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thelovelylibrarylady 's review for:
This Is My America
by Kim Johnson
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I came across this title after reading and loving the Dear Martin duology. While I can see why readers have compared This Is My America to those books, I would put it in an older YA or New Adult category. What I mean by that is that this title reads much "older" than the Dear Martin books. Johnson, the author, is able to address so many topical issues in her writing. These include interracial dating, racial discrimination, the death penalty, and the legacy of the Klu Klux Klan. What secured this book's five-star rating for me was the author's ability to represent both Black fear/pain and Black joy/hopefulness. I have read too many books that only focus on the worst-case scenarios for Black Americans and really appreciated the moments of triumph for the main characters in this story. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of This Is My America immediately.