Punching the Air is a fantastic collection of poems written by Ibi Zoboi. Some of the writing is inspired by Zoboi's friend Yusef Salaam's own experiences in prison which makes this book even more powerful. Zoboi and Salaam are able to effectively show how the United States justice system is broken by creating the character of Amal, a black, Muslim teenager who is wrongfully incarcerated. Through both words and drawings, Amal's story unfolds, and the horrors of imprisonment (especially as a juvenile) are showcased. As someone who has an interest in prison reformation, I loved this one. However, I do not think you need to have any background knowledge on this topic to understand and appreciate the beauty of this story.