by Kekla Magoon
Square Fish
12/29/2020, paperback
SKU: 9781250619860
Told in a series of vignettes from multiple viewpoints, Kekla Magoon's Light It Up is a powerful, layered story about injustice and strength--as well as an incredible follow-up to the highly acclaimed novel How It Went Down.
A girl walks home from school. She's tall for her age. She's wearing her winter coat. Her headphones are in. She's hurrying.
She never makes it home.
In the aftermath, while law enforcement tries to justify the response, one fact remains: a police officer has shot and killed an unarmed thirteen-year-old girl. The community is thrown into upheaval, leading to unrest, a growing movement to protest the senseless taking of black lives, and the arrival of white supremacist counter demonstrators.
Target Age: 14 to 17
Reviews:
A stellar and important read. -- Kirkus Reviews
This gritty, emotional tale will leave readers gutted and compelled to stand against flawed systems. -- Publishers Weekly
"Magoon masterfully captures the cycle of urban violence and the raw emotions of the young people who can't escape its impact." -- Publishers Weekly
About the Author:
Kekla Magoon is the author of several books for young adults, including 37 Things I Love, the Coretta Scott King Honor/John Steptoe Award-winning The Rock and the River, and the Coretta Scott King Honor book How It Went Down. She has also contributed to the anthology Dear Heartbreak: YA Authors and Teens on the Dark Side of Love.