Ain't Burned All the Bright is a really soft, poignant, sweet look at a family living through two tragedies: the COVID-19 pandemic, and living as a Black family in the US. Our narrator is telling two stories consecutively, both of watching how his family is coping with the pandemic and their father's own experience with COVID-19, as well as wondering at his mother's reasoning for staying glued to the news as she watches stories about police killings and protests.

There's very little text in this book as it's primarily a few words here on there on pages full of artwork, but I've learned from reading his work before that Jason Reynolds has a way of putting across incredibly complex and layered stories with very little actual speaking, and he didn't disappoint me here.

It's an emotional, authentic, painful story, but it's interwoven with familial love and the hopeful reminder that tough days are easier to face when we have our people with us. I highly recommend this book and hope it gets the love it deserves when it releases. This book absolutely needs to be on the shelves of every classroom and library.

✨ Representation: the narrator and his family are Black

✨ Content warnings for:

Spoiler

mentions of police brutality, protests, COVID-19 pandemic, a family member who is COVID-19 positive

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!

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