Stephen doesn't want to "stay in his lane." He's more than his racial identity, but now that he's twelve, the world is starting to feel different. He talks with his Dad about his experiences and is alerted to the reality of the biases of people around him. He is suddenly a Black man - a threat or troublemaker to some. His dad advises that he is not like his white friends - he must think twice before he acts once.

What Lane? is a quick read that will resonate with readers of all ages. It serves as a mirror for young Black or biracial kids and a window for whites may not know anything about implicit bias or racism. It is a powerful read. I recommend it for all collections. It will serve all communities well.

What Lane is a story for every middle school library! Stephen has a black father and white mother. Mom insists he is mixed but society looks at him as a black male. Torrey Maldonado opens your eyes to the inequalities and the divide created by the world. I agree with Stephen, we should not be stuck in one lane.

What Lane? by Torry Maldonado looks at the issue of racism through the eyes of a modern teenager and show the struggle that Black young people still experience in our contemporary society. It is a fast read and will appeal to reluctant readers. I recommend for any middle and high school library, or any that serves adolescents and young adults.

Racism isn’t quiet. It isn’t pretty or hidden. It’s right in front of us, more for some than others. This book brings light to a serious issue that plagues our society to this day. Thank you Torrey for writing about it—giving it a face for our students to see. They are the future that can help change our world. #weneeddiversebooks

Such a fabulous book about a biracial boy and his identity. Middle grade teachers- use this book in your classroom with the #DisruptTexts guide.

https://storage.googleapis.com/classroom-portal-production/uploads/2020/11/47136c91-disrupt-texts-guide.pdf

It's sooooo good. Sorry, that's not much of a review, but I've been recommending it on goodreads and in person when people ask about books for classrooms.

Stephen wears a bracelet with the slogan “What lane?” Emblazoned on it as a reminder that he is not limited by anything and can be whatever he can dream about being. But being a Black boy means that some will always try to put him in a place that they want him to be and will make assumptions about his character as soon as they see him. With the help of Dan, a Caucasian boy he has been best friend with for years, and Black friend Wes, Stephen battles his fears of looking weak in front of Chad and processes his awareness that some will never acknowledge his potential. Readers of all races will find aspects of this book to relate to and will come away with a greater understanding of stereotyping and the harm it causes plus a feeling of hope that no one is stuck in just one lane. Recommended for libraries serving grades 5-8. No sexual content or profanity and the violence is mild and necessary to the storyline.

Half-black, half-white, Stephen and his mother have always seen him as “mixed race.” When his dad’s cousin, Chad, arrives on the scene, however, his racist attitude becomes apparent. Soon, Stephen begins to see how the rest of the world sees him and how many people can’t see past his skin color. Being perceived as trouble, for example, when his friend is seen as harmless. Will Stephen find a way to cope with being different? The author does a great job of handling a sensitive, timely topic. The characters are well-developed, flawed, and easy to relate to. Those interested learning more about racism or who like realistic fiction, friendship stories, and books about self-discovery will enjoy reading this book.

Please Note: A copy of this book was provided to us by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed, however, are our own. No financial compensation was received.

Half-black, half-white, Stephen and his mother have always seen him as “mixed race.” However, to the rest of the world, many people cannot see past the color of his skin and judge him based off what they see in the media and pre-conceived notions. Being perceived as trouble when his friend is seen as harmless, for the same actions, can be considered dangerous. Will Stephen figure out a happy medium for himself? Will he and his friend find a way to still be friends despite racial differences? An engaging, timely novel about self-discovery that does a great job of tactfully handling a sensitive topic. The characters are realistic and easy to relate to. Readers who are interested in the topic or who like realistic fiction, friendship stories, and current events will enjoy reading this book.
Please note: This was a complementary review copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.

Stephen has always thought of himself as “mixed” – but it hasn’t really mattered that much before. But recently, Stephen feels caught between two lanes and then he starts to notice that some people treat him differently than his white friends. Then, Stephen discovers the Black Lives Matter movement at school, and begins to realize the racism he experiences everyday in interactions with strangers, shopkeepers, or his best friend Dan’s racist cousin Chad. Stephen does his part to make his classmates aware of injustices Black people face everyday while trying to avoid being cornered into one lane.

This slim novel is at times hopeful and heartbreaking. As a white reader, this book was eye-opening – following along with a biracial boy as he comes to the realization that people will hate him because of the color of his skin and that hate can bring dire consequences. This book is a great conversation starter about racial profiling, police violence against Black people and allyship – through the eyes of a brave, young protagonist.

I am shocked that I am not seeing this book on more middle grade lists. A quick read, about middle school boys in NY. They tackle universal topics like friendship and family, a multiracial family. Maldonado does a wonderful job of being authentic and up front with the day to day issues the boys face.

Stephen's mom is white and his dad is Black. Stephen begins to see that the world treats him differently than his best friend who is white. Stephen learns how to navigate peer pressure, his parents differing expectations, having friends from different races, and how to find his inner voice, Relevant and a quick read, this book should be in every 4th-6th grade classroom. Many students will relate to the issues Stephen faces.

Stephen is twelve, loves Miles Morales, and hanging out with his best friend, Dan. Although Stephen is biracial, his black father says that he is black because the world sees him as black. And he's getting increasingly frustrated. Stephen sees how differently people treat him versus Dan who is white.

There are a lot of issues that are covered in this book and are incredibly salient and necessary today. Stephen's white mother is a little too naive about the realities of race while his father wants to discuss everything with him. Teachers treat him differently when they find out he's biracial. He experiences profiling by store clerks. And even is targeted by other students.

I would definitely recommend this book and encourage 5-6th graders to read this. However, I did find that there wasn't much nuance or depth to this. While the conversations between the kids felt real, some of the relationships felt rushed. Overall, it was a very quick read and good for reluctant readers.

The main character, A 6th-grader named Stephen, is what his mother calls "mixed": half African-American, half white. His best friend, Dan, is white, but Stephen is starting to notice that people like the building superintendent, or the shopkeeper down the street are quick to suspect him of doing something wrong, though they never accuse Dan of the same things, even when they are standing together.

He starts to notice that kids of color seem to be in different lanes than white kids. His white mom doesn't want him to think about it too much, but his African-American dad talks to him about a 12-year-old boy, Tamir Rice, shot by police officers because they made snap judgments after seeing him with a toy gun.

The story is nuanced and avoids easy answers and tying things up with a bow. Stephen is at a time in his life when he is trying to take in a bewildering number of points of view. There are his white friends who understand a little, but not all, of what he is going through. There is his black friend who doesn't understand why he is hanging out with white people so much of the time. There are the white classmates who want to deny what is happening to people of color. And there is his white friend's cousin, who is openly antagonistic to him.

Things come to a head when Stephen is actually injured by someone. The resolution is open-ended, and leaves the readers to think about how well the friends' plan to deal with the bullies would work. This short book would be a great starter to help a group of readers discuss racism in our society.

I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley

More and more young people are becoming aware of the ugly prejudices around them, but even so, many don't see the microaggressions that are prevalent in our society, nor the internal racism that many people act upon when they see someone of color. Often they may not even realize they are having these thoughts or feelings. What Lane? focuses on a young man with an African-American dad and white mom, who is becoming more and more aware of the big and small differences in his treatment by others because of the color of his skin. While there is a range of prejudice in here (varying from a classmate who is blatant about his racism, to caring friends who need racist words and actions pointed out to see them for what they are), Maldonado handles the subject in such a way that middle grade students can become aware of the issues presented here without the mature content and language that some young adult books about the Black Lives Matter movement contain. Using What Lane? as a classroom read aloud or book study could prompt enlightening discussions about racism and open students' eyes to subtle and not-so-subtle examples of it in our everyday lives, though anyone reading it independently or with their family will gain insight from its story.

This is the book for readers not quite ready for Dear Martin by Nic Stone and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.
A great book to introduce conversations about race and finding where you belong -- Stephen is beginning to struggle with where he fits being a mixed kid. What lane does he belong in? Should it matter which lane he chooses? Why?

Another book that handles race relations in a manner that children can understand and appreciate. Stephen's character brought some new insight for me in his struggle with which lane he should be in when playing with his black, white and Latino friends.

What Lane? explores what it is like to grow up a mixed race in modern society. Stephen's mother is white and his father is black, and the older he gets, the more of a divide between the two races he sees. He begins to notice how his white friends actions have different consequences than when he does the same thing. When his best friends' cousin moves to town, the differences become more apparent.

The only minimal complaint I have about this book is that the main character, Stephen, is almost an exact replica of Bryan in the novel Tight. Other than that, the language is authentic and provides real situations to think about. This novel is a fantastic introduction into social justice and the differences in how people are treated based on their skin tone. I've wanted to teach something like this in my own classroom, but since I teach 6th grade, many of the books are not approved at junior high level (All-American Boys, THUG, Dear Martin, etc.) This book could be paired with articles on Tamir Rice and can start the conversation on police brutality and the mistreatment of minorities based on their skin tone. The ending especially leaves a lot open to interpretation, and allows for students to think about what happens next.

Thank you, Mr. Maldonado, for providing a middle grade novel about this subject.

After reading Torrey Maldonado’s book Tight, I was looking forward to this one. It does not disappoint! This book will be appealing to my reluctant middle grade readers because of it’s length, yet Maldonado manages to pack a large punch in those pages.

Stephen is twelve and lives in Brooklyn with his father. Through this book he is learning what it feels like to navigate through friendships and the world while experiencing the microagressions of racism. It is timely and relevant and many readers will relate to the struggles that Stephen is experiencing.

The publisher Penguin Young Reader Group generously provided me with a copy of the book upon request on NetGalley. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

What Lane? by Torrey Maldonado helps show how to handle life when others step into your lane or expect you to travel in their lane.

Stephen and Dan have been friends forever. Now that Stephen is older, people see him differently. Instead of seeing a cute kid, they see a black kid. Never mind that he's "mixed" as his mother says, implying that fact makes him less inclined to be subjected to racism. Stephen's neighborhood is generally white and he's never really thought about being treated differently. He begins to notice that people look at him with distrust. Dan can also get away with more behaviors than Stephen can because he's white. Stephen uses these instances to demonstrate to Dan that people are not all treated the same.

Stephen wears a bracelet that becomes the metaphor for the novel: What Lane? He begins to see that people suggest or bully others into doing things they wouldn't do themselves; in other words, playing in someone else's lane instead of staying in your own. The bully/racist is Dan's cousin who has recently moved nearby. Chad treats Stephen with disdain, claiming he's just kidding. He's always challenging people to do things that they shouldn't do. He can't always do these challenges himself, and he runs when confronted with someone like himself who treats him badly. It takes Dan a while to see the true Chad, but Stephen and his black friends see the true Chad immediately.

The characters represent, what I would hope, is a typical group of friends from school. Stephen successfully navigates friends from all races and nationalities because they see each other as friends where it's who the person is as a person that counts. Stephen understands that when he's with his black friends, they understand that you have to act differently. He also enjoys his other friends because they are friends.

Eventually, there is a discussion of the injustices that have been done to young black men by white cops. The reason I like the book is that this isn't a book about anger or retaliation. It's a book about truth. They discuss facts and present them to people in his class who can't see it because they don't live it. Whether these kids believe or don't believe also means that you don't blame them or get angry with them. Maybe in time, they will see the truth. Also, it discusses how to deal with people like Chad whose racism is hidden behind "kidding." The end shows that changing lanes doesn't solve the problem. Letting people see the truth is one of the steps in maybe helping all people stay peaceful and accepting of all people.