Trial novel meets
screenplay. Young black man, called a
monster by the law.
My 22-year-old brother Jesse recommended this book to me, even lent me his copy. When Jesse, who used to be the most reluctant of readers, recommends a book, I'm all over it. It's the story of a 16-year-old African-American man on trial for murder, or really accomplice to murder. The telling alternates between first person, represented in a handwriting font and the young man's fantasy screenplay of the trial. The technique is engaging and should appeal to most readers, tween and above, great for them freaky reluctant reader types and the ravenous alike, especially boys.
In case you hadn't noticed, the legal system is kind of racist, and DAs aren't above working it.
The book won some awards and has a reader's guide in it, if you're into that sort of thing.