A very emotional and impactful read. Many scenes completely took my breath away. This is a necessary story to illuminate some of the unfortunate ways that our country treats people differently in this world. I really think I'll read this book several times as there are some big themes I want to take time to digest.

“Me and you against the world, right?”

This book was a powerful debut. I don’t even know if I have the vocabulary to describe how beautiful this book was.

The theme of this book is how Black individuals are treated much differently than White individuals when it comes to crime & punishment. When a Black girl goes missing, no one bats an eye. But when a White girl vanishes? Everyone is out there looking. And trust me, that’s a hard pill to swallow but it’s truth.

The love that our main character had for his family and the passion he has for life, despite the hand that he was dealt, was refreshing and motivating. He did not stop at anything and along the journey he learned a lot about himself and his community.... and this was a DEBUT!

The writing too was stunning! It sucks you right in and I didn’t want to put this down. I had to force myself to put my Kindle down so I could get decent sleep.

I’m ending 2020, the most controversial & painful year finishing this beautiful, raw, and passionate book. I highly recommend it to all my fellow readers out there!

High school student Jay is sick of his sister Nic's behavior since she started hanging out with the neighborhood drug dealer. He's tired of covering for her when she doesn't show up at school or at home for a day or two at a time. This time is different though. Nic has been gone too long. Jay vows to find her and bring her home but it proves to be much more difficult than he thought. He realizes that when you look like him, the police don't put a whole lot of effort into finding your loved ones. I wasn't expecting this to be a thriller, but it really was. It kept me guessing the whole way through.
#whenyoulooklikeus #NetGalley

I thoroughly enjoyed when you look like us by Pamela N Harris! I found the characters fascinating, the writing style was very realistic and the plot was unfortunately relatable for many people. The book was captivating and inspiring. Would recommend

And just like that, I am ending this hellish year with a review for WHEN YOU LOOK LIKE US by Pamela N. Harris. Thank you to @booksforwardpr and @harperkids (#QuillTreeBooks) for the eARC to review!

This YA book focuses on Jay - who is trying to figure out what happened to his sister, Nic, after a party last Thursday night…she hasn’t been seen or heard from since. However, as Jay tries to find his sister, he realizes how difficult it is to enlist any real help or get people to care about a missing Black girl from a public housing neighborhood. An #OwnVoices novel, it is being marketed as perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Tiffany D. Jackson! (And I agree!)

Overall, I really enjoyed this debut novel! It was fast paced, had interesting and wholly-developed characters, and touches on many of the racial inequities that come with the history of redlining, inequitable education, and just overall negative bias towards Black women and girls (particularly from the perspective of law enforcement and the media).

My only true complaint is so so specific. Without too many spoilers, as someone who works with fraternities and sororities in my professional role, I wish the author hadn’t chosen to use a real organization (with real members) in such a negative way in the plot. However, I also completely recognize the privilege and power many of these organizations have and how they have, historically, used that social capital to support racist and misogynistic messaging. Again, such a specific complaint and one that I know is so unique to my professional role. But, even so, that would not stop me from recommending this book to others.

WHEN YOU LOOK LIKE US is out this Tuesday, Jan. 5th!

What does "us" look like? Brown skin, brown eyes, black hair, braids or fades, according to Jay Murphy. Most people assume we are trouble. And sadly, no one thinks twice about a missing black girl. For a minute, even Jay assumed his sister, Nicole, was off hanging with her boyfriend. But she's been gone too long. When the police department doesn't do anything about the missing persons report, Jay takes it upon himself to find and bring Nicole back home.

When You Look Like Us is very timely. How often are people of color treated differently or just plain disregarded? How many black girls are missing and no one seems to care? How many times have you started a sentence with, "When you look like us..."? Lastly, how many young black boys have to grow up too early when adults don't step up? Pamela N. Harris brought these issues to the forefront with well written fiction and characters that could easily be our brother or sister.

It's the copyeditor in me that notices small details. *wink, wink* for the book beginning and ending with a thump, thump, thump. So add, add, add it to your reading list for 2021.

Happy Early Pub Day, Pamela N. Harris! When You Look Like Us will be available Tuesday, January 5.

~LiteraryMarie

Sixteen-year-old Jay hasn't had the easiest life. He and his sister, Nic, live with their grandmother (Mimi) following the death of their father and the incarceration of their mother. The three of them make it work until Nic doesn't come home. Jay assumes that she got in too deep with her drug-dealing boyfriend, but Javon hasn't seen her either.

Jay struggles to deal with covering for his sister while trying to find her, worrying about Mimi's health, keeping his grades up, biting his tongue at his part-time job, and dodging blows from all sides. Where is Nic? Can Jay find her before it's too late? Why won't the police take Jay's concerns for his sister seriously? Is anyone searching for these missing Black girls?

If you loved "Grown," "Monday's Not Coming," and "This is My America" then be sure to pick up "When You Look Like Us" on January 5, 2021!

Well this took me on a rollercoaster ride! I wasn’t totally sure what to expect when I started this novel, but I was thoroughly pleased. Following Jay’s self realization journey along with trying to find his sister was a wild ride! I’m here for Jay because he has a support system, doesn’t realize it, and like a true support system, they stay around because they know Jay isn’t a lost cause. Well done character development and a plot that moved at just the right speed!

This book was so phenomenal. A mystery filled with dynamic characters, plot twists, and a real consideration for what it means to judge someone. I think my favorite aspect was Jay, the main character. He is flawed. But his coming to terms with those flaws, his self awareness and growth, were so beautiful.

Book Review for When You Look Like Us by Pamela N. Harris
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

A heart breaking story about family, and lost. This story follow Jayson a high school teenager who trying to hold down his sister and take care of grandmother , all while trying to handle the pressures of life . His burden become heavier when his sister Nic goes missing. Determine find her , he teams up with an unlikely ally , doing everything possible to bring her home, even if everyone one else seems to give up hope .
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I love the development of Jays character , how throughout the story he grows and matured , confronting his own beliefs and stereotypes. A powerful story about overcoming obstacles and fighting together .

Jayson has been trying to hold it down for his sister, who is running a little wild, and his grandmother, who is having health problems. When his sister Nic goes missing Jayson is determined to find her dead or alive and not let her become another story for the media about the “poor little black girl.” Working to counter other people’s stereotypes of people who look and live like him qnd his family, he also has to confront some beliefs of his own about the people around him. A powerful story about fighting for your family, sticking together and being open. A great read!

"When You Look Like Us" by Pamela Harris is a novel that centers around the main character, Jay, and his search for his sister who went missing after a party. Nic's disappearance coincides with his grandmother's failing health, school responsibilities, a new job, overall teenage emotions, a deceased father, an incarcerated mother, and overall societal factors that make life hard for Black men. Needless to say, Jay has a lot going on, and on top of this, the police don't seem too concerned about his sister's disappearance and engage in victim blaming. I thought the characters and the dialogue was good, and I liked the way that Harris included all of the happenings in Jay's life without it feeling too forced. I thought this was really good YA lit, and I recommend it!

Pamela N. Harris's "When You Look Like Us" is a thrilling and timely novel that explores the disparities of justice for girls of color.

“When you look like us—brown skin, brown eyes, black braids or fades—people think you’re trouble. No one looks twice at a missing black girl from the projects because she must’ve brought whatever happened to her upon herself.”

I loved every second of reading this book, despite how frustrating and exasperating it was throughout. This book is marketed as Young Adult, but I think readers of all ages will appreciate the commentary on society that this book provides, while also boasting an amazing and diverse cast of characters who will suck you into their worlds.

I genuinely enjoyed reading "When You Look Like Us." I thought this book was well written and very timely. The characters were relatable and it was easy to empathize with Jay in his search for Nic. I was often frustrated by his attempt to stay out of her business, and I think good writing makes the reader feel these types of emotions. I was constantly hoping that Jay would get it together and so it built investment as he was going through this process. The characters were developed and Jay's growth specifically was strong. The book touched on important topics and brought to light how easily it is to make assumptions about people, even within a specific community, because of how society in general is so quick to have such biases. I look forward to this book's publication and recommending it to my students!

OMG this was an awesome book! It's absolutely rare that I ever think, "I wish there were more than five stars!" but this one fits that bill. As someone who reviews constantly, edits frequently, and is also a published author with constant deadlines, it's also rare that I get caught up at 11 o'clock at night finishing a book, but this one did that too.

What set this book apart for me--as someone who was an English teacher for 24 years and taught in juvenile corrections, so knows her way around diverse voices in YA--was the fact that this was not just another "my terrible life in the ghetto" book. This story accurately portrayed the greater reality, that man students who would be considered at-risk and who may live in less-than-ideal conditions also attend schools with affluent students. Too many people think of "black schools" and "white schools" instead of schools filled with students of every race and color, as well as every income level and need.

Aside from that aspect which first made me fall in love with this book, the author seamlessly weaves a story of a typical teenager who happens to face tremendous obstacles. Yes, his father is absent, but it's due to cancer (not the stereotype). Yes, his mother is in prison, but it's due to alcoholism caused by grief that led to a DUI (again, not the stereotype). Yes, the protagonist is a young black male, but as even he points out, his pants don't sag and he's being hounded throughout the book to accept the position of co-editor of his high school's lit mag. No stereotypes there either, just a normal, semi-adjusted student.

His problems arise early when his sister disappears. This is where the stereotypes hit hard, though. Jay turns to the police, who dismiss him outright. A local news channel picks up the story to do a public plea, then turns it into a scandal piece and paints his sister as a drug-using dropout who's dating a drug dealer. Suffice to say, the "bad guys" in the book turn out to be heroes, the "good guys" are the worst of the worst.

It was great to see a book that was so intricately woven, so well-written, and so engaging that also manages to blow apart the stereotypes. Highly recommend this read!!!

I think this book is incredibly relevant and is a story and perspective that needs to be told. Pamela N. Harris does a great job bringing the neighborhood to life; the setting felt vibrant and drew me into the story. I think the downfall was the confusing nature of the main character, Jay's portrayal. He seemed to flip flop in personality pretty often and it was hard to really feel like I understood him or his motivation.

I loved this book. It is relevant, especially with the things going on in the world right now. Teaching in an inner-city, low socioeconomic district, this fits my students and their personal experiences. I would really recommend this to teachers, parents, and high school-aged children but it would be beneficial for teens of all races, It is a look at why we need equity in this world, For POC it lets them feel as if they are not alone, and for everyone else, it shows them how POC are not different,

A great story about a missing girl and how the system isn't fair when girls go missing and they're black instead of blonde-haired and blue-eyed. Skin color is often seen as "troublesome" above all else. In this story, we meet Jay, who is desperately looking for his missing sister, despite being told that she's probably on drugs out there and she will be home soon. A page-turner that will keep you reading until you're finished.

3.5 Stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for a chance to read this book!

“When you look like us—brown skin, brown eyes, black braids or fades—people think you’re trouble. No one looks twice at a missing black girl from the projects because she must’ve brought whatever happened to her upon herself.”

Jay is used to covering for his sister, Nic, ever since she got caught up with her drug dealer boyfriend. Jay doesn’t want to play his sister’s keeper anymore so the night she calls being sketchy, he assumes she high again and wasting his time. Problem is that Nicole seemingly vanishes off the face of the earth after that call. Now Jay’s on the hunt for his sister and he won’t stop until he brings her home.

‘When You Look Like Us’ is a solid book dealing with the very real issue of Black girls going missing in America and as a Black girl, it felt familiar in the best and worst ways. Pamela Harris does an excellent job describing the workings of Jay’s neighborhood─ the good and the bad. She nails the sense of community when you grow up somewhere like the Ducts, everybody knows everybody and someone’s grandma is always trying to feed you. Every character felt like someone I’ve come across at one point or another. She touches on the difficult issues too; microaggressions, the cycle of poverty, and the way people assume they know all there is to know about you because they know your skin color and zip code.

The cast of side characters is diverse and entertaining. The only problem is that I found myself more interested in them rather than in the MC Jay.

Jay is a great grandson, a good brother, but a pretty terrible friend. He constantly pushes away people and convinces himself it’s for their sake, but it really feels like some unresolved insecurity. He can be so contradictory that it gets frustrating at times. He manages to be a total pushover one minute and then stubborn as a mule the next, but never at the right time it seems.