Based on Salaam's own experience, as part of the exonerated five, this book follows Amal, a young African American guy, who is incarcerated for a crime he didn't commit. Amal is a beautiful human being, with love for his friends and family, a talent with art, and a wonder with words. However, the color of his skin changes the way society treats him. While a white person may be able to speak their mind or make a mistake, Amal is listed as disruptive and condemned. While going through his sentence, Amal grapples with what it is to be black in America. In this novel-in-verse, Amal gives voice to the reality of his experiences.

This book was gorgeous. The writing was gorgeous. I think that this book is going to show up in the Youth Media Awards. I would have selected it as my mock Printz pick, but because I loved it so much, I wanted to talk about it ASAP. The reader of this book was stellar, which was to be expected, since he played Salaam in the Netflix docuseries, "When They See Us". I am now desperate to watch that series. This novel is a rich springboard for discussing race in contemporary America and was a great performance.

This novel in verse is stunning, tender and tough. It tells the story of Amal Shahid, a 15 year old black boy who is accused of violent assault and wrongly sent to prison, and is loosely based on the life of Yusef Salaam who lived through a similar experience as one of the Exonerated Five. The media presents him to the world as just another thug, but his friends and family know the truth: Amal is smart, a painter and a poet, a tenacious and gentle soul. His family is shown throughout the trial and his imprisonment as a strong support network, encouraging him to keep his mind free, even if his body is not.

The poems in this book touch on the school to prison pipeline, racism, slavery, the need for diversity in the arts, learning to lean on the faith you have in yourself and encourages readers to do like Amal and speak their truth. The poems are mostly narrative, describing Amal's day to day, and his reckoning with himself, the other boys around him, and the system he is in. Interspersed are gorgeous lyric poems that evoke fantastic metaphors to eloquently talk about racial disparity, art and faith. I have a feeling I missed out on some illustration on the pages by reading the audiobook.

I have to admit, I was a little disappointed in the narrator. I listened at 1.25 speed because it felt very slowly read, with too much silence between verses and poems. I also had really hoped for more passion from the narrator, like in slam poetry, but for the most part it was a quiet, meditative recitation, which in the context of the story isn't bad, but just felt lacking.

A beautifully written and emotional novel in verse inspired by the experiences of co-author Yusef Salaam, one of the now exonerated Central Park Five. Like Yusef, Amal (which means hope in Arabic) is wrongly convicted of a crime and serves time in juvenile prison. Amal and his family do not give up hope that justice will be served and while incarcerated he turns to his art and poetry as an outlet. A timely and powerful book. #blacklivesmatter

This book will appeal to reluctant readers and the boys will like that it has a male main character. The topics of racial inequity and the unbalanced representation of minorities in our prisons are explored. The writing is peppered with poetry which I found similar to The Poet X and With the Fire on High.

Punching the Air is the literary gut punch that so many people need in order to wake up and witness the systemic racism involving mass incarceration of Black boys and men. Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam deliver a poignant and harrowing account of 16 year old Amal Shadid's wrongful incarceration and the justice system that continues to beat down those who it is supposed to help.

This story is written in verse, which I think allows for even more emotion to drip from every single page. You feel Amal's pain and despair, but yet, he still clings to his humanity even in a system that is hellbent on destroying him.

I can't recommend this incredible book enough. This should be a must read for everyone.

This book explores injustices in the justice system regarding black men and boys. A powerful message about the art, education and believing in yourself when no one else does.

A must read YA book for 2020.

Should poetry be read, or performed? This audiobook would be a perfect supporting example of why poetry can be powerfully impactful when performed.
The subject matter is also highly relevant, even more so now that so many miscarriages of justice involving black and brown people are being noticed more by white people. Without reading the summary at all, this book could be about any black boy caught up in the (in)justice system in the US, but those aware of the Central Park Five will recognize one of them in this young man's story, a story that, like the butterfly effect mentioned in it, shows small actions making big differences in the world, and in our own lives.

Punching the Air is my first time reading a novel in verse and it made me fall completely in love with the format. Hearing it is spoken word narrated by Ethan Herrise was a wonderful experience as he tells the story of Amal, a wrongfully convicted teenager. There is so much emotion and movement within the story and the verse excels at everything modern poetry sets out to do. The story is trying, heartbreaking, yet so beautiful as Amal tries to hold on to hope despite dire circumstances and use his art- his words to rise above.
Many thanks to Harper Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I really enjoyed how this book gives life to real life urban problems. I Love how it takes poetry and creates a cohesive story with it, although the subject is a difficult one, the way it is written almost makes it sing. It feels like an untraditional take on story telling and I think it breaks up the monotony of reading a story and kind of knowing what to expect. I do think the poetry makes you pay a different type of attention. I commend Yusef for honoring his gifts and his stories and I love that he has been able to come full circle after enduring such a cruel hardship. i think it should be recommended reading for high schoolers.

I think this book is a must buy (certainly a must read). The lyricism of these two poets is breathtaking. This is one that I finished in print and then promptly re-listened to on audio because I was convinced there would be extra punch in the words when spoken. I was not wrong. I teared up at completely different places on the audio. Parts where I read faster so I could get more of Amal’s story, I stopped what I was doing while listening to it on audio.

Full review can be found through link.

I listened to this on audio and it was so well written. I have found that I really enjoy novels written in verse on audio and find them easier to follow than most audio books so will be seeking out more. When I saw this book was a collaboration I was hesitant since I often find it makes for a less cohesive writing style and story but this one was so well done. This story brings the topic of wrongful conviction and mass incarceration to young adults in a way that they can digest and easily follow without watering down the issue. Would highly recommend.

Wow. I knew with Zoboi to always expect a social punch given her previously brilliant titles but this one takes it even further. Her partnership with Yusel Salaam and his pulling on his own personal experiences gives the hefty title even more weight. While it may be short and poetic, this novel is huge and should be widely read. We follow Amal as he's poorly defended against the charge of allegedly beating another young kid to death with his skateboard. Zoboi and Salaam give readers a front row seat to what it's like to not just be tried by wrongly convicted and sent to a juvenile detention center. Readers experience the breadth of Amal's depression and pain as he attempts to survive his new reality. Through art and poetry Amal is able to process what he's experiencing and that allows readers to delve deeper into the actual experience. Ethan Herrise's voice adds extra layers to the story especially since the poetry style flows along the lines of spoken word and even rap. Given the current climate I'd say there's no excuse to not read Punching the Air, especially since the poetry style makes it that much more accessible. A must read.

Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook arc!

4.5 stars for the audio.

I am not usually a fan of novels in verse. I don't have the brain to break about the words in a flowing manner which is why the audiobook is perfect and I might have lowered my rating of the print book (solely for my enjoyment and not for content).

This is excellent and I think we'll be hearing a lot about it soon. It will be assigned in high school and on tons of reading lists.

I really enjoyed what a complex character Amal was and how his story wasn't as black and white as some other social justice books. For such a sparse book it really touches on a lot - what is a jury of peers, gentrification, prisons, art, and how we view and treat black young men in this country.

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam knocks the breath out of you with its honest and frightening truths. Amal Shahid does not deny throwing the first punch, but he did not throw the last punch; the punch that was a deciding factor in his arrest and imprisonment. Through the trial and to life inside a juvenile detention center, Amal voices his internal and external struggles, giving the reader a raw look at systemic racism and life after the arrest. The audio book narration is evenly paced, deliberate, and serious which adds life to the pain and confusion experienced by too many young who are engulfed by the school to prison pipeline. This is a must read book.!

Punching the Air is a timely and thought-provoking collaboration from Ibi Zoboi (American Street and Pride) and Yusef Salaam (prison reform activist and one of the Exonerated Five).

It's a lyrical novel in verse for fans of Acevedo's The Poet X and those new to the form. Though this is a fictional tale, it had the gripping and realistic feel of a memoir.

I had the opportunity to listen to this as an audiobook, and given the format of the book, Ethan Herrise's voicework made an already powerful story even more resonant.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Dr. Yusef Salaam is a revelatory story-teller and this is his story in his own words, a reflection of his real-life experience as one of the Exonerated Five. Told in verse and alternating between past and present, it explores how a series of events can change a youth’s life forever and irreparably. This story doesn’t owe me anything, but it gave me everything. It’s an incredibly powerful look into the life of incarcerated youth and the myriad of ways the pain inflicted by a system set-up to fail spreads like a spiderweb into communities and how deep-rooted the pain this system creates. Some stories deserve all the space and attention and this is one of them.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly September New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached).

*received audiobook for free from netgalley for honest review* Really great to listen to! very important book that talks about so many important things in such a artful, great, emotional way. Not usually one for verse books but id like to buy this!

Punching the Air // by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam // narrated by Ethan Herisse

Amal Shahid is a 16-year-old artist and poet that never seemed to fit in anywhere, even at a diverse art school that sees non-conforming and questioning students as disruptive rather than a productive student eager to learn. One night, disagreements in a gentrifying neighborhood escalated and a white boy was beaten to the brink of death. Amal finds his world turned upside down when he is judged guilty and sent to a juvenile detention center for a crime he did not commit. He finds himself in a negative spiral towards anger and destruction until he turns to the refuge of his words and art.

From the NetGalley description: "With spellbinding lyricism, award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam tell a moving and deeply profound story about how one boy is able to maintain his humanity and fight for the truth, in a system designed to strip him of both."

Punching the Air is one of those books where I wish I could buy enough copies to give it to everyone I meet. This is such a heartfelt and moving story that leaves you contemplating the justice system and its racial disparities as well as human decency in general again and again throughout the story. There are shock elements to this story, such as Tattoo, that make you want to think that this is too much to be true but when you step back and think about recent events in real life, you realize that it may not be so outlandish after all. At multiple times did I find myself rewinding and listening to the same passages again. If I had the time, I would have listened to the entire book a second time right after finishing it the first time because it is such an emotional and powerful work of art. It is left somewhat open-ended but I actually prefer it that way because it leaves us on a more hopeful note.

The narrator of this story, Ethan Herisse, deserves his own praise as well. He has previously played the role of Yusef Salaam in the TV mini-series When They See Us, which is about the Central Park Five, so it is exciting to see them working together on this project as well. He gives us such a powerful performance once again. Herisse is a wonderful narrator that conveys the feelings of young Amal so well in each scene that it makes you believe this is a true experience that happened to him rather than a story based on the truth of another person. You can hear the anger and disbelieve in his voice rather than just his words, the joy and surprise, the hope and despair all laid bare. I know there are some listeners that prefer to set their listening speed on 2x or even faster but I ask you to consider listening to this book on normal speed the entire way through because it is the only way to fully appreciate his performance in my opinion.

Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. It was truly an honor to listen to this and I am looking forward to future works by these two authors as well as the narrator.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced e-audiobook!

I’ve slowly begun growing a second reading list staring African American characters and/or African American authors. Now, with the mound of other books I’m reading, working through this list is slow going – and many of the titles are no longer “new”. But wow, I have yet to be disappointed by the titles I’ve chosen and Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam takes the cake!

Amal Shahid is an artist and poet at a diverse art school. But while no one denies his artistic talent, the school faculty only views him as disruptive and unmotivated. Then while hanging with his friends one night, a group of white high school boys cause an altercation which quickly escalates into tragedy. Only Amal is caught and it turns out the phrase “boys will be boys” isn’t true if you’re African American. So, at just 16, Amal is sent to juvie for a crime he didn’t commit and in order to survive the rage and depression that floods him at every moment Amal must turn to the one thing that sets him free: his art.

Overall, the novel’s plot is every bit as powerful as it was promised to be. I absolutely love that it was written in verse as the first-person poems add a new element of raw emotion to the narrative. For instance, the build in anticipation once Jeremy wakes up as to whether he will speak the truth about Amal’s case was so heart-wrenching I could feel Amal’s rising stress. At the same time, a new peaceful layer was added those times Amal lost himself in his art. While I occasionally struggled with keeping straight the characters’ names and events leading up to Amal’s imprisonment, I think that fault mainly lies with the fact I listened to the book rather than read it. Moreover, the fact this story is loosely based on/grounded in true events makes it even better and threw much-needed light on the reform needed in this country’s detention centers. The depression, physical and emotional abuse Amal endures in juvie made my heart break and I regularly had to remind myself to breathe.

However, unfortunately I was not the biggest fan of the narrator. In the end, I suppose he did fine but I didn’t feel much emotion from his voice; he also read slower than I enjoy. As a result, it actually wasn’t until about 25% in when I began to really pay attention. I understand the softness of the narrator’s voice was intended to emphasize Amal’s innocence, his artistic spirit, and desire for freedom, but many times it wasn’t enough to hold my attention while I spent multiple hours doing book maintenance in my library’s stacks. The words themselves were so powerful I simply wanted to narrator’s voice to equally reflect that. For instance, despite the constant pain Amal endures each day in juvie – such as a couple white inmates beating him up and the center destroying his mural because it was “against the rules” – the narrator’s tone remains steady and only changes whenever he’s reading words Amal specifically wrote. I admit the difference in the tone during those rare times was effective in making me pay attention even more so, but because that difference was so rare, I don’t think it made the impact it was aiming for since the rest of the narration felt bland.

Verdict: The novel should be required reading for every person in the country.