Remember high school? So stressful – grades, drama, boys, not to mentioned the pressures from everyone telling you how much you need to figure out your future. You’re learning to drive, dating, dealing with hormones, and stuck at that awkward stage between adult and child.

Now, imagine all of those things, on top of having a father, wrongly accused, in prison on death row and a brother accused of murdering a friend from school. You have less than a year to save your father and your brother is on the run. Your family can’t afford a good lawyer and you’ve spent the last 7 years writing a letter to a law firm that helps in situations like that. Oh yeah, you’re also black and the Klu Klux Klan consists of part of the police.

This is the situation Tracy Beaumont finds herself in. She’s an outspoken, feisty young woman who knows exactly what she wants. To prove her father and brother are innocent. This is a powerful story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You have so many emotions – anger, sadness, anxiety, excitement. I was crying so much. This was an incredible read. When it comes out, I’m buying it and making sure everyone reads it. Seriously — this is such a powerful book with a fun story attached that goes perfectly with the current situation.

Stunning. Realistic. Timely.
The description of this book is spot-on. Kim Johnson is an incredible author, able to make this moving, layered book an unputdownable teen read. Part mystery, part informational expose, part teen coming-of-age, part call-to-action, I gasped, smiled, yelled, teared up, had to calm my racing heart.
Put this on the shelf with greats like I’M NOT DYING WITH YOU TONIGHT, DEAR MARTIN, and THE HATE YOU GIVE.

This Is My America by Kim Johnson is an impressive book any day but even more so because of what is currently happening all around us. This story takes several different issues that black communities struggle with and presents it in a way that is easily understood in its idea even if we cannot say we understand what it actually feels like in real life. Racism and police brutality are what stand out the most but you also see the generational trauma, injustice, corruption, and the struggle to fit into a predominantly white community that still sees you as an outsider after many years of living there. Tracy has spent seven years writing letters to Innocence X, a death penalty legal aid society, to convince them to help her father, an innocent man on death row, who was charged wrongfully with the murder of a white community member. Now, so close to the graduation of her brother who is set to join the track team of a University in their state, a white classmate is found dead. The first person that everyone looks at is her brother Jamal. Facing the possibility of two family members losing their lives over crimes she is convinced they did not commit, it is a race against time for Tracy to find out the truth and hopefully set them free.

There were many educational moments for me in this book but one part that really struck me is how she has a character like Dean that admits to his faulty thinking and judgment due to the way that he was raised. I think it is great that he is striving to do better but also that Tracy herself does not take on the responsibility of making him feel better because it is not her job to educate him and accept his apologies. That moment was something that felt very personal to me as a white person and helped me understand my own confusing feelings that I had when I reached that point myself in the past.

Johnson did a great job of conveying the fear and (justified) anger that was felt by her characters. This story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. While I was reading this book, I was also following live videos of the Black Lives Matter protests around the country. The back and forth between this fictional story and the current events made this an even more compelling read and highlights why these issues need to be addressed right now, not later, not tomorrow, not next year, so that - finally - MY America can become THEIR America as well.

A story like this is always timely and I wish it wasn’t. But it is important to read about racism and inequality in the justice system. Great characters and a riveting story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Could not put down this book, and had to resist peeking at the end of the book to see if the mystery got solved. This book will not disappoint.

In this gripping and compelling story, Tracy Beaumont has spent the past seven years writing to Innocence X, a death penalty legal aid society to help exonerate her father who is on death row, wrongly-convicted of a double murder he did not commit. Things get complicated fast when her brother is implicated in a shocking murder of a her white classmate. With her family facing increasing ostracism, Tracy takes matters into her own hands to investigate the murder, uncovering dark secrets of her town's past and present.

While the novel touches on serious issues facing America: racism in the criminal justice system, Black Lives Matter, and the white supremacy movement, it does so in an engrossing story with fully fleshed characters and a gamut of relationships (friendships, romance, family), while also intriguing the reader with the mystery.

The reality for Black people is that the America that they live in is not the same America that others know. The reality is that their America looks completely different and at a young age they learn what it means to be Black and live in America. This is the story that Tracy Beaumont wants you to know, she wants you to recognize the difference in the America that her and her family is being forced to grow up in.

This is a beautifully written book that tackles difficult issues that Black people still face all over the U.S. There were moments that I had to put this book down to really take in the impact of a scene or to really let something sit with me. I cried along with Tracy and her family at the moments they were able to breathe a sigh of relief and also at the times where they were living in fear.

What I like about this book is that it is real and the author isn't afraid to bring up topics that are important. You get to see the real time feelings of not only Tracy but her younger sister, Corinne who was born after her dad was in jail and is watching her brother be chased by the police. You get to see as Tracy's friend, Dean, struggles with his mother's racism and his own thoughts surrounding what is happening. This is one of my favorite scenes as Dean struggles with his privilege and his inherent bias towards black people, while Tracy doesn't comfort him and allows him to sit in his feelings.

You not only see Tracy's father doing jail time on death row for something he didn't do but you also see her brother trying to prove his innocence. You see how easy it is for the police to pin these crimes on Tracy's family with no proof and how it cost the life of one Black man as he tries to claim he's innocent. You watch as Tracy tries to continue on with her life and everyone around her tries to keep her from getting in trouble. You watch her struggle with not being able to just be silent about the injustice that her family and community has been and is being put through.

Something else that I enjoyed that this book showed was the race relations between black people and white people. We saw these relations through Tracy's friendship with Dean, and his mother's reactions towards Tracy after her father was sent to jail. I really enjoy reading as Tracy and Dean's relationship develops and Tracy struggles with what it would mean for her to date Dean. We also saw these relations through Jamal's relationship with Angela and how that relationship ultimately causes Jamal to be in trouble while Angela's boyfriend doesn't get questioned at all.

I recommend this book to those of you who enjoy Nic Stone's Dear Martin or Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give. This is a must read book for all and is a great way to show young adults the reality of what being Black in America means. I would highly recommend this book to white people who are looking for something to help them understand what Black people go through on a regular basis.

I received an ARC of This Is My America in exchange for an honest review. I must admit when I requested this book I thought it was the same author who wrote The Hate U Give. I was wrong but it is a book that has the same themes as The Hate U Give. This Is My America is about racial injustice. This is a YA fiction about Tracy, who is trying to free her dad from prison for a crime he didn't commit. A crime in which he was sentenced to death and she has only 267 days left to free him. In the meantime, some serious things start happening at home. Her brother, Jamal, is also accused of a murder he didn't commit. Tracy is now trying to prove her brother's innocence too. This is a very quick read about racism and the justice system.

Powerful. Johnson’s writing is like a microscope, closely scrutinizing the inequities of the criminal justice system.

Cecelia Beckman, Sheaf & Ink

Johnson has done something incredible in her narrative. She provides a realistic lens of what it means to be Black in America. Her writing is exceptional. Johnson does not shy away from the truth. Her novel explores in detail the terror and horrific realities teens and families of color experience in their day-to-day lives. Emphasizing the ostracizing treatment towards families with members in the prison system.

There are many reasons why this novel is notably relevant and timely, particularly in the Black Lives Matter movement. Johnson provides a Black protagonist, a family who struggles with discrimination, racism and police brutality. Through all this, the Beaumont’s still manage to stay strong and determined to envision a better world.

I absolutely loved Tracy Beaumont. She is extraordinary. With an ironclad will, even in her moments of doubt, Tracy’s determination never wavered. She is as inspiring as she is brave, a character readers will be rooting for long after the final page.

Not only is this a gripping novel, it gives the reader a sense of hope. Johnson makes it clear that our justice system is flawed, but has the ability to be reformed and change.

Monumental. A story that everyone should read, and then again. Make sure to read this book.

Not a bad book, but it was a little bit tedious. I found it hard to connect with Tracy as a character. I didn’t buy her “investigative” personality, and it was hard for me to sympathize her standpoints (though I think she was written that way on purpose). I think the initial scene totally turned me off to her cause. I despised the love triangle portion of the plot - it made me dislike Tracy even more. I think she took advantage of every friend that she has, and it rubbed me the wrong way. The writing was okay, but not stellar. I love the message of this book, but wish the writing and characters were a little stronger.

Looking forward to adding this to my curriculum! It will. be a great addition to my lit circles and I think it will be very popular with my 9th graders!

This is My America by Kim Johnson took grabbed my attention from the very beginning. I didn't know what to expect when I started reading the book. As I made my way through the chapters, I was drawn to the main character, Tracy's, strength and persistence as she set out to prove her father's innocence on a murder charge. Adding the twist of her brother also being accused of murder was a little far fetched. However, by the end of the story I understood the importance of that connection.

I loved this book and would highly recommend it for both teens and adults. While it tells a story, it also gives perspectives on racial issues along with some rationale for actions people take in different situations. There are parts of the story where you have to suspend belief to make it work and some of the characters don't fully come across. I hope that there will be a follow up to this book to see how this family evolves. All of the characters still have plenty to say and do.

4.5 stars

This is a truly exceptional book that deserves to be widely read. It reminded me of THE HATE U GIVE in theme and tone. The characters are the best part, I think. Tracy's father was kind and compassionate, and you could see that from his interactions with his family. Her relationship with her brother was realistic, from the way they fight and the way they care for each other. Her younger sister could have been fleshed out more, and I don't feel that Tracy's relationship with Dean was ever fully resolved. There is a love triangle in this book, and I love the person she ends up with, they are adorable together.

The things I didn't like so much is that the middle kinda reads like a murder mystery and I don't know how realistic that actually is for real-life crime cases. Tracy was poking around the murder scene and it got kind of repetitive at that point.

The author's note is quite educational and important. I'm already checking out some of the resources she mentioned to learn more about justice in the prison/trial system.

All in all, an important read that I think will be successful and hopefully win the awards it deserves.

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This book to me was ok. You have Tracey who is trying to get her dad exonerated for a crime that landed him in jail 7 years prior. She writes letters to an organization called Innocence X. I thought the book was ok. I liked how it touched on racism, exoneration, and everything that comes with racial inequality, jail, etc. With the mystery of the story that happens with Tracy's brother Jamal I felt like it was unnecessary in a way. It wasn't since it related to the father but something was missing for me. I did enjoy the short chapters but I felt like the book was scattered in a way. Like I said I felt like something was missing. I can say this book is important with the various topics discussed

There was so much here to digest about generational racism, speaking up when yours is the only voice, speaking up for others in the face of racism, the bonds of family and institutional racism in America. I don’t want to give too much away here because everyone should read this book but in the process to find justice for her father Tracy manages to crack open her towns Doris history with racism and hate crimes that leaves the reader gasping for air. READ THIS BOOK!

I sat in on a panel for Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds remix of Stamped and then stayed up until 11:15 to finish this book. Amazing characters and parallels to current events. It wasn’t a fairy tale ending, but brought hope in uncertain times, along with reminding the reader that we have a responsibility to our communities to be better.

Tracy Beaumont is a cross between Starr Carter and Nancy Drew. A strong female protagonist who is complex and honest. Students will identify with her, root for her and learn from her.

Five stars

This is a fantastic novel, and I am so hopeful that it starts getting more buzz and publicity between now and its currently stated release date in late July.

I was drawn to this arc because of the cover. There is not enough diversity in YA, and I am up for reading any work that makes this sought after idea prominent. But, there is so much more to this novel even than its fantastic cover may hint.

Tracy is a young woman who lives with her older brother, younger sister, and mother in Texas and who spends the bulk of her time serving as an activist. In addition to running Know Your Rights workshops, she also writes weekly letters pleading for a nonprofit to take up the case of her father, who was convicted of murder and now sits on death row in Texas with little time left for additional appeals. While the focus starts with Tracy's father, a series of events (I'll keep this spoiler-free) quickly arises in relation to her brother, Jamal. The plot evolves from an already engaging and infuriating look at Tracy's family's interactions with the police, court system, and systemic racism, to adding another family member and a murder mystery to the mix. Also, this is YA, so you know there's a dash of romance, friendship drama, and identity development rolling through here, too.

I really appreciate the way in which Johnson accomplishes showing versus telling. A lot of YA authors - well intentioned though they may be - discount their readers' ability to pick up on more nuanced concepts. Johnson makes inarguably clear statements through and about sympathetic characters, and this happens via a layered approach. In every chapter, there are multiple opportunities to engage with changing perspectives, grey areas, systemic inequities, and struggles with inter-generational trauma and experiences.

I was on the right track in judging this particular book by its cover, but even that high hope and expectation was overshadowed by how well constructed and powerful this piece is. Don't miss the author's note at the end, either.

It's a guarantee that I'll be on the lookout for future works by this author, and I'll be enthusiastically recommending this one to my students for years to come.

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Tracy's dad is in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Tracy has tried to get the attention of Innocence X for years by writing frequent letters. With just 9 months to go until his execution, Tracy is pulling out all of the stops to try to get her dad's case reviewed. Then, Jamal, Tracy's track star brother is accused of killing his white girlfriend and is now on the run. Innocence X comes to town and agrees to take the case while negotiating a solution to Jamal's problem as well. It highlights problems with our justice system, racism, and family dynamics. #thisismyamerica #netgalley