This book is raw and powerful. It will be a superb book for the less enthusiastic readers. It is full of emotion and certainly a book I will recommend for the local school's monthly book club. I have no doubt this book will stir up a lot of heated discussions and reflected emotions amongst the teenagers. A lot of youngsters will get a lot out of this book.

I have to be honest, I've never been a huge fan of poetry, and verse has been something that I enjoy in very small doses, but never really go out of my way to engage with; as such, I was a little unsure how I was going to get on with Punching The Air, a book written in verse. Well, I needn't have been concerned about it, as this book is amazing.

The story follows Amal, a young man who finds himself in a situation going quickly out of his control. Following a fight where a white teen ended up badly beaten Amal is blamed for the event, and must face a legal system set up to see him lose, despite his innocence. Even though the blurb makes it clear that Amal is going to be found guilty, that he's going to be sent to prison I still found these part of the book so tense. The moments leading up to the delivery of the verdict were so heart wrenching, and I wanted Amal to be found innocent so much. I knew what was going to happen, but it still hurt to see that guilty verdict, to see the effect it had on Amal.

It's clear throughout the book the influence that Dr. Salaam had on this book, the amount of insight and real experience he brought to this story, but the moments in the court room was so raw, so powerful, and really hammered home what he himself must have been going through when he lived through this. This became the moment I went from really liking the book and being invested to being absolutely in love with this book.

Other books that try to cover these kinds of subjects can be emotional, they can be powerful, but part of me often thinks that this is an author tapping into emotions and experiences they've not been through themselves, that it's an aprximation of those events. Punching The Air has an author with those first hand experiences. Salaam sat in court, he listened to his name dragged through the mud, his life torn to pieces in front of him; he felt those emotions, and he brings them to this book. I found myself wanting to cry, wanting to rage, there are so many times that reading this book hurt, because this isn't just a fiction. It's reality for so many people.

The book makes a point of highlighting how Amal has his identity distorted during his trial. Amal is a man, whilst the teen who was hurt is a boy; despite them being the same age. Amal talks about how he's seen as a man, fully formed, never having been a child, never been afraid of monsters, never hidden from thunder, because he's a Black man, he has to be aggressive. The book doesn't shy away from the horrible, harsh reality that the US legal system will always, always cast Black people in the role of the aggressor, always paint them as angry and violent, whilst White people will always be misunderstood, in the wrong place, innocent until proven guilty.

It also makes a point that the US prison system is legalised slavery, even quoting from the thirteenth amendment to the constitution, 'Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.'

I'm sure that there would be some who would say that the book is trying to push a certain point or agenda, and whilst I'm sure it is as who could live through such an unjust system and not want prison reform, there is nothing in this book that isn't true. The constitution does legalise prison slavery. The system does hurt the Black community more, often unjustly. And there are stark differences between how Black and White defendants are treated.

2020 has been a hugely important year for the fight against racism and police corruption in the US. Black Lives Matter protests have taken place across the globe, and are still happening to this day. This is a perfect environment for Punching The Air to be published in, as this topic has never been as loud or in the public eye.

This is a book that is hugely important, that will help to open some people's eyes, and needs to be read. I hope that if you're reading this and are unsure whether to pick up the book you've now made up your mind to do so. I hope that it moves you, that it makes you want to raise awareness, to take action. And I hope that you share it with others. Get your friends to read it, share it with your family, get your libraries to stock it. Black Lives Matter, their voices matter, their stories matter, and this book matters.

"Locking you up isn't enough
They will try to crush your spirit until you're nothing but --

Dust
we both say together

And what does dust do, Amal?
What did Maya Angelou say about dust?
Umi asks

It rises, I whisper"

I have never read a full novel in verse before, and was somewhat sceptical that I'd like it. Written by bestselling author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five (Central Park Five), this book had both the power to keep me turning the pages wanting to know more but also to stop me in my tracks, reeling from the impact. It got under my skin and made me angry. It made me protective of its main character, Amal. It made me question a lot of things. I wondered if this book really was based on real life, or some dystopian version of it.

It's certainly a relevant book in light of this year's events. It artfully discusses the judicial system and prisons in America, racial profiling and prison abolition, showing the system for what it is on paper (justice) versus what it actually is in reality for many young Black Americans (injustice).

The story is told through the eyes of Amal, a young Black artist who wants to make his mother proud. We see the world through this lens, and we struggle when we see how his wrongful conviction is shaped by unfair statements coloured by prejudice and racial profiling from those who barely knew him. Amal is referred to as a man - and a violent one at that - while the white defendant of the same age is referred to as a boy. Amal, also a boy despite the image the courts painted, is sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit.

The book is masterful at serving up two versions of Amal; the violent man who set upon an innocent white boy in the victim's own neighbourhood versus the young art student wary of playing ball in a neighbourhood he feels unwelcome in but coaxed by his friends, who later defends himself in a fight that breaks out. Do these descriptions seem like two different characters? That's because they are. One is the real Amal, and one is the version of Amal society has created.

Zoboi and Salaam have created a powerful narrative that's simultaneously nuanced and complex while also being vibrant and easy to read. As someone who went through what Amal does in the book, you can feel Salaam's emotions threaded through each word. And both the best and the worst thing about the book is its ability to make you really feel the feelings of someone wrongfully incarcerated; the pain, fear, loneliness, despair, anger, hopelessness, depression, numbness and more. You're on the rollercoaster with Amal and Yusef, and it makes you want to get off and destroy its whole engine so no one else can ever ride it.

A remarkable story that explores race, the American education system, the school to prison pipeline, gentrification, institutional racism, and more. It's bleak, but it's also enduring and powerful.

I really loved this book. Not only does this story follow Amal – a young black boy who is on trial for beating up a white boy, convicted and then sent to juvie to serve his time, but it follows Amal – artist with paint and poetry whilst going through one of the toughest times of his life.

This story is told in verse and is done so well. As always, Ibi Zoboi has done an amazing job. What really hits home for me with this story, is knowing that Yusef has had a hand in this and with his own personal story of doing time for a crime he didn’t commit, it just really brings the story to life.

I cannot wait to buy a physical copy of this book so I can read it again and enjoy what I assume is artwork on some of the pages (very broken up on the eARC version).

A beautiful story of devastating consequences of having the wrong colour skin, at the wrong time in the wrong neighbourhood.

I think most of the other reviewers have said all there is to say about this book. It is about systemic racism. There are two threads running through it. The first, the background for Amal's conviction and secondly, how he and the system deal with that conviction. These two threads are told in parallel, not chronologically but this makes the plot even more powerful.

Some have said that the racism is in the detention system and the courts but I think the scenes about Amal's education show that he was already 'labelled' as trouble at a very early age. Is it any wonder that a black boy has a chip on his shoulder when he is in trouble and the white boys are not?

The power of this novel comes because it is written in verse format and there are some very forceful images that come through this. Amal himself is a gifted poet and artist and uses this to express himself, so the written words seem to be coming directly from him.

I hope this is a book that the boys at school will read. For those that do, then "Moonrise" by Sarah Crossan would be a good read for them to try as well.

Amal Shahid has been convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison at just sixteen years old. Whilst in prison he finds refuge in his art and tries to keep his sense of self within a system designed to grind him down.

For those who don’t know, Yusef Salaam is a member of the group of men known as The Exonerated Five. Back in 1989 a group of 5 Black and latinx boys were convicted of the rape of a white woman in Central Park, following a media campaign designed to dehumanise the boys, including a full page ad calling for their execution paid for by a certain Donald Trump. In 2002 they were cleared by DNA evidence and the confession of the actual perpetrator.

Well, the first thing I have to say is, simply, wow! This was pretty far outside my comfort zone being written in verse rather than a more traditional narrative structure but I absolutely loved it. The juxtaposition of the lyricism of the verse and the subject matter is absolutely stunning.

Amal’s story starts almost at the end; we see him convicted and sent to prison and learn about the events that led to this through him thinking about it and sharing his story in his prison poetry class.

Whilst it seems kind of strange to say, considering the subject matter, this book really is beautifully written. I particularly enjoyed the element of hope, especially when Amal was corresponding with Zenobia, a girl he liked from school.

Whilst there are obvious parallels between Salaam’s own life and what happens to Amal it is important to say that this is not autobiographical. In fact, I thought the character of Dr Bennu, who visits the poetry class to talk to them about prison reform and what some of them have been through was probably more based on Salaam than Amal was.

Zoboi and Salaam’s writing really touched me and I just know I’ll still be thinking about Amal’s story for a long time.

Sadly, this story has long been relevant but particularly so at the moment when a lot of people are trying to read and learn more around the topics covered here.

I would urge people not to be put off by the YA label or the fact it’s written in verse, this book is an extremely accessible way for anyone to learn more about the school to prison pipeline and the systemic racism within the American justice system.

I honestly can’t fault this at all and will definitely be buying a physical copy when it is published.

This was such a good and engaging book, the verse was beautiful to read. It’s far more emotive than it is descriptive of scenes/events- we see more of the character’s emotional reflections more than anything else. It doesn’t have solid plotline/structure of events either and ends on a cliffhanger- it’s definitely a character driven story. This is emphasised by the constant art/music/film metaphors/references and the use of the main character’s sketchbook to accompany/illustrate some of those metaphors. The references and their connection to heavier topics was handled beautifully.

Like most of the world, I was fascinated by When They See Us and The Exonerated Five. Their story was so indicative of the struggles facing people of colour in the United States and the fact that they were teenagers at the time made their experiences all the more tragic.

Watching the series, and the corresponding documentary, Yusef Salaam recounts his experiences so eloquently and with such an engaging tone that as soon as I saw this book I had to request it immediately. Yusef's words echoed in my head and I knew that his contibution to this book would be no different.

The story follows the experiences of Amal Shahid, a teen convicted for a crime he didn't commit just like Yusef. He has to adjust to life in prison, fight for his place, make friends, partcipate in educational programs. Like Yusef's experiences, Amal's experiences are at times utterly tragic. He faces the systemic racism within the prison system almost immediately, but Amal finds sparks of hope in his mundane prison experiences. He makes friends and gets to create art and thrives despite the efforts of the system to opress him.

What really sets this novel apart however is the fact that it is told in the form of a prose poem. It has an underlying rhythm that moves through the whole book. This too is indicative of the prison experience, someone is always laying down a rhyme or beat boxing. Music is often the best outlet for a prisoner to express their experiences.

This book is truly a love letter to creativity; spoken word and art, New York City, Black culture and those living under the US prison system. Black Lives Matter.

A book told in verse conveying the experiences of Amal, a black Muslim boy with a love for art and poetry, when he is sent to a juvenile detention facility after a fight.

With the story being written in verse it could be easy to sit and read it all in one go. However I found that due to the emotions that were evoked I wanted to take my time and really digest what I was reading.

The book highlights how easy it is to paint a picture of someone without seeking out their truth, e.g. Amal is disruptive and this is proved through him questioning why they only study old white men in his art class.

After watching ‘when they see us’ Ava’s documentary about the Central Park Five, i wanted to know more about the boys who were wrongly imprisoned. I heard that Yusef had a book out and really wanted to read it so im so glad i got to read this galley.
This wasnt what i expected at all, but in a great way. This was so poetic and moving. I guess i expected a ‘normal’ writing style- but This book flips that all and Creates something profound and poetic. Particularly with the world waking up to police brutality and policing in general, this book is a vital, essential read.

This book has such a great writing style to it that fitted with Amals’ character so beautifully and just added that extra bit of perfection to it. The poetically and lyrical writing style told the story in a much more powerful and impactful way, but like I said, it matches Amal’s arty and poetical character and truly does feel as though he is speaking directly to the reader, in a way that if this book was written any other way, wouldn’t have had the same impact. How the whole effect of it comes together, with the different ways that the words are displayed throughout and with the design of the pages changing, it all just added to what was being said at the given time, creating an entire visual effect that just added to what you were reading.

It’s lyrical, poetical style reminded me of that in Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, but this time around it did feel more personal and because of that, it made me feel more connected to Amal. I couldn’t imagine this story being told in any other way or being told in another format, as it might lose some of that connection. I think if you were to listen to this book via audiobook, for instance, you would lose some of that affect that you are getting from the visuals.

I found myself flying through this book so fast! After being accepted I demolished 100 pages so easily, even with me being at the end of a really long day. However, wanting to be able to absorb and take in as much of this book with a clear head as possible, knowing this was going to be a book that was going to stay with me, I waited until the next day to continue reading. I am glad that I chose to do so as I don’t know if it would have affected and stayed with me in the same way as it now has. This really is a powerful and engrossing read and had me so emotional while I was reading it, which isn’t the first time for an Ibi Zoboi read.

Punching The Air is the first book in a while that has actually gotten those tears from me and I gave them willingly.

Discovering the story, the history behind this book, the relationship between Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, discovering who Yusef Salaam is and the history of the Exonerated Five made this book even more captivating. The little message for the reader that’s included before the story itself, right at the beginning, really was great and I am personally glad that it was included, as it has allowed for me to now go further and do some research and further educate myself, as I had not heard of Yusef Salaam or the Exonerated Five before.

Every line of this lyrical masterpiece was like a gut punch. This collaboration between Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, one of the Exonerated Five, is a stunningly crafted novel in verse which could not be more timely. They have created something truly special here.

Before the novel starts, Amal attends an art school, a talented poet and artist, he struggled against a curriculum dominated by studying 'dead white guys', meaning he is seen as contradictory and disruptive. At the beginning of the novel, Amal is wrongly convicted of a crime he didn't commit, the white boy he is accused of punching still lying in a coma as Amal is imprisoned in juvenile detention. We follow Amal's experiences as he struggles to maintain his identity and 'find his truth' in a justice system plagued by systemic racism.

Heartbreak, anger, injustice: this book is a tapestry of experiences which give the reader no choice to but to feel outrage and face up to their lack of action on behalf of boys like Amal. As an educator, several incidents struck a particular chord with me. The reference to the 'no excuses' environment of American charter schools, the stale and white-dominated curriculum.. these moments forced me to reflect on my role as a teacher and how I can avoid reinforcing these practices.

I need to get this book in schools and the lives of teenagers and adults in education. A stunning piece which every reader cannot fail but takeaway something about their own lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book made my heart hurt. A short story, told in verse, drawing on Yusuf Salaam’s experiences and channeled into Amal, a young man wrongly convicted of a crime. Injustice and justice was on the menu here and the use of verse poignantly reverberated the message.

"So
I am ink
He is paper…
I am criminal
He is victim
I am alive
He is almost dead
I am black
He is white"

The narrative in this novel had a moment-to-moment feeling that was pretty tension ridden and I read much of it with that sense of doom and despair conveyed by Amal’s feelings. There were some areas of the book that I felt were particularly impactful – both sides defendant and perpetrator were the same age, yet one was referred to as a boy and the other a man. That point really hit me deep. There were many more examples but I don’t want to spoil.

All of this book is relevant for now, for 2020 and beyond, I am sure. It couldn’t be a better time to pick this up amongst your menu of BIPOC fiction and it would complement anyone’s plan to educate themselves more.

The illustrations/formatting didn’t come across particularly well on the ebook galley but I imagine the hard copy will convey the visual elements much better.

Please make sure to also check out some black reviewers on this book.

Thank you to Harper Collins Childrens for this early review copy.

I love novels in verse and this is no exception. It was a great book about a young man in a Juvenile detention facility.

Firstly, I would love to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, Children’s for approving me this digital arc.
OMG this was such a powerful book. This was also very needed, especially during these times.
Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam have such a strong fusion in this book, their poetry is so freaking good and is able to deliver emotions and feelings so excellently through the main character’s thoughts that hunt you and give you the urge to change the world. ‘Black lives really matter’ screams this book through its art and beauty. Amal, the main character, is a black Muslim boy that struggles in this unfair world. We see him in a courtroom and learn that he’s been accused of bad things just because he’s black. Without giving too much away, it feels like his life is being planned in that room in front of him and he cannot even give an opinion just because he knows those people will never try to understand him.
The way feelings and emotions are described is pretty artistic because Amal is a good artist. We also see through pages pictures of described scenes or emotions which gives you a sense of feeling things through reading. The pace is this book was so good, not slow nor fast. I thought it was perfect and it fit the story so well.
A quote from the book:
The judge takes his seat
on the bench and lets us know that the jury has reached a verdict
And I can hear everyone behind me shifting in their seats
whispering
mumbling
crying
as if they know
they already know
The verse in this book was incredible and powerful. This book was such a quick read because of that while also giving you a glance in Amal’s life and story. This book would be a great recommendation for people who love books from Jason Reynolds and Elizabeth Acevedo as it talks about very important subject and gives you a great prose of verse. I really like this book, this book gets for that a five star rating. I hope you enjoyed my reviewer of Punching the air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam.

This verse novel is incredible. And devastating.

I really wish publication could be moved up for this book because, while I'm certain it's story will be no less relevant in September, it very much complements the discussions happening right now. It is a book about race and the way the judicial system and prison system in America disproportionately fails and oppresses black people. It talks racial profiling and prison abolition, but also poetry and art. Amal Shahid has been forced into all kinds of stereotypes by his white prosecutors-- thug, criminal, monster --but what he really is, is a boy and an artist.

I will pick up anything Ibi Zoboi writes and I highly recommend Pride and, especially, American Street. But when she teamed up with Yusef Salaam, one of the now-exonerated Central Park Five, I knew this book was going to be something special. The two have created a new character with Amal, but there's no doubt that his experiences have been heavily-inspired by Salaam's.

I've been seeing authors do some incredible things with verse novels lately. In the past, I've felt like verse authors have just rearranged fragments of text on the page to be quirky but, with authors like Elizabeth Acevedo and Ibi Zoboi, that seems to be changing. These poems are painfully-honest, clever, and powerful.

Maybe ideas segregate like in the days of
Dr. King and no matter how many marches
or Twitter hashtags or Justice for So-and-So

our mind’s eyes and our eyes’ minds
see the world as they want to

Everything already illustrated
in black and white


With it being such a quick read, I don't want to give too much away, but I do want to highlight a couple of standout aspects. One was the way the book talks about how Amal, the black defendant, is portrayed as a fully-grown man, who has never "laughed at Elmo on Sesame Street" or "splashed in a puddle" or "been afraid of monsters", in contrast with the white victim who is a "boy". They are the same age.

Another is that Punching the Air really explains how the prison system in America is a form of legal slavery-- it is written in the Constitution.

"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."


That's the Thirteenth Amendment, known for being the abolition of slavery. Except it didn't abolish slavery. Slavery still exists.

If you are looking to explore this more, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption is a must-read. For a look at the historical context of this issue, I also suggest reading Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (or Kendi's longer, more in-depth version: Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America).

Until Black Lives Matter, no, all lives do NOT matter.