"The Black Kids" by Christina Hammonds Reed is a powerful, poignant coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Ashley’s journey of self-awareness and identity is both intimate and impactful. Reed masterfully blends history and personal narrative, creating a deeply moving exploration of race, privilege, and belonging.

This book is a must-read for young adults, especially in today's social climate. It's definitely one I would have loved as a teen and would have appreciated as a 90's kid. Sharing it with my teens and all the youth in my life.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the eARC.

I enjoyed this read. It’s a bit too edgy for a whole-class novel in a high school classroom, but the characters were well-developed and nuanced and I’ll add this to my recommended titles for independent reading.

DNF at 66 pages @19%

Thank you Netgalley for the E-Arc in exchange for a review.

I don’t think I am returning back to this book since it’s been four years ( September 18, 2020 ) which I have been going back and forth with myself with it. Especially since it’s Black History Month as well. I had the arc of it which I tried to read some of it and even bought the book which I did get farther in it. I just didn’t like none of the characters but Ashely sister and the maid working for Ashley family. The book felt like The Hate You Give which to me is not a good thing. I know it’s being compared to it but this is something that happened in the early 90's and should have an early 90's feel. Not the only thing that make it feel like early 90's is the music being mention. Also the fact I look up and see the author was 8 when this happen. I wish she was a teenager since this is being told in a 17 year old girl eyes which the main character is supposed to be.

A wonderful, complicated look at what it means to process your identity against the backdrop of a rising awareness of social inequalities, both on a large scale and as an individual. I would recommend this to all my students!

Even though this is historical fiction, it gave me The Hate U Give vibes. It's always heartbreaking to me to see how relevant the themes are 30 years after the vents depicted here.

The Black Kids weaves together a nuanced look at '90s racial events in Los Angeles at the same time as examining what effect it has on kids coming of age. It specifically follows Ashley as she deals with those events as a black teen in an almost all-white school. The detailed feelings of Ashely and her friends shows the complexity of feelings surrounding the Rodney King verdict and the impact it had on 90s society. Reed writes a realistic teen drama that students can relate too, even decades removed, and adults can learn from.

First off, it blew my mind that 1992 was considered historical fiction. I get it, but blew my mind. This was a terrific YA historical fiction with the backdrop of the Rodney King riots. Compelling story as we see the challenges she faces and love the 90s music references.

Reed's writing style is gorgeous and lyrical, but still easily digestible. Ashley captured my heart- her passion and thoughtfulness was one of my favourite parts of the novel. The historical backdrop is well conveyed, and the writers choice of setting serves to further push the themes and narratives. I do think it could have been structured slightly better, but other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed and have been bettered by reading this novel. Thank you!

I really enjoyed this book. I can see myself pushing it into the hands of many. I sincerely hope this reaches the same level of hype and acclaim as most popular YA contemporaries, because this is one of the strongest I've read by far.

If you wanted to jump into a time machine and travel back to the 90's, then The Black Kids is the book for you. This book also shows a huge parallel between the 1992 Rodney King Riots and the current protests which started with the murder of George Floyd. Ashley's character is raw, honest and shows great growth in the story. Her journey is so captivating, that I read it incredibly fast. I highly recommend this book!

This review is my opinion as a cis-white female from rural Midwest. Here are some POC reviewers that I feel give a more personable review to The Black Kids.

<a href="https://www.nerdsandbeyond.com/2020/08/04/book-review-the-black-kids-is-a-thought-provoking-debut-from-christina-hammonds-reed/">Julia from Nerds & Beyond</a>

<a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/christina-hammonds-reeds-the-black-kids-review">Joshunda Sanders from Teen Vogue</a>

<a href="https://sometimesleelynnreads.com/2020/07/30/blog-tour-the-black-kids-by-christina-hammonds-reed-review-ownvoices-reflection/">Leelynn from Sometimes Leelynn Reads</a>

<a href="https://curlyhairedbibliophile.tumblr.com/post/625083156686651392/the-black-kids-by-christina-hammonds-reed-arc">Jasmine Nicole from Curly Haired Bibliophile</a>

<a href="https://blackgirlnerds.com/interview-the-black-kids-author-christina-hammonds-reed/">Casira Copes from Black Girl Nerds</a>

Great read for those looking for the opportunity to explore the inner voice of a young black teen dealing with racism from those she called friends. Really powerful. Will pair well with a classic like To Kill A Mockingbird, or new title like Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down

I wish this book had existed when I was a teenager -- this should absolutely be required reading in high schools. It's so compelling and important.

It’s 1992 in LA and the four LAPD officers who beat Rodney King nearly to death are acquitted. For Ashley important events have always been in her peripheral because she’s a senior cheerleader who hangs out with mostly white people as well off as she is. Her older sister Jo is the protester, the rebel, the outlaw in the family. Ashley only worries about skipping class with her friends and if she’s getting into her dream school of Stanford.

Until the LA riots happen.

Now Ashley is caught in the middle of her old life and a newer, scarier one that would cause her to stand up for what’s right, no matter what the cost.

Could this YA novel be more timely?! I wish it was already released so I could get it into students’ hands NOW. An event that happened almost 20 years ago is still as relevant today. We need more novels like this and it should be required reading. Ms. Reed: your debut novel was beautiful, poignant and so very important.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

A perfect title for my classroom library. Thank you for sharing this digital ARC and introducing me to a now auto-buy author.

There aren't enough words in our dictionary to describe just how truly emotional this book made me. Between the characters, the writing style, the story as a whole--Christina Hammonds Reed has solidified a slot on my "books I've loved" list.


The Characters are Messy

I love messy characters, especially as teenagers. Teenagers will make bad decisions---that's a given. When they become too perfect or too clean, they lose that sense of realness that a lot of readers seek. Reed didn't do that in her book. She allowed her characters to be messy, to make mistakes and learn from them.

I especially adored our main character, Ashley, and how she went through the process of unraveling the ideals she grew up around and how to adapt and revel in who she truly belonged to be. She did things, some really bad things, that I think anyone would have been ashamed to admit, had they been in her situation. But she deal with it like someone who was maturing and looking at the world through a lens that had been hidden away. Even when she had to sacrifice something for someone else, she understood what would happen if she prioritized herself and her wants over someone else's needs.

The relationships between family, friends, partners, and more were depicted very genuinely while reading. Ashley and her parents are estranged from her sister, but her parents more so. This was one of the first and only times I've actually seen a proper estrangement like this depicted in a book, because most of the time, it's seen as some silly little thing that doesn't need to be addressed. But when it came to Jo, I saw so much hurt and pain and need in her character, things her parents and her sister were all missing. It was like a gut punch reading it on the book's pages because it was immersive and real.


The Addiction of the Writing Style

And that then leads into Reed's writing style. I was enthralled by it. It felt like every page I turned, I needed more and more and more. I personally liked the overly monologue-eske writing style from this author, as it's done in a way that isn't overbearing or annoying or boring. It keeps readers attentive, especially to detail.

Ashley's character speaks through a lot of flashbacks and even some analogies. Having those on-page was necessary to the story as a whole, and it wouldn't have been what it was without the author's writing style to emphasize it.

Although, I did have a bit of a hard time with the pacing in certain areas of the book. At times, it felt like the story was dragging in parts, whereas in others, it was either perfectly paced or a bit faster. My preference lies in the latter two of the three, so it did get a bit difficult to read through those specific parts of the story.


A Memorable Story

Reed took us through a historical part of American history. The brutal beating of Rodney King by LAPD officers, the acquittal of said officers, the riots and protesting that followed---though not the frontal theme of the story, it was still a huge part and influence on the characters and their lives. It impacted their decisions, their conversations. It enforced a wave of fear and worry. And Reed truly made it jump out to the reader, on-page, just how important it is to notice and understand this.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed and adored this book. There were multiple points where I wanted to reach into the story and smack certain characters (aka Kim), and other times I wanted to reach out and provide a hug. For that, I rate this book 4.5 stars. I look forward to reading from Christina Hammonds Reed in the future, and I cannot wait to see what masterpiece she puts out next.

This book is a love letter to the city of Angels. It depicts the diversity and beauty of our city with its many imperfections. Thirty years later the story is still very relatable in our entire nation. A must read for everyone.

WOW!!!!! This book grabbed me by the shoulders and didn’t let go. It was very well-written and immersive. I felt like I was right there with Ash. For a lot of the book, it felt like the events were happening in slow motion or in another world. I think that’s exactly what Reed is aiming for the reader — because that’s how Ash feels. She feels a bit removed from the friends she’s had since she was a child. She feels removed from her familial relationships. And she feels removed from the Black community. Through the setting, Reed perfectly captures an atmosphere that we are able to see Ashley become herself.

I wanted to be frustrated with Ashley’s seeming indifference to what was going on, but it’s something I related to. At first, it feels like she doesn’t care, but you realized it’s more than that. She’s doing her best to tread water — with her white friends, her rocky relationship with her parents and sister, and school — and Ashley’s doing the best she can. As events unfold, you see Ashley see the world more for what it is than what she thought it was. She’s finally seeing it beyond her own small world that her parents created, and I love seeing her grow and change as the book continues.

As Ashley starts to really come into herself, she is invited to hang out with the other Black kids at her school, finally exploring that part of her identity. Finding community in your racial group when it isn’t something you grow up with is really helpful and validating for your identity. (**I’m speaking as an Asian American adoptee who grew up in a yt family and a majority yt town. Finding the Asian American community was super important to me, probably more than I realized at the time.) It was super helpful for me when I got to college, and I loved seeing Ashley realizing and exploring this part of her identity a little more critically.

Something that stuck with me was the theme of ancestral history. A point of tension in the book is between Ashley’s father and her uncle over family history. It’s not until later that we find out what it specifically is, but the idea that we must learn our history is woven into this novel nicely. Trying to leave behind and bury history is impossible because it’s an essential part of who we are. (Note: In an attempt to nuance this idea of a personal history, consider those who don’t have access to that history whether it’s because their elders have passed on or it’s obscured by systems and people in power. This is further described and discussed within the book, which was great!)

I also like how fire was used throughout the book. A wildfire (I think?) is used at the very beginning to introduce us to the story. Ashley continually returns to this imagery through describing the scenery around her house and on tv, relating/describing her sister a little in this way, and her nickname is “Ash.” (What rises from the ashes? A phoenix!!) I think it ties back nicely into the idea of remembering where you came from no matter if it’s literally burned down.

Overall, I loved this book! This became a really long review, so I’m going to wrap it up for now. I highly, highly recommend this book!

Happy reading,

Sophie 🙂

If I’m honest, I completely forgot about this book…which is not a great sign, right? Then, when I remembered that I had read it, I remembered that I was sorta “meh” about it, which I hadn’t expected to be. I have read pretty much every YA title that has come out in the last ten years that centers on race/ racial injustice. And I just feel like this one doesn’t do a very good job addressing such an important point. Maybe it’s not my place to say so. I don’t really know. But this is an honest review.