Unforgettable tale of an unjustly sentenced young man. Gripping, emotional, beautifully written.

I listened to this gem of an audiobook, which I highly, highly recommend. The narration is excellent in every way.

I'm not usually one to pick up YA books, but this one's description really moved me: at the age of sixteen, Amal Shahid is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison. We are heartbroken for him, angry, devastated and hopeful. Since the narrative is so personal, I could feel the injustice happening to Amal in every bone of my body, even though I may not have much in common with his character as far as background is concerned. As a reader, I got so attached to his character that I can't even tell you how much I needed to know that he was okay.

This book deals with America's racism, violence, modern slavery, the judicial system and problematic prison system. Needless to say, it's a heavy load for a YA novel and even for an adult like me, but it's definitely age-appropriate and incredibly important in our times.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book is phenomenal and so devastating at the same time. Written in verse, Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam collaborate to write the story of Amal Shahid, a young Black boy who ends up being convicted of aggravated assault under seriously questionable circumstances. We follow Amal through his trial, conviction, and eventual imprisonment, all the while we are steeping in his emotions and struggle to transition through this.

Punching the Air offers commentary on the school-to-prison pipeline in a really exceptional and comprehensible way through a first-hand perspective. Caught in a situation that is meant to essentially eat him alive, being with Amal, who is trying so hard to fight for his truth and to be believed, to save himself, all while dealing with being just a teenager and working through all of it the best he can with art and poetry, it so emotionally intense.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and I can't recommend this format enough, there is something about listening to books written in verse that is always so moving for me. The narration was wonderful, I found myself rewinding multiple times to re-listen because it was just so powerful. I've never experienced a "book hangover" before this book, I just couldn't shake it from my mind after I finished it and I was left emotionally spent in the way you can only be when you've read a book as extraordinary as this.

I couldn't recommend this book more. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for this copy to review.

Thank you to NetGally, the publisher, and the authors for the ALC of this book.

This book was so good! I would read it 100 more times, and teach it, and try and tell everyone I know to read it.

Written in verse, this book explores the perspective of a Black teen who is convicted of a crime he didn't commit--but that doesn't mean he is fully innocent either. He fights back the only way he knows how--with his voice, and his art.

I think this book lends to a very important discussion about what guilty is, what people should be held accountable for and to what degree, who we believe, who we police, and the systemic racism and oppression in our country and our world.

This book was also cowritten by Yusef Salaam, and it is so heartbreaking and empowering to see his perspective on this story that has so many similar aspects to the one he lived. If you've watched When They See Us on Netflix, read this book. If you haven't, go watch that and still read this book.

This is one of those books that just hits so hard and so fast, and cuts really deep. I think I will be thinking about this book for a very long time.

Perfect for fans of When They See Us, Long Way Down, All American Boys, The Poet X, The Black Flamingo.

CW: racism, juvenile detention, prison, trials, fights

The story follows Jamal, which means hope, through his court case and his incarceration in a juvenile detention centre. Jamal is an artist and poet and uses these to help himself during his time behind bars. The story is told in prose format and some of the poems are from when Yusef himself was incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit.
The narrator has a very soothing voice and does a great job getting the feeling behind the story across. Very inspirational for today and all that is happening. Great for fans of Jason Reynolds and Rupi Kaur.
#punchingtheair, #netgallyaudio, #indigoemployee

This book broke my heart and put it back together. Punching the Air is a beautiful novel written in prose. The reader’s rhythmic performance of this audio book entranced me as I listened to the powerful story of Amal. Ibi Zoboi’s ability to create images with metaphors allows the listener to be lost in the an unjust world where Amal is trying to survive. Amal’s survival depends on his poetry and art he creates to keep himself from going to understandably dark places. In a time with social unrest this novel gives connections to experiences people in this country face everyday. I recommend this to anyone with high school students trying to help them explore the world we are facing and anyone who enjoys a deeply poignant view of the world. Ibi Zoboi has done it again; created a masterpiece. Enjoy.

I was given a copy of the audiobook by netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

This reminded me a lot of The Sun Does Shine. Just more of a YA version about a teenager that was wrongly accused and sent to juvenile detention.

This book was told in verse which also made me think of The Poet X.

I feel this was a great book to open up the minds of teenagers about the injustices we still deal with.

Powerful yet devastating. Punching The Air is about the institutional racism and systematic oppression that kids of colors experience in school, trials, and even once they reach jail or prison. This book is so important, especially during these times as it's so relevant. It's written in verse so it's a quick read however, not an easy one in the least. Even when the world tries to throw you in a boxed description, there is a chance to break out and find purpose, hope, and art. It’s amazing how popular verse is becoming and that is manages to say so much in so little. Beautiful collaboration between Zoboi and Salaam, I hope they write more books together in the future.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Audio for the advanced audiobook.

Black lives matter!
Wow. This book is a must read! Even if poetry isn’t your thing, you should give it a read or listen as I did. This story tells the story of a young black teen sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Telling the story through art and poetry is great. I thought the metaphors used were powerful and put things into perspective. The discussions that could and should come from this story need to happen.
Audiobook specific: I thought the narrator did a great job. His tone and the way he read the story made me fall in love with the story and feel for Amal’s character so quickly. That’s an important thing for a narrator to do. I highly recommend this!

This was heavy, obviously, and the writing was amazing - personally, I try to stick with listening to novel in verse, and I was so glad to get an audiobook ARC of this from Netgalley. The narration was really good, and the order in which the story was told was perfection. Because, despite being fiction, this was inspired by Yusef Salaam’s actual experience it felt so real - I had to remind myself that it was fiction, and I think anyone trying to see into other people’s lives should definitely pick this up. The author’s speak on hope in the authors’ note and it was beautiful and I’m glad they went into it with that in mind. I definitely recommend listening to the audio if you can.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.
What an absolutely heart-wrenching and timely book. Written in verse, Punching the Air shows the horrors of the prison industrial complex and the criminal justice system. The narration feels like it is Amal telling you his story, in turn making your heart ache even as you journey alongside him in a juvenile detention centre. It is candid, it is raw, and it is full of truth. If you choose to read one book for the latter half of 2020, make it this one. I hope to pick this up again physically to get the full effect of the poetry of this novel.

A powerful and moving novel told in verse, Punching the Air follows a Black teen boy who is wrongfully convicted of a violent crime and is sent to a juvenile facility. It offers a look at the injustices often present in the American criminal justice system, the ways that young people can be terrorized within juvenile detention centers, and the structural racism that forces them into silence and defensive behavior.

This is a novel filled with pain, but also with hope as the main character expresses himself through poetry and art. The novel becomes all the more poignant when you consider that one of the authors- Yusef Salaam- was himself wrongfully convicted of a violent crime as a teenager and served six years in prison before being exonerated. This won't take you long to read, but it will leave an impact and I would absolutely recommend it. The audiobook is beautifully done as well. I received an advance audio copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Content warnings include violence, bullying, police and prison guard brutality, racialized violence and slurs including multiple uses of ni**er.

5 BIG stars.

This story is very well told and beautifully written. I am not usually big on reading or listening to anything written in prose, but this story is in a league of its own. The storytelling is superb and I found myself being drawn into each verse of every chapter - and before I even realized it, I reached the end of the book. It’s a very quick listen, with many very short chapters.

The narration, done by Ethan Herrise, is phenomenal. I love the connection here, too, as Herrise actually played the younger version of Salaam in the Netflix series about him and the rest of the Exonerated Five called “When They See Us.” Herrise does an amazing job in the role of Amal and the way he reads it makes it sound like HE is actually Amal and he’s telling his own story. It’s one of the best audiobook narrations I’ve listened to in a while.

Thank you so much to Balzer + Bray for providing me with this ARC Audiobook in exchange for an honest review. And thank you to Ibi Zoboi and Yusuf Salaam for writing such an important, heartwrenching, yet beautiful story. I will definitely be reading this one in print a second time around just to re-experience it.

Wow! Punching the Air is an incredibly important and impactful YA novel. It reads like poetry and even includes written poetry from Yusef Salaam (of the wrongly incarcerated Central Park Five). The narrator does a beautiful job of bringing the story to life and reading each passage with the most jaw-dropping pacing. I cannot recommend this novel enough. It's timely with what's going on in the country and it is important for young readers to learn from this novel. I truly cannot recommend Punching the Air enough. Especially the audiobook.

Punching the Air is written by Ibi Zoboi (American Street) and Yusef Salaam (who at 15 was one of the 5 boys falsely accused and imprisoned for the rape of a woman in Central Park).

It contains poetry written by Yusef while he was in prison and is written in verse. I don't really know what to say but that it's completely heart-wrenching, particularly in context.

Ethan Herrise is the narrator for the audiobook and he has an incredible quality to his voice that is absolutely appropriate for a 16-year-old boy who is terrified and a bit jaded, but still hopeful.

I don't want to add a bunch of filler in this review so I'll leave it at this: this book is cathartic and beautifully written and should be read by anyone who can access it.

I received a copy of this audiobook for free from NetGalley and Harper Audio in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

5/5 Stars

** I was given this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review**

Moving, Lyrical, and relevant. That's how I would describe this book. I won't go into too much detail because I believe this is a book everyone should read or listen to. It's very reflective of how justice fails and puts an innocent behind bars. I did listen to this through audiobook format and the Narrator did a fantastic job bringing this book to life. This has that emotional punch for me because again it shows how racist and unfair the justice system is. They've already presumed someone guilty because of the color of their skin. I cannot do this book justice trying to describe it in words. I urge you to go and pick up this book on its release date. This is a story that is true all across the united states, and it needs to be heard.

4.5 stars rounded up.

I usually round down, but my only “critique” is that I personally am not a fan of flowery writing. I don’t want my personal opinion in writing style to being down the high average rating it deserves. This is my first novel in verse and though I don’t love poetry, I can’t imagine this book being written any other way. Especially after reading the author’s note mentioning that some of these poems were written by Salaam while incarcerated, which is so powerful. I listened to this as an audiobook, and it was much easier for me to connect with Amal and his experience while listening to it than I think I would if I had been reading the poetry.

I am at a loss for words for how incredibly important and eye opening this novel is. I have heard of YA novels dealing with police brutality, racism, and intersectionality, but this is the first I’m aware of that tackles incarceration of an innocent, black boy. I’m so glad that Zoboi wrote this in collaboration with Salaam to make it raw and authentic. I hope this continues to get the recognition it deserves and gets in the hands of as many people as possible.

Co-written with former teen prisoner and current prison reformer Yusef Salaam, Punching the Air is a novel-in-verse that explores how faith and art are Amal's saving graces when he is wrongfully incarcerated. Alongside is the brash co-message that the school-to-prison pipeline is destroying young African-American boys' lives. Thankfully for Amal, two mentors --one in art and one in human rights-- are present. But so are racist guards and violent inmates. Prison is hard, especially when Amal is innocent.

Author's note at the end is an excellent jumping-off point for those unsure of how to discuss the school-to-prison pipeline with teens.

It took me awhile to get into Punching the Air. I'm not sure if it was the inflection of the voice actor narrating the audiobook, if I was just not in the right headspace, or if I just wasn't paying close enough attention. Anyway it was, this is a heavy story that you can't pay attention to with only one ear. I think this will be an important story, but either it will be "popular" with teens like The Hate U Give or it will only be appreciated by adults who read YA. I don't think there is much middle ground.

Diverse reads:
- Amal is African-American and Muslim.

Read-alikes include Dear Justyce by Nic Stone and Monster by Walter Dean Myers.

This book is devastating yet stunning and invoked a deep anger in me. Telling a story like this takes courage and heart because it could not have been easy, especially for Yusef Salaam. I wish this wasn’t the reality for black children and black people. I’m just sad.

Stunning narration is featured in this truly timely and important story. I listened to it in one sitting. I don’t even really have more words for it than that. Essential reading...

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam is about a young man named Amal Shahid how gets wrongfully accused of a violent crime and sent to a juvenile detention facility. This story, written in verse, is about Amal and how he fights to maintain his sense of self and humanity in a prison that aims to break him. This story is loosely based on Yusef Salaam’s experience was one of the Central Park Five.

I received this audiobook as an advanced listening copy from Net Galley and Harper Audio in exchange for an honest review and honestly, I’m thankful I got to listen to this.

Books in verse are always hit or miss for me because poetry can be a more fluid art form that can leave more up to interpretation than prose can. This story was easy to follow but the ease of reading (or listening in my case) didn’t stop it from being deep and meaningful.

The narrator, Ethan Herisse, did a wonderful job and had a unique voice for all the characters. His cadence carried the intensity of the verse wonderfully and he helped me get lost in the story.

Amal was a great character because he was wonderfully in the middle. He wasn’t some perfect angel of a kid but on the other side of things he wasn’t some “bad kid” who always got into trouble. It could be said that Amal has a bad attitude. He has a problem with authority figures who don’t seem to believe in him and more than once his first instinct is to throw a punch. He’s a very realistic young man and I think it helps to show that this type of injustice can happen to anyone.

Punching the Air is very blunt about prison. Nothing graphic happens but there is violence against inmates, some of which obviously comes from a place of racism. But there’s also a few positive elements too like a kind guard, a friend Amal makes, and a poetry class that captures his attention. But the good stuff never once made prison look like anything other than an awful place. It just showed that Amal was finding ways to stay sane during it all.

This story has an important message. We need prison reform and we need to share stories about those who were wrongfully incarcerated as well as those who did commit a crime, but got harsher sentences due to the color of their skin, as well as addressing the treatment of prisoners.

Punching the Air is a wonderful book that tells an important story and it does so with a memorable main character and it’s written in a style that captured my attention from the first moment.