Review: Punching the Air

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

At the age of 16, Amal Shahid's life takes a turn he never expected. A talented and creative student, Amal is an artist and poet, but what ends up defining him is his blackness. When an altercation takes place in his neighborhood where lines have been drawn and invisible borders have been built, he is convicted of a crime that he didn't commit and his words and art become the only solace in his caged world.

So
I am ink
He is paper
I am pencil
He is notebook
I am text
He is screen
I am paint
He is canvas
I am man
He is boy
I am criminal
He is victim
I am alive
He is almost dead
I am black
He is white

Amal's tells his story of broken systems - school, incarceration, and "injustice" - as he strives to retain his humanity and dignity.

This is a powerful novel in verse that fans of Jason Reynolds, Nic Stone, and Jacqueline Wilson will devour in one sitting (like me!)
To be released Sept. 1, 2020.

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