The Black Kids is an unforgettable YA novel that explores the topics of race and class identities through the eyes of a teenager. The book is set in Los Angeles during the Rodney King riots - a notable event in the fight for racial justice in the United States. After the acquittal of the four police officers, Ashley, a high school senior who is black herself, starts to see the differences between how she and her family are affected by the riots compared to her white friends. For the first time, she begins to see how the color of her skin is important to who she is and how strangers perceive her. The character development in this story is fantastic and I just could not stop reading. I was invested in Ashley's journey of self-discovery and how she was impacted by the events following the historic verdict.