This is a touching story about two siblings, Reed and Olivia, who face a scary situation with the police. The book talks about how hard it can be for Black teenagers to feel safe because of racial profiling and unfair treatment.

The author, who works as a lawyer, shows the real fear and worry that many Black families experience. He explains how important it is to know your rights while also telling an emotional story. The book is easy to understand and helps readers think about real-life problems without being too serious or confusing.

In short, Come Home Safe is a meaningful book that starts important conversations about race and safety. It’s a great read for teens and adults alike.

I want to preface this by saying the author of the book is a legal analyst and a Legal Aid Society public defender and this book is intended for middle grade readers. I think this book tells an important story and showcases the horrors and injustices African American’s face. I could absolutely see this being read in a classroom setting and while I hate that these are things we should educate on at a young age, I would recommend this for 7th – 8th graders.

The reason I’ve given this a three star rating, with the above in mind is the characters are one dimensional and flat. And while the writing style is for middle grade, it reads more for elementary students and comes off as a textbook and a bit dry vs a narrative of someone’s life experiences. If I were to change anything about the book, it would be the narrative and writing style. A lot of it came off as a monologue and I feel would have been more impactful had we known more of the characters or had it been written out as different stories / experiences vs. everything happening within the same family.

Overall, this book has such an important message and is a textbook / manual on how to handle police situations for people of color. Showing how they can protect themselves in advance when they’re unsure how those in power may handle a situation.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The main characters are endearing. I felt that they weren’t fully developed though. The writing style was more like a textbook than a novel. It tackles difficult subjects well. I felt as though the book was too short to go into depth

With so many stories like this happening around us. I see why the author wrote this novel. The book had me on edge sometimes but I love books that can get this out of me. The stories in this books are very realistic and give insight into parents who worry about their children when they go out into the world.

Come Home Safe is a book that is much needed within our current society. It is real and heartbreaking but sadly right on track with what is going on in our country. As a white female in our society, I have never had to experience the "come home safe" talk with my parents. At least not in the way that those of a different race have and I recognize my privilege in this.

Come Home Safe is a book that is much needed within our current society. It is real and heartbreaking but sadly right on track with what is going on in our country. As a white female in our society, I have never had to experience the "come home safe" talk with my parents. At least not in the way that those of a different race have and I recognize my privilege in this.

Since they were little Olive and Reed have both had to understand the guidelines that would get them home without incident especially when involving the police. Reed even has a small index card that he carries with him at all times that was given to him by his father, a Black district attorney in NYC. That is the reality for them to be able to come home and not become another statistic. Or as is repeatedly brought up, another hash tag.

Both scenarios which Reed and Olive fight themselves in had me on the edge of my seat and my blood boiling. The author Brian Buckmire is a legal analyst and he does a fantastic job of bringing you into their world and the fights which they experience on a daily basis. This really is a "stop and make you think" type of book that is packed with important conversation pieces. The characters feel real as do the scenarios which they find themselves in.

There are no real apologies by the police when it is discovered that there was a mistake made by these accusations. They just go about their day not realizing the full impact which they have had on these children. Meanwhile Olive and Reed are the ones who have to process what happened to them and figure how to either put their anger into a more productive manner or simply move forward. Neither solution is as easy as it seems. I really enjoyed how the reader was brought into their thought processes and could feel their emotions.

I highly recommend Come Home Safe to all readers. It is a fast paced quick read but it really does hold a punch. So many thought provoking conversations can come from this book and honestly I hope that they do. It is important for all of us to gain an understanding of what others may be going through on a daily basis and perhaps work together to find a way to make it better. This book does not hold all the answers per say but, it does hold several lessons. *

Come Home Safe will spark much needed conversation between younger readers and will make older readers realise nobody should ever have to say that to a child or anyone as they leave home for the day to go to school and work. It's a well plotted and cleverly nuanced read.

Come Home Safe is such a powerful read for both teenagers and adults. It would be such a fantastic book to have in classrooms across the country to inspire conversations about race and social injustice.

gave this book 4 stars because I feel it is very important in our society, whatever the country. The author wants to give keys to Black people as how to navigate a world where racism and police brutality are so prevalent. As a novel, it isn't a really captivating or groundbreaking but I still feel it is a read that every non-white person should have. White people too, of course, to really understand how pernacious racism is. I wish the book was better written and the dialogues were more realistic, especially for young teenagers, but it still gave a good idea of what can happen to any non white person in the public space.


Rep: Black people cast, mixed race kids
TW: police brutality, violence, gaslighting, racism

This book was so timely and creates very important discussions around police brutality. I think this book could be very triggering for people and certainly make people uncomfortable but that's the beauty of this piece of work.

14 year old Reed and his 12 year old sister Olive travel home from school together on the subway. Something as ordinary and everyday as this shouldn’t be a problem but when some black teenagers cause a problem and the police come looking for suspects, Reed is targeted simply for being black.

Reed’s dad is a lawyer so he’s taught his children about their rights. More importantly though, he’s taught them how to behave if questioned by the police in order to de-escalate the situation. Advice such as keeping your wallet in your front left pocket so officers don’t think you’re reaching for a weapon and explaining every move you’re making before you make it. As a white, British person, that this advice is needed, I found shocking.

The story is written as two novellas, the first centred around Reed, the second around Olive. In Olive’s story, racial bias is even more prevalent.

This is a great way to teach teenagers how to behave around the police. That this advice shouldn’t be needed is a different matter. I felt the book became a little preachy towards the end of Olive’s story, but it was still a great read which kept me hooked throughout.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It was a very powerful but raw book, a little choppy at moments due to the lengthy explanations which did take away from the storyline. However at the same time it was very good that it was there, to give the insight. I'm very grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this arc.

Thought provoking and powerful. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.

This book was a very raw and real read. If you enjoyed the hate you give or even ace of spades this is the book for you! It was deep and covered heavy topics while still being an easy read.

Fourteen-year-old Reed and twelve-year-old Olive’s dad taught them what to do during
encounters with police, but they didn’t think they would need to use his advice. The first half of
the book follows Reed’s encounter with the police. One day on the subway, the police stopped
Reed because he fit a suspect's description. He followed his father’s advice, but it wasn’t enough
because he was still put in handcuffs and couldn’t defend himself. The book's second part
follows Olive’s story of dealing with the police. A white woman accused her of stealing her
phone, and the police didn’t listen to her account of the situation. It was not until Reed and
Olive’s white mom showed up that the police listened to their story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and liked how the author applied his law background and
included tips for dealing with the police, like always carrying a bright-colored wallet and
keeping it in your left pocket so that the police can quickly tell what it is. The plot is fast-paced,
and I finished the book in one sitting, which is unheard of because I get easily distracted and
bored.
The two siblings are brilliant and stick by each other no matter the situation; after Reed’s
experience, Olive read law textbooks to better understand the police and how to deal with them.
My siblings and I are like them because we would do anything for each other. It was
heartbreaking to read how they felt during and after the alarming situations. For example, the
police detained Reed because he did not narrate his actions when reaching for his soccer ball off
the subway seat.
This book is a must-read. I grew up thinking the police would do anything to help people,
regardless of skin color, but that is not the case. This book has relevant and needed themes in
today’s age. I would definitely read another book by Buckmire.

Unfortunately, this book suffered from the purpose for which the author wrote it. He wanted to teach kids how to advocate for their rights, an absolutely admirable goal. However, to do so, he frequently interrupted the narrative to have the characters remember full length explanations from their public defender dad making the whole book read way more like a morality lesson than a story.

“Dad, I just want to know how to not become a hashtag.”

Books like this really sadden me, but with today’s social climate I understand. This was a quick read, but not an easy one.

The background to this book is fascinating, and it’s both informative and engaging. I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this, but deeply frustrated that it still seems so necessary.
No matter what happens, as a parent you want your child to come home safe. This is even more important (it seems) for parents of children of colour in the US who may be victims of profiling, or who may be subjected to unnecessary force simply because of someone else’s prejudices.
The story focuses on siblings Reed and Olivia. Their father is a lawyer who has had numerous conversations with them about how to interact with officers of the law in order to ensure they are treated appropriately. These kids know their rights and are well-versed in how to manage themselves. But when they are dealing with this in reality - when they are stopped on a subway because Reed fits the profile of some kids the police were looking for - fear takes over and they don’t remember every lesson.
From the moment they are stopped my heart sank. At fourteen and twelve they should not have to be remembering not to resist when the police are forcing them to the ground before handcuffing them. They should not have to be recording every moment of the interaction so that if they need the evidence later it is indisputable. They should not have to be victims of assault simply because someone assumes something because of their skin colour.
Sadly, this remains relevant. It is written in a way that has emotional impact while also educating readers. A book that really should be read.

CW: Racism, Police Brutality, False Accusations

Summary:
Reed and Olive, two siblings that face racial encounters with the police and society when they least expect it. Reed is a freshman who loves soccer and cannot wait to get home and have his parents sign the permission slip for him to try out for the varsity team. Olive, Reed's younger sister attends a different school than him, but their parents tell them that all they want is for them to come home safe! On the way home, Reed is approached by a police officer and questioned because he "looks like" the suspect that the cops are looking for. As things escalate, Olive begins to film the encounter, to ensure that they have proof of what happened. Tension rises and the reader is taken through the events that unfold. The second part of the book follows Olive as she is falsely accused of stealing a white woman's phone.

Personal Opinion:
I found this book to be really powerful. While it did seem somewhat choppy shifting from part one to part two, I found the stories and scenarios to be really powerful. As a white woman, I HATE that these are things that Black Americans have to teach their children. I hate that they have to teach their children to keep their wallet in their front left pocket and to keep a bright colored wallet so that it is not mistaken for a weapon. This book hurt my heart to read because as far as I feel we have come as a country we still have so much, so much work to do. However, this book is definitely one that I would add to my middle school library as well as one that fans of books like The Hate U Give, This is My America, and Dear Martin would enjoy.

Perfect for the sociopolitical climate we’re in. A must read. Explains the struggle of being black in America when that’s the most dangerous thing to be.

Thank you @netgalley for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was so good. If you loved “The hate you give” you will love this book! This book made me so mad while reading because the way black people are treated in this world isnt fair. Just because you have a different skin color than another person, it makes you the bad guy. I loved that Olive and Reeds dad told them what to do when approached by a police officer so they would be ready in any situation. Olive’s personality reminded me so much of me in this book. She understood how her dad wanted her to talk to police but also knew what was wrong and what wasnt and she always stood up for herself! That lady that accused her of stealing her phone; i wouldve did exactly what Olive did in that situation.

This book would be great for young adults. Having them read this book would introduce them to how black people are treated based off of the color of their skin. The author breaks it down and also said some laws in the book that I never even knew existed in some places! One part in the book that made me sad was when Reed told his dad that he just wanted to know how not to become a hashtag 🥺 That really hit me hard because the kids in this story and all other kids in the world have to worry about things like this instead of just being a kid! I hope one day all this color of skin nonsense wont matter anymore!