Stunning. One of those novels that makes you pause in its beauty.  And to pause and reflect in the message.  I found myself reevaluating my own ideas, thoughts, perceptions.  This is a novel that also made me angry at our society; the systems we've created and continued, the utter wrongness.

Amal is "seen" by one guard and it struck me how the small gestures of compassion and understanding were what helped Amal keep his head above water.  I was struck by how small actions have big impacts ... which connects beautifully with the butterfly metaphor.  

I was struck by how Cheryl-Ann Buford assumes to "Amal" and how easy it is to pass a quick judgment, especially easier when steeped in racism, on a person and think that you know them.  How often do we not pause and connect and listen and do the actual work to understand people around us?

The only thing I would have wished for in this book was artwork.  I would have loved to see some visual representation of what Amal was creating with his words.  I was able to read an advanced copy via NetGalley so it is possible that in the final edition artwork was included.

Written by Ibi Zoboi (Pride, American Street) and Dr. Yusef Salaam (of the Exonerated Five), Punching The Air is a book that everyone needs to read right now. Not only does it expertly show the many institutions (school system, justice system, prison system) that have failed Black people, especially Black youth, but poignantly portrays all of Amal’s various experiences. Beautifully written in verse, Punching The Air truly allows you to feel and experience everything that Amal goes through. From school to the fight, to the courtroom, to the prison cell, everything in Punching The Air is so visceral. 

As Punching The Air is the first book I’ve read written completely in verse, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect in terms of how it would tell the story. As it was written in verse, you truly felt as though the words you were reading were from Amal’s notebook, were written upon a piece of paper he was given. At every turn of the page, you were fully immersed in Amal’s life every step of the way.  While the verse makes it a book that one can read quickly, by no means is it in an easy read. It tackles subject matter that is oftentimes hard to read but is also the reality for Black youth in America and beyond. 

The emotional depth that Punching The Air has is truly unmatched. The rollercoaster of emotions that Amal goes through are the same emotions that become your own as you continue to read the novel. The weight and impact of Amal’s voice is powerful throughout the novel. We know that he truly never got the chance to be or feel like a kid because society is set up in a way that doesn’t see Black children as such. At every turn, he’s experienced a multitude of racism whether it’s perpetuated by other people or whether it’s a system that is set up in a way to discriminate against people, Amal continuously feels like there is no escape. However, despite how everything in the world is set up against him, Amal is still able to find hope which bursts forth in his art and poetry. 

Beautifully written and impactful, Punching The Air needs to be added to everyone’s to be read lists immediately.

It’s ok; judge this book by its cover. The inside is every bit as beautiful as the cover art.

The story begins in the courtroom, and we immediately enter Amal’s confusion about his new reality.  This book-in-verse will easily coax those generally scared away by the number of pages into falling into the narrative, much the way Elizabeth Acevedo did with The Poet X.  Readers sympathize with Amal as he adjusts to residency at a juvenile detention facility, from alliances to education to therapy to guards to visitation.  Zoboi and Salaam wisely withhold the background of Amal’s courtroom appearance, opting to reveal it in pieces along the way.  That decision makes Amal’s confusion more realistic and generates sympathy quickly.

As a teacher in an alternative education facility, I have encountered students that have had legal matters or juvenile detention in their personal histories.  This story speaks to their experiences, and I believe that my students or a book club would greatly benefit from reading and discussing this together.  

This ARC was provided by B&B/Harper Collins via NetGalley.

I can't say enough about this book, written by two powerhouses. Through powerful verse, Amal tells us the story of his life, how he was targeted and scapegoated in school, and how this led to his becoming involved in a crime that went sideways. He compellingly narrates his journey through the court system and juvenile detention. This book resonated strongly with me given my background as an educator in Boston, as well as in a prison in Massachusetts. This book is a must read.

I received this Advance Reader Copy from @netgalley. Here is my honest review of this text.

Punching the Air is an incredibly important book given our current climate and culture. Far too many young, Black folks are having their futures ripped away at the hands of racist policing and unfair judicial proceedings. 

Amal is a poet and artist who makes a few bad choices resulting in him being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is accused of a crime that he did not commit. Punching the Air follows Amal's journey through the juvenile detention system. As he struggles to recognize himself within the confines of his cell, Amal continues to turn to art and poetry to help him remain connected to his humanity.

The co-author, Yusef Salaam, is providing first hand knowledge about Amal's experiences as he is part of The Exonerated Five. This YA novel joins the call for prison reform and more just policing practices. The free verse format of this book helps make it more easily accessible to all ability levels. Be sure to add this to you TBR! Overall, 5 out of 5 stars.

This book left me in tears. It was so heartfelt. The structure was a sweet balance to the incredibly tough content. This book will be powerful as an independent reading book, but I could see it working well in classrooms and books clubs as there is SO much to discuss. I loved it and I can't wait to listen to the audiobook.

From the immense combined talents of Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, this extremely powerful book was created.  I can't get "New ID" out of my head or heart.  The story here is fiction, but surely happens daily across our country.   I am struggling to find words to describe this book, but I would recommend this book to anyone who knows or needs to know how the prison industrial complex sucks in, chews up, and occasionally spits out people.  To those who have watched "14th" or "When They See Us."  To colleagues, students, and strangers online.  Maybe if people read this - heavily inspired by Salaam's own experiences - they too will see the urgent need for change.

This review is based on a digital review copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins Children Books.  This review is cross-posted to Goodreads and Instagram.

Beautifully crafted, heart-wrenching, gut-twisting. Amal was convicted of a crime he didn't commit... wrong time, wrong place, wrong color... he's in juvie. When all he'd rather do is read, write his poetry, and create his art. But even those loves may not be possible for this flightless butterfly... for now anyway... because he intends to fly. This is a must read for adults and young adults. I couldn't put it down!

Thanks to Netflix, I've read this verse novel by award-winning novelist Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five that follows the tragic result of one night Amal Shahid, sixteen and an artist and a poet, but seen in a different and biased way because he is black. This night, a fight over boundaries that have appeared because of gentrification becomes Amal's tragedy. His time in a juvenile detention center even though innocent is shouted and cursed, cried and whispered by him through poignant words written by Zoboi and Salaam. 
        Consider the months lived recently and then read Amal's words with empathy if you want to know his truth. In part: 
       "On the day of my
         conviction   
         I forget 
                   my school ID
                   number
                   my top three
                   colleges
                   my class schedule"

         Don't miss it!

I couldn't put this book down and there were parts I just had to read out loud (to myself AND others) because the way the words were written on the page was too much to keep to myself. My heart was both broken and put back together multiple times throughout the story. I hope to add this title to the lit circle options for 8th grade ELA this year.

This book was an amazing young adult own voices story. Yusef Salaam, who was one of the Exonerated Five, collaborated with Ibi Zoboi on this story about a young man who is convicted of a crime he did not commit. Written in verse, this book will draw you in, as the story of what happened the night that Amal was arrested is told. It was very realistic and the harsh life of juvie is not glossed over. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to better understand the terrible criminal justice and prison system. I highly recommend for fans of The 13th documentary and the When They See Us series.

This was a powerful book full of both pain and hope. It speaks to how hard it can be to stay true to who we are in the face of how others choose to see us. This story is co-written by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, who was one of the "Exonerated Five" in the Central Park Jogger case.. Amal, in imprisoned after taking part in a street brawl where the black boys are guilty by default. Abused by a system that confuses forced violent compliance with rehabilitation, Amal uses art and poetry to express his hopes, fears and regrets, while holding fast to those he loves outside to keep him strong within them.

If I could give this book more than five stars, I would! A novel in verse that reflects what Yusef went through as part of the Exonerated Five. The imagery with sometimes very few words in the page will leave you stunned. Such a riveting story that you won't want to put down until you finish it!

Loosely based on Yusef Salaam's experience as part of the (now) Exonerated Five, Punching the Air also draws inspiration from other stories of racial injustice like the Jena Six and the Scottsboro Boys. This novel in verse has a lyrical cadence that is both relevant to the current political climate and is beautifully devastating in how it addresses the unfairness of the criminal justice system. Zoboi's verse uses powerful, and often simple, language to draw the reader in and leaves them decrying the racial injustice that still exists in both the justice and prison systems.

Amal means hope, and that's exactly what this book is about. It is about losing hope in society and the world. It is also about gaining hope, and remembering that it's ultimately all you have. Amal is a young black teen who is just a teen. He got in trouble and sent to a juvenile detention facility. This book is moving and it will make you realize that our prisons and detention facilities are not there to actually help rehabilitate people, and get them back on their feet. 

It's beautifully written in poetry and prose, and uses color and art to tell an amazing tale. I am so grateful I got to read it and ultimately share with my students.

Prose/poetry writing is finally getting the attention it deserves. As an educator it is so hard to get students into reading "larger books", but books written in this style allow for students to feel less intimidated. Zoboi not only makes the book more appealing for struggling readers, but ties in an amazing story with it.

The story is told from the point of view of Amal, who is wrongly incarcerated and is just struggling to survive physically and mentally as world attempts to break his spirit. With art and creativity as his escape from reality, Amal's future hangs in the balance of as a victim of his crime is in a come and the only person who can set him free.

If you love authors like Jason Reynolds or Elizabeth Acevedo, this is a book for you. It makes a create addition to any middle grade and higher classroom library or a paired text for social justice and racism units. So many wonderful stand alone chapters that can be used in any classroom setting.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

There is as much beauty as there is pain in this story. As Amal struggles to come to terms with what has happened, we learn about what lead to the choices he made. Reading this was almost as hard as watching DuVernay’s When They See Us because of the injustice on top of injustice. 

It’s a great reminder for teachers to decolonize our classrooms and curriculums.

This is a powerful, moving story about the school to prison pipeline. It was a hard read, content-wise, but an important one. The poetry itself is astounding, and the story of finding hope, purpose, and a voice even when the world is trying to box you in is awe-inspiring. I cannot wait to see PUNCHING THE AIR spread its wings and fly. It's truly a tour de force for our times.

This will be on several award lists and it's deserved.

Issues I Had With This Book:
* My only "issue" was that I thought the comparisons of the prison system and slavery were done already and the authors didn't have anything different to say. I feel like that is more of a me problem and if you haven't read that metaphor before than it's new to you.

What I Liked About This Book:
* The Chapter Headings-Some of the chapters displayed growth and progression of events and I liked this strategy. I've never seen it before and I found myself flipping back and forth to find the connections.
* Amal's Situation-I don't want to say too much because I want you to discover it as you read it but I liked the pacing of Amal's situation and that's all I'll say.
* Amal's Support System
* The Ending
* The Cover and Title

Overall
I don't want to say too much because I think it's important for the reader to discover all the things. I thought is was very well written and quite honest about how young Black teens are PERCEIVED. If you are a teacher, please pay attention to the Ms. Rinaldi character.

I didn't give it a higher score because of the one dislike and I usually compare books to their contemporaries. I don't read a lot of books in verse about discrimination so the only book I could compare it to was Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. I gave that a 4.5 and I liked that one more because it was more ambiguous than Punching. Reynolds really left the reader to figure out most of the novel which is the type of writing I like. Punching doesn't do that; it sort of lays it all out for you. There is nothing wrong with that but it's not my personal favorite; I prefer books to be highly metaphorical. Because of that, I couldn't rate it higher but I can certainly see lots of 5 stars for this book.

With that being said, this is a great book for your teen or adult book club. There's lots to discuss and learn. It's very approachable for a reluctant reader while being very critical for advanced readers.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful, important book. Adults should read this too. This book is about a young black boy who has been arrested for a crime he did not commit, and it is written in amazing lyrical verse. One of the “Central Park Five” had a hand in writing this book. I think it will be a must-read anti-racism title for years to come.