Buford offers a unique perspective that highlights the painful realities faced by the Black community. The depth of character development and rich setting details draw readers into the story, allowing us to feel the heart-wrenching emotions of the characters. Each page compels you to seek justice for Marion and his community, making it a powerful and necessary read that lingers long after you finish. This book is both heartbreaking and essential, shining a light on important social issues.

A beautifully written and very important story, unflinching and real. Standing up for justice isn't always easy,

Kneel is a thought-provoking young adult novel that fearlessly tackles the complex and urgent issue of police brutality in our society. Written with honesty and sensitivity, this book captures the raw emotions and harsh realities that many young people face today. It is a compelling and essential addition to the YA genre, shedding light on a crucial topic that demands our attention and empathy.

Candice Buford’s Kneel tells the story of a high school football player who, on the heels of Colin Kaepernick’s NFL kneeling protest, finds himself following in his footsteps much to the chagrin of his community and even his father. While writing young adult fiction that addresses issues of politics, racism, and activism is tricky, Buford finds age-appropriate ways to address serious and all-encompassing issues. This book doesn’t shy away from the alarming rise in shootings of unarmed black men by police, nor does it ignore how taking a stand causes tensions in families and communities.

I appreciated how much care Buford takes with her youth characters as they try to find their voices as they deal with an unjust legal system, alienation from friends, teammates, and families, and how the adults in the book also have to make difficult decisions about their priorities. That said, this book was written at a time when everyone was taking advantage of the market for these kinds of books. “Allyship” turns to simplistic capitalism very quickly from 2020-2021, so I understand the appeal for creating a book. In a world where more conservative legislatures are looking to ban books that address this subject matter, Buford’s book is a great offering for younger readers to see characters that look like themselves and who experience some of the issues that are currently facing them, in language they can understand.
However, there are some difficult parts of this book, for sure. Violence against youth during a football game, verbal and physical assaults that go unpunished, and harsh treatment and abuse from adult figures. I wondered if it was absolutely necessary to have a main character experience all of this racism and mistreatment outside of his home while also being a victim of physical and verbal abuse at home, with an absentee parent as well. That felt like too much trauma for the sake of the plot. Overall, this was a nice book, but it does warrant some conversation before and after reading.

Kneel was a devastatingly accurate portrayal of Black life in America and what the costs can be for taking a stand for what you believe in. This novel posed so many questions about what a Black person can do to defend themselves against systemic racism and oppression. It was a difficult issue handled with care and I appreciate and love that this book was published.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This was a moving, passionate look at racial injustice and the systemic racism still so rampant in our legal justice system, starting with the police force and moving up from there.

Rus just wants to play football with his best friend, get a scholarship to college, and have a chance to make something of himself. He didn’t want to get drawn into the protests, but when he’s just had enough, after his best friend is wrongfully arrested, he takes a knee. He is conflicted throughout the story between doing what is easy, protecting his future, or doing what he knows is right and taking a stand. Through it all he’s still a teen, hanging out with friends, crushing on a girl, wanting to please his coach, his parents, his teachers.

Marion wants the same things as Rus, and they are both on track to get those football scholarships when he’s arrested for a fight on the football field that he didn’t even start. And the white player who started it is let off the hook. In that moment, his college hopes are destroyed unless he can prove that he did nothing wrong, and in a town with a racist police force and DA, that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. He’s devastated, in turns defiant and defeated, with nowhere to go and no one to turn to.

Their story drew me in and I was completely invested in Marion & Rus’s fight. And I felt more connected to taking a knee during the anthem, something I had struggled with in the past.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Liked the premise of the story a lot. The cover really interested me. But overall I was a little disappointed or maybe I just expected a different focus.

Russell Boudreaux fights for fairness in football. Not only are white players treated differently but the treatment can have detrimental impact on players. Russell takes a knee during the national anthem to speak out against this mistreatment but takes backlash from an unlikely place, his community.

"Please rise for the national anthem."
Racism. Injustice. Police brutality.
Football might be Russell's only way out of the small town he is living in. His chances of a scholarship are right there in front of him, until he chooses to take a stand... by kneeling.
Now a target for hatred, the future isn't so certain and feels more out of reach than ever.
Buford's story could (and has) happened anywhere in the US. She raises questions about what we fight for, how we fight, and what our responsibility is in our yearning for equity and justice.

An absolute gut-punch of a novel, and so unfortunately timely. I also appreciated that this was written from Rus' point of view - a unique perspective that lent even more heft. Utterly gripping - highly recommend.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was a book that is needed to read in the times we live in. I will recommend it for sure!

This is such an important topic! I think a lot of teens who are into sports and not big readers will like this book. I've gotten a print copy for my middle school library and am currently highlighting it as part of their DEI-related reading, and I think it fills such a big gap. The writing is straightforward and readable, and overall I think perfect for its audience.

This was one of my most anticipated September releases and it didn't disappoint.

Standing up for what's right is always hard and scary, but I can't imagine how hard it would be if you were a teenager and even more subjected to other people's rules and guidelines. Russell needs to have a great football season because getting scouted and given a scholarship is the only way he'll be able to leave his hometown. But then circumstances change and staying out of politics and protests aren't an option anymore. So he follows his conscience. Some people get it and a lot of people don't.

This is an incredibly important story and it's highly recommended.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Very good book, solid story. It was interesting to see the conversation that this book brought up,. Makes you think a lot.

Unflinching look at a Black teen and community facing poverty and racial injustice. The tie-in to football and Colin Kaepernick will attract readers, and Buford provides a realistic and nuanced look at the decision to protest.

Although I will admit I am not a sports fan I did really enjoy this novel because I became invested in the characters. I have been trying to read outside my comfort level and was pleasantly surprised that I was able to connect to the bonds of the team mates. I really appreciated how Buford pulled me in to the story and made me feel for the characters and for the situations they were facing. This will be an easy story to book talk and I know it will fly off the shelf in my high school library.

I'm ready to hand this to all the sports-loving teens in Bookish. But, more than that every person ought to understand the realities of our society today. The system is rigged and until we all accept that and commit to change the injustices will continue.

I wasn't as engaged in this story about a football team at a majority Black high school in Louisiana dealing with blatant racism from the football players at a majority white high school as I wanted to be. However the plot is excellent and the end made reading the book worth it - the writing just started out flat for me. This will still attract a lot of readers who will hopefully be inspired by the story.

Kneel by Candace Buford is the first book I've seen for YA readers that focuses on the subject of Black Lives Matter by pointing its attention into kneeling during the National Anthem to protest against police brutality. It takes place in a poor area of Louisiana where the community is mainly made of blue collar workers who live paycheck to paycheck, understanding their limitations due to the area they live in and the overbearing presence of the police whose prejudice is blatant and unapologetic. The recent murder of a young black man has everyone on edge, especially the teen boys who live there. The powerful football team in the community is the only way some of the characters see that they can escape, and the rivalry with a nearby white and wealthy school presents an ugly inequality between not only the treatment of the young men on the two teams, but the facilities and opportunities each has access to. With a mystery protestor posting flyers calling out the racist police force putting everyone on edge, the football team is treading lightly to avoid becoming targets. When the police brutality and prejudice gets out of hand, and the main character, Rus, decides to take a knee during the National Anthem to nonviolently bring attention to the issue. He never anticipates just how much controversy he will cause, even in his own family, not to mention the hatred of so many people around him. Much like The Hate You Give, Kneel places readers in a situation many of them will never experience, but one that all people can learn empathy from. As cases like Rus' and his teammate and friend Marion's appear daily on our TV screens and across our newsfeeds, it's so easy to become immune to them. This is a compelling book that will help readers gain insight and understanding into not only racism and prejudice, but also entitlement and continuing inequity. Kneel needs to be on a shelf right beside The Hate You Give and Dear Martin as must-reads for today's youth. It is most appropriate for high school, I . As middle school librarian, I'll wait to see what interest level professional reviewers assign it before ordering a copy, but if it's rated for grades 8+, I will definitely want to order it.