All American Boys
Written By: Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Published in 2015 by Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 978-1481463331
Grades 8 and Up
2016 Coretta Scott King Honor Book
Walter Dean Meyers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature - Winner
Book Review
All American Boys, the 2016 Corretta Scott King Honor Book co-written by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely tells the story of two young men. Rashad is black, and artistic, and looking to buy a bag of potato chips in a local store. Quinn is white, and is intent on winning a basketball scholarship that is just barely within reach, and witnesses a brutal assault. Rashad and Quinn are linked by policeman, Paul Galluzzo. Rashad suffers violence at Galluzzo's hands, while Quinn is raised by Galluzzo after the death of his father. In the aftermath of the assault, Rashad has to decide how far he is willing to go get justice, and Quinn has to decide whether or not he will stand up for what is right. This award-winning novel addresses police violence and racial profiling in a way that will get students thinking and talking about current events.
Teaching Ideas
English
10.8 The student will collect, evaluate, organize, and present information to create a research product. a) Use technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate, synthesize, and communicate information.
Students will choose an event that has recently occurred, from a reputable source, and discuss how social media has impacted the way that people respond to that event and how that can shape responses by government and local authorities. Students will choose an online presentation platform to use to share their research.
Civics
CE.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of citizenship and the rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens by:
b) describing the First Amendment freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition, and the rights guaranteed by due process and equal protection of the laws;
After reading All American Boys, students will analyze what happened to Rashad in the context of rights guaranteed by due process and equal protection of the laws. Next, students will choose a case of police brutality that has happened recently and discuss that case in the same context.
U.S. History
VUS.14 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s by:
a) identifying the importance of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the roles of Thurgood Marshall and Oliver Hill, and how Virginia responded;
b) describing the importance of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the 1963 March on Washington, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
After completing their Civil Rights Movement unit and reading All American Boys, students in U.S. History classes will work in groups to choose one aspect of the civil rights movement to research (in the library) and analyze. Next, students will discuss how that aspect of the movement may have impacted elements of Quinn and Rashad's story.
Art
8.1 The student will plan for and reflect on the art-making process, using a sketchbook/journal.
8.6 The student will communicate ideas, experiences, and narratives through the creation of original works of art, using selected media
As students in Art 8 read All American Boys, they will respond to the text in the form of a sketch journal. They may use Rashad's ideas, or generate pieces that are entirely their own. Next, students will research the artists discussed in the novel and compare their artwork to the work of those artists.
Further Explorations
Brendan Kiely's Author Website - This website provides students with information about one of the authors of All American Boy, Brendan Kiely. The website also provides information about Kiely's other works and links to his social media accounts.
Jason Reynolds Author Website - This website, published by Simon & Schuster, provides information about Jason Reynolds, co-author of All American Boys. It also provides information on his other novels, links to his social media platforms, and author interviews. Complete with video and text, this site is an interactive resource for all readers.
All American Boys Authors Visit TC Williams HS - Co-authors of All American Boys, Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, visit TC Williams HS and discuss their experiences writing the novel and their experiences that led them to write it. This video could prompt be used as an instructional tool either before or after reading the novel that will prompt lively class discussion.
Writing About Race: New Book "All American Boys" Encourages Honest Conversation - This 10 minute interview with co-authors Reynolds & Kiely addresses how they hope to begin a dialogue about race in their novel All American Boys. This resource could be used as an introduction to the novel or viewed by students who are curious about the authors' motive.
#rashadisabsentagaintoday - This link takes students to the Twitter hashtag "rashadisabsentagaintoday." The hashtag is being used by readers to discuss current events as well as provide commentary on the novel. Students could use this hashtag to reflect on the novel or to gather information on related events that are occurring across the country.
Black, White and Blue: Americans' Attitudes on Race and Police - This report from Cornell University's Roper Center discusses the attitudes of American cities toward race and police in the 1960's versus today. This information would be of use to students who are looking for impartial information about the attitudes of Americans regarding this issue. The report includes graphs, but the language might prove difficult for some readers.
White Anti-Racism: Living the Legacy - This interview from Teaching Tolerance provides readers with insight about what it means to be white and anti-racism and how different background and emotions factor into that equation. Students who were intrigued or confused by Quinn's perspective would find this resource helpful. These questions could also be used to facilitate a class discussion.
Partner Titles
This novel was co-written by Malcolm X's daughter and chronicles his life, growing up as Malcolm Little. It discusses the heartbreaks and disappointments that led him to participate in risk-taking behaviors, eventually landing him in jail where he found faith and a purpose. Winner of the 2016 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teens and
a 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book, s
Reynolds, J. (2015). The boy in the black suit. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Written by one of the authors of All American Boys, Jason Reynolds, The Boy in the Black Suit tells the story of a young man who is forced to work to help pay the bills that his alcoholic father can't seem to manage. After the death of his mother, Matt takes a job at a local funeral home where he begins to heal. Fans of All American Boy will be interested to read a novel written solely by Jason Reynolds.
DuVernay, A. (2016). 13th [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com/title/80091741 This documentary discusses the 13th amendment that abolished slavery and outlawed involuntary labor - unless as punishment for a crime. Although students may not agree with the argument that the documentary makes, it will evoke a thought-provoking discussion among all viewers.
Hercules, B. & Whack, R.C. (2016). Maya Angelou: And still I rise [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com/search?q=and%20still%20i%20rise&jbv=80097361&jbp=0&jbr=0
This documentary discusses the life and works of Maya Angelou, award-winning poet and civil rights activist. Students who are curious about the Civil Rights movement or have read Angelous' work, will find be riveted by this documentary.
Medina, M. (2013). Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass [audio book]. Somerville, MA: Candlewick on Brilliance Audio.This book tells the story of Piddy, a girl who desperately wants to be herself, regardless of who anyone else wants her to be. Harassed by a group of girls at school, Piddy has to decide whether she will conform to their idea of who she is, or decide to do her own thing. Struggling and reluctant readers and ELL students could pair the audio version with the novel format to enhance the reading experience, but stands just fine on it's own.
References
Cornell University. (2017, April 25). Black, white, and blue: Americans' attitudes on race and police. Retrieved from https://ropercenter.cornell.edu/black-white-blue-americans-attitudes-race-police/
Kiely, B. (2017). Brendan Kiely. Retrieved from http://www.brendankiely.com/
Mehreteab, M. (2016, June 27). All american boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnIU0MARY2o
Payne, A. (2016, Nov. 3). Writing about race: New book "All American Boys” encourages honest conversation. Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/video/writing-about-race-new-book-all-american-boys-encourages-honest-conversation-557844547657
#rashadisabsentagaintoday - Twitter Search. (2017, May 02). Retrieved July 19, 2017, from https://twitter.com/search?q=%23rashadisabsentagaintoday&src=typd
Simon & Schuster. (2017). Jason Reynolds. Retrieved from http://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Jason-Reynolds/403685768
Southern Poverty Law Center. (2017). White anti-racism: Living the legacy. Retrieved from http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/white-anti-racism-living-legacy
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