Dear Justyce

An NPR Best Book of the Year * The stunning sequel to the critically acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Martin. An incarcerated teen writes letters to his best friend about his experiences in the American juvenile justice system.

An unflinching look into the tragically flawed practices and silenced voices in the American juvenile justice system.

Vernell LaQuan Banks and Justyce McAllister grew up a block apart in the Southwest Atlanta neighborhood of Wynwood Heights. Years later, though, Justyce walks the illustrious halls of Yale University . . . and Quan sits behind bars at the Fulton Regional Youth Detention Center.

Through a series of flashbacks, vignettes, and letters to Justyce--the protagonist of Dear Martin--Quan's story takes form. Troubles at home and misunderstandings at school give rise to police encounters and tough decisions. But then there's a dead cop and a weapon with Quan's prints on it. What leads a bright kid down a road to a murder charge? Not even Quan is sure.

A powerful, raw, must-read told through the lens of a Black boy ensnared by our broken criminal justice system. -Kirkus, Starred Review

Author: Nic Stone
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Published: 09/29/2020
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.70w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9781984829665
Age Range: 14-UP

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5.3
Point Value: 6
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 509589 / Dear Justyce


Review Citation(s):
Shelf Awareness 10/13/2020
School Library Journal 08/01/2020 pg. 88
Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2020
Publishers Weekly 10/05/2020
Horn Book Magazine 11/01/2020 pg. 113
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2020 - Superior,Well Above Average

About the Author
Nic Stone is an Atlanta native and a Spelman College graduate. After working extensively in teen mentoring and living in Israel for several years, she returned to the United States to write full-time. Nic's debut novel for young adults, Dear Martin, was a New York Times bestseller and William C. Morris Award finalist. She is also the author of the teen titles Odd One Out, a novel about discovering oneself and who it is okay to love, which was an NPR Best Book of the Year and a Rainbow Book List Top Ten selection, and Jackpot, a love-ish story that takes a searing look at economic inequality.

Clean Getaway, Nic's first middle-grade novel, deals with coming to grips with the pain of the past and facing the humanity of our heroes. She lives in Atlanta with her adorable little family. Find her online at nicstone.info or @nicstone.