believed that he just studied hard).

When I finished Dear Martin and realized the sequel centered around Quan, I was a little disappointed. I was so, so wrong.

I definitely need to read everything that Nic Stone has ever written. Her books are incredible.

Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

Even if I had read this book on a different day, in a different week, in a different month than we are in right now, I would have been moved. But reading it now, as May 2020 comes to a close and the world watches as the streets in cities across the US burn, as protestors and police clash, as the videos keep surfacing, as chants of "I can't breathe" rain down on us, this was visceral. And I can't wait for all of you to read it.

Quan is in a detention center, locked up for a crime that came after one too many other bad decisions. He knows Justyce from when they were kids in the same neighborhood, before Jus moved on to the suburbs, and the private schools, and the Ivy Leagues. But now, through letters, the two are beginning to reunite. As Quan explains why he is locked up, and he reflects on his life and the choices he made (although, sometimes, he doesn't think there were any other choices), the reader gains insight into life as a black boy in a rough neighborhood. What happens when traumas occur, but there is no support system in place to help? When the only family you can find is one that offers a sense of belonging for trading part of yourself at the door?

I highly recommend this one. First purchase for all collections serving YA readers. Look for it in the fall, but put it on your orders now. It is necessary and important and real.