My name is Amal / and Amal means / hope means there / is still a tomorrow // But there's no future in these / four walls four walls / boxing me in boxing me in / so I punch the air // shadowbox with God / spar with all four of these / corners as if they are all / different versions of me

This is such an incredible novel — beautiful imagery in powerful verse. There are so many passages I wish I could quote, but I don't want to rob you of the impact of encountering them in context. If you're not into poetry, don't let that dissuade you. It's a quick read (unless you count the time you spend re-reading the parts you highlighted the first time through) and it delivers a clear narrative that touches on so many relevant contemporary issues. Racism and stereotyping and gentrification and the shortfalls in our education and the school-to-prison pipeline and the judicial system and art and poetry and brotherhood and family and hope and love.

The surface story is relatively simple, although, as with any life, there's nothing really simple about it: Amal is a boy, a poet, a son, a skater, a student, an artist who is boxed in to the wrong place at the wrong time and is wrongfully arrested, charged, convicted, incarcerated. A process that is gut-wrenchingly and convincingly portrayed in all it's parallels to the processes of slavery (both figuratively and literally). He struggles to hold on to his humanity, his voice, his art, his hope.

This would be perfect for class discussion and book clubs, but it's also perfect as a solo, sit-with-it read. It's definitely YA but could work for upper middle graders (especially those ready to move to something more personal and mature after reading [b:From the Desk of Zoe Washington|45169415|From the Desk of Zoe Washington|Janae Marks|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1560957404l/45169415._SY75_.jpg|60426059]) as well as adults. It would pair well with [b:Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice|38251354|Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults) A True Story of the Fight for Justice|Bryan Stevenson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1534291846l/38251354._SX50_.jpg|59932118] and [b:Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You|52220686|Stamped Racism, Antiracism, and You|Jason Reynolds|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1568739320l/52220686._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73010857], and should appeal to readers of [a:Elizabeth Acevedo|15253645|Elizabeth Acevedo|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1598302475p2/15253645.jpg], [a:Jason Reynolds|1229281|Jason Reynolds|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png], [a:Angie Thomas|15049422|Angie Thomas|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1471998209p2/15049422.jpg], and [a:Ibi Zoboi|5241080|Ibi Zoboi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1458007096p2/5241080.jpg]'s previous books.

Content notes: Racism, prejudice, physical violence, disturbing racist imagery, the N-word, police brutality