An incredible story about the power of friendship and believing in one another. While there are many issues that come up in the story, Stone offers a solid picture of what it looks like to value another person's life and fight for them when they cannot do so themselves. This is an incredible read for teenagers especially, but also good for adults. The letters Quan writes to Justyce help him process what he's going through and allow Quan to be vulnerable with someone so much so that Justyce steps it up. Even though the two boys are from the same area, their lives end up going separate ways, presenting readers with thought-provoking issues that need to be discussed as we move forward in creating a more human-centered world (and yes, YOU are involved in that whether you want to be or not - follow in Justyce's footsteps and show up for those who need it).

I loved (and wept through) Dear Martin. The rawness of Justyce’s letters to Martin- the anger, the grief, the injustice. Start here, if you haven’t read it. It’s powerful, and my students love reading it.

Then immediately move to Dear Justyce. I heard @nikstone was going to release Dear Justyce, a second novel to Dear Martin, and I knew I needed to be a part of this. This will be another great addition to my classroom library.

This novel takes the perspective of Quan. Quan, who has an incarcerated father, a difficult step father, a mother who believes he’s trouble. Quan, who has nightmares about his father’s arrest, seeks solitude in the quiet rocket on the playground, is caught up in so many wrong place-wrong time moments. Quan who feels abandoned by all those people we *think* should be his solitude and support system.

Quan is incarcerated, and he writes letters to Justyce- the same Justyce from Dear Martin that Quan meets as a young man on the playground. The same Justyce that fights for all he believes to be true about Quan, all he believes is wrong in the world Quan grew up in, all that is right in his heart.

I wept for the utter garbage that was piled upon Quan, the injustices that anger me and I hear daily from my students, and I wept for Justyce and his undying determination to succeed for Quan.

This novel is a must read; it is raw; it is real; it is NOW.

A copy of this WILL be in my classroom.

Quan has just pleaded not guilty in the shooting death of a police officer. He is in a holding cell and waiting for his trial date to come. Through a series of flashbacks, Quan begins to think about the events that led him to this point. He also begins writing Justyce, the protagonist of Dear Martin, and explores his feelings about these years. Quan’s life started on a shaky framework when he watched his father being carted off to jail. What thoughts were going through Quan’s mind as he lived a troubled childhood? What flaws will be explored about the American justice system and minority boys?

Dear Justyce is the sequel to Dear Martin that was never meant to be written. Stone states that the original book was supposed to be a one and done, but after receiving letters from boys who thought they weren’t fully represented in the first novel, she took on the challenge to embrace some hard truths. This is a quick read, so even the most reluctant reader is encouraged to give it a try. Whether you identify as Quan, Justyce, or neither, readers will find their heartstrings pulled as they turn the pages.

To raise a child you need a community but sometimes it just takes one person to save a lost soul. Dear Justyce is a raw look into what happens when a young African American boy feels invisible and looks for a "family" outside his biological relatives. Stone is a master at her craft, tapping into the authentic emotions and realistic situations that Young black youth experience. The dual narrative that drives the story is eloquent, giving a clear and coherent path. The letters provide the most insight into the dual nature of the story. How wealth and status can give some elevation but at the end of the day the color of your skin still trumps all. The theme of invisibility is a strong narrative and one that should be taken to heart. Stone unravels Quan's story in a way that will connect with readers, while also voicing the true reality for most people of color. The deep rooted urge to be seen as more than just a burden and the unrelenting systemic racism pushed on young children of color radiates through the book. Quan constantly tries to prove himself but is defeated repeatedly by the color of his skin. This book is a call to our society to really see passed skin color and stereotypes so that Quan's story can remain a fiction one.

I finished this book awhile ago and had to rake time to try to find the right words to describe this book. I don’t think I have found the right words but here it goes.
If you read ‘Dear Martin’ then you know how powerful Stone’s work is and this book is just as powerful. If you haven’t read ‘Dear Martin’, read it. It’ll give you a glimpse into the racial identity many black kids encounter.
‘Dear Justyce’ gives you a glimpse into the lives of everyday black kids. The ones you hear about on tv and social media, the thugs and what not. As a half black woman, this book brought me to tears. Knowing that my life could’ve possibly ended up like Quans, or similar to.
Stone gives a voice to the many kids in the system who don’t have someone to speak for them.
I highly recommend reading this book, especially during this time of racial injustice being blasted on social media. This will give you an idea as to how those who are black are treated by our so called justice system.

4 stars.
SO good. this was so well done and I loved seeing how minor moments and decisions led Quan down the path to incarceration. it made me think of so many different issues such as systemic racism, mass incarceration, poverty, gang violence, redlining, etc etc. AND it made me cry multiple times. the only thing that brought this down for me was Part 2 - I was just enjoying being in Quan's head so much I was a little disappointed when we switched to Justyce's perspective. this was probably heightened by the fact that I was someone who didn't absolutely love Dear Martin.
overall, still so incredibly good and incredibly well done and would definitely recommend.

My feelings on this are a bit messy!! I have some QUALMS. Obviously not any that are big enough for me to give anything less than 4 stars. But a non-5 star review for Nic is new territory for me and feels WRONG.

The first half of the book is a sort of "how did we get here" backstory on Quan, which, to me, made it feel like... you know when a book is really successful and the author puts out a sort of NOVELLA EPILOGUE for the fans? That's what it felt like to me. Some extra backstory to go with the first book, but not really feeling like... its own book. And it wasn't as hard hitting as I expected, but I think maybe I'm jaded. I felt for Quan, but with every bad thing that happened to him, I was sort of like, "yup. That's how it goes. It sucks." I didn't feel the emotional ups and downs I would have expected. Maybe someone new to this subject matter would have more of a reaction. I feel like the things that make me most invested in a character were missing... but that's because Quan had such a rough life with no support, that he was almost a shell of who he could have been. And then Justyce and SJ. I was so excited to see them back because I loved them so much in Dear Martin. But the short scenes with SJ made me actually really dislike her. I don't know what happened. She seemed really obnoxious. And Justyce, again, I feel like we didn't get that much on him to really enjoy him being there.

And then my other main issue, is that a lot of what happened in the second half was hard to believe. Nic herself said in the note at the end that she had to take some artistic license and pointed out a few things that wouldn't really have happened, or wouldn't likely happen. It all seemed too easy and too tied up. Too much of an effortless happy ending. Too strong and loving a support system for Quan in jail, realistically speaking. And also no horror stories of what life in jail or a detention center can really be like. I'm sure it's no walk in the park. And without giving too much away, Justyce seemed to be given a few too many liberties when it came to his involvement in Quan's case. He is only a teenager still. But I get why she made these choices - she wanted to give people hope and show how things can turn out when someone is given a chance and properly cared for and loved. And considering the fact that this is a book for young teenagers, I think she did just the right thing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this follow-up to Dear Martin, which is out 9.29.20. Wrongfully incarcerated teen Quan, a childhood acquaintance of Justyce from Dear Martin, writes letters to Jus while he is away at Yale. The author explores Quan’s life, his choices, and what led him to confess to a murder he didn’t commit. Highly recommend for grades 8+.

Perfect follow-up to Dear Martin, but strong enough to stand on its own. Readers will quickly root for Quan just as they had for Jus. The diversity in experience for young black men is varied and Stone uses this as a way to address some of those different experiences.

I literally just read this book in one sitting. I am not unfamiliar with the author - I requested the opportunity to read Dear Justyce because I previously read Odd One Out and that took me to Dear Martin. So I knew I was in for a ride reading this new book.

Dear Justyce does not disappoint. Justyce is the main character in Dear Martin, who writes letters to Martin Luther King. The main character in this book, Quan, is a letter writer as well - but he writes to his friend Justyce, who is a pre-law major at Yale. Quan is incarcerated, and in his letters as well as the narrative chapters surrounding the letters, we learn that Quan's father was also incarcerated, his mother was abused by the man who fathered Quan's siblings, and Quan found himself getting involved with the wrong group of men. Quan is incarcerated awaiting a trial; he's charged with murdering a police officer.

But when Quan sends a confession in a letter to Justyce, Justyce pulls out all the stops to help his friend, including getting Quan a better lawyer (Justyce's girlfriend's mother) and talking to people on Quan's behalf. Stone's ability to take the reader into a place so painful it hurts is wonderful. I know how that sounds, but I really felt like I knew Quan and my heart ached for him the entire book. I am a white, cis het fifty year old woman and I teach high school; my students are largely lower income and of color. So when I find a book so beautifully written that stars kids who could be/could have been my students, I see them. I see what they need and I hope I can help give it to them; Stone's books help me see what I can't in my own world.

I love Nic Stone as an author and I hope one day I can meet her and tell her the kind of impact her books have on me and how they help shape how I look at, treat, and relate to my students of color. This, like the rest of Stone's back catalog, is an absolute must read.

Nic Stone has done it again! I wasn't sure if I was going to love this one as much as Dear Martin because I just LOVED that one so much, but Dear Justyce totally blew me away. Stone filled this book with so many facts of injustices that it really makes the reader take a step back, deeper breath, and a deeper look at the reality of our broken systems. Of course, the sad and ugly truth is that even though this book is fiction, it is based on very real-life injustices.

My own brother has been part of the system since he was a juvenile. All it took was that one time and that was it, he never felt free again. Have you ever heard the saying "Free world"? My brother though is white. He's been on an off drugs his whole adult life. This past time he was locked up, I wanted to get more facts from him about the inside of the detention centers and jails and Nic Stone is right on point! I can't tell you all the details my brother just yet, but let me tell you, the Miranda rights are everyone's rights but are repeatedly taken away and coercion does exist!

The realness of what is happening in these detention centers, jails, and prison systems is not only unjust but inhumane. Just how many people, have been wrongfully tried? Dear Justyce makes the reader realize that the underprivileged youth DO NOT have all the choices that others do. They DO NOT have the same freedoms that others do.

We have to get rid of our prejudices and stereotypes. It's not enough to say we are not racist. We must be ANTI-RACIST and work together, stronger, to build a better future for our young men and women in our societies. Create a just system. An honest system. Transparency is key! Sharing your stories of injustice is a must! We need to get to the roots, dig them out, and re-plant justice!

Thank you Nic Stone for sharing these stories. You are amazing!

Another powerful book from the likes of Nic Stone! It hits you hard and is a powerful follow up from the first, Dear Martin. This book is the story and gives voice to so many young people today. Just stunning.

A very good companion/followup to Dear Martin which brings in a different but equally necessary - and perhaps more common - situation and perspective. Quan's voice is strong and it's easy to get into his head, to relate to and sympathize with him. The flashbacks, narrative scenes, the letters were all well written, although the pieces from Justyce's POV felt somewhat choppier or less smoothly integrated, and I'm not sure that some of the stylistic flourishes came through well (maybe just because of the ARC layout?).

Based on the author's note, it's clear that a lot of thought was put into the balance between hope and realism and I don't know whether including so much which sets Quan's situation apart (he has connections, however indirect, to wealth and power; he is able to rely on a support system of concerned, caring, qualified, connected adult professionals while incarcerated; he's traditionally academically inclined; there is clear evidence of mishandling of his case) necessarily strengthen the more universal message of the book, but it did feel fitting for the audience - YA relies, in some ways, on hope. And the book overall does not shy away from complexity, but aims to complicate what some readers might come in thinking is a given narrative or to reflect the multiple truths that some know well but might not have seen in literature before.

Dear Justyce was the perfect sequel to Dear Martin. We had the opportunity to see how Quan and Justyce work together to try to right the wrongs of the justice system. Readers of Dear Martin will also be happy to see how Justyce is doing while away at college.

Nic Stone does it again. Dear Justyce is the sequel to Dear Martin (required reading if you haven’t already) and picks up where the first left off, only this time the story follows Quan. Quan is a Black boy who has been arrested for seemingly being at the wrong place at the wrong time. He doesn’t have a support system and starts writing letters to Justyce, who he has known since he was a child. The story shows how often society loses faith in young Black boys and how in doing that it turns their lives around. Quan is smart, but gets mixed in with the wrong crowd. The story is told while Quan is in jail through letters to Justyce, who happens to be in law school, and flashbacks of events that led up to his arrest. Justyce comes up with a plan to help out Quan, who has no one in his corner vouching for him. The book covers how unfair our “justice” system can be to people of color and how systematic racism has people assuming the worst. While this book is a work of fiction, it’s real in that this is happening every day in our country to countless of people. Both of Stone’s books should be taught in schools to help younger people understand the inequality around them. I cannot recommend this book enough – pick it up as soon as you can!

Dear Justyce is a book that dives into the world of systemic racism and the school to prison pipeline. It is a sequel to Dear Martin. I will be honest and say that I have not read Dear Martin yet. I still feel like I was able to get a lot out of this book despite not having that background information of the relationships between the characters.

Quan was very well written, and you could see the moral dilemma he faced in all the decisions he made as he was growing up. It started when he was so proud of doing well on an assignment, but was accused of cheating to get a good grade. That moment changed his trajectory.

This book should be required reading, not only for students, but for teachers and anyone who works with children in any capacity. They need to see how important it is for Black children to have at least one person who will stand firmly in their corner and believe in them. Definitely read the author’s notes in the beginning and the end of this book for additional insight.

I give this book a 4.5/5. I only have two complaints. The first was some of the formatting. I wasn't sure if it was because I was reading a digital advanced copy, or if it is what the final book will actually look like. But it was sometimes confusing to me. The second, was at the end, it was revealed that two of the main characters were gay. My problem was not that they were gay, but it felt like it was thrown in as an afterthought, to include LGBTQ+ characters, and seemed a little odd.

I received a digital ARC of this book thanks to the publisher and Netgalley.

I loved this book, possibly even more than Dear Martin. It's difficult to read at times, for sure (domestic violence, child abuse and neglect), but Nic Stone's letter at the beginning clearly stated why she wrote this book. It is truly heartbreaking the way Quan is treated and it makes complete sense where he ended up and why. The big twist shocked me. I wasn't sure I liked it at first, but in the end, I think it's just as impactful as if it hadn't happened.
If I had to pick a novel to read with classes, I'd definitely pick this over Dear Martin. I love Dear Martin but find that Dear Justyce shows a more underrepresented voice and viewpoint to teens.

I picked up Dear Martin a week ago on a whim and then remembered that I was sent an e-ARC of the sequel so I made quick work of both books. I liked the first one but wasn't overly excited about it but I had higher hopes for this one since it's been a few years since the author published her debut novel and I wanted to see whether her writing had changed much.

To be honest, I had almost the exact same problems with Justyce as with Martin. I didn't find the story very engaging or deep. It said what it wanted to say and it did solid work but that was about it. We don't get to see much of what prison life is like for an unfairly treated Black youth, which after all is where 75% of the book is set. I also questioned the connection Quan had with Justyce at first - I was wondering what the purpose behind their new friendship was except to justify a sequel, but it made more sense later on when we saw more of Justyce and his friends. Anyway, the plot didn't manage to surprise me or excite me but it spoke a clear message of hope. It all seemed pretty straightforward and if anything somewhat too simple.

There were two things that really bothered me though: In book one I felt as if the story was fractured and only told in haphazard outtakes of Justyce's life. Here I feel this way about the writing. The author experiments with poetry which didn't work for me at all.
I didn't see
the point
of
these
randomly
intersected
lines
that just popped up out of nowhere in the middle of some chapters. There were other moments when the author finds alternative ways to write dialogue or speech and I couldn't decide if I found it creative or confusing. The other thing though was that in the very last chapter on one of the very last pages it is revealed that two - not just one, but two - characters happen to be gay. And I'm still mad about it even after a full night's sleep between finishing this book and writing this review. Are gay people just an afterthought? One of these characters already had a central role in the first book but we're only being told he's gay after everything is already said and done? I find that lazy and frustrating. Seems like someone wanted to cross the finish line, only barely remembered that queer people existed and wanted to receive extra points for diversity. When you get the chance to write valuable and important representation that could be really meaningful and empowering for queer teens and especially queer & Black teens, please don't wait for the very last moment to put it on the page.

This book is a worthy sequel to Dear Martin. Quan is in prison, writing to Justyce of the first book. I don't want to give too much away, but the story is very compelling. I could not put it down and was rooting for Quan from the start. I enjoyed the appearances of characters from Dear Martin, but it was still very much Quan's story. I also liked the format of the book and think many teens will, as well.

This book was received as an ARC from Random House Children's - Crown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

My heart was broken reading this book. I admire the strength Quan went through in the Juvenile Corrections Facility and his letters to Justyce were so heartwarming that they made me cry everytime I read them. With the protests and the Black Lives Matter movement, this book and the book before Dear Martin are good books to read to really understand the struggle and power of positivity Quan went through in his letters to Justyce and no matter what, positivity and love always win. I know a lot of our teachers and students will be asking for this book countless times and I absolutely loved the message it carried throughout the entire book.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.