This historical fiction YA book was hard to put down.  While being invested in the characters and learning about the historical climate from an intimate account, I could feel my mind growing and my understanding deepening. The phenomenal writing quality, and the connection between the two fictional characters from two different times rooted in reality, allowed this thought provoking book to burrow into my mind, and makes me suggest it to high school English teachers to read with their students for a novel study.  Add in that the author is Muslim and that there is inclusion of side Muslim characters, makes me really really love this 432 page book.

SYNOPSIS:

Told from two perspectives: Gibran is a high school senior in 1995 at a prestigious New England, majority white prep school.  Being aware of the efforts his mother has made for him to have the opportunities he does, the incredibly bright boy isn't content to sit back and let injustices go unchecked.  As he understands his position in his school, and perhaps in the world, he pushes to change how the system views him and on the cusp of the Million Man March he starts to get restless when others don't support his efforts.

Kevin is at Columbia University in New York City in the wake of the Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination.  While the country pays service to the civil rights leader Kevin is witnessing the injustices at Columbia, and begins to question what his enrollment at the institution means and the hypocrisy it supports.  He also reflects back on choices his own family has made and what he would like his future to look like when opportunities to protest arise.

Kevin is Gibran's uncle and their parallels show how little has changed in America.  The fears of the family, the institutionalized racism, the helplessness of a broken system.  The desire for two young men coming of age to decide for themselves where they belong, who they are, and what they are capable of in a world that wants to take that freedom away from them.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The power of this book is incredible, truly.  I really don't have words.  I do have words about the side Muslim characters though.  Gibran's sister is a hijab wearing convert and is respected and accepted by the family.  Kevin's cousin and activist is also a convert and a powerful influence on the main character.  There are mentions of Muslims praying, and salams are given.  The book was beneficial to read, the Muslim characters and knowing that the author is Muslim, and reading the phrase, "In the Name of God the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful" before the dedication was just extra amplification of voices that this story brought to light.

FLAGS: 

Racism, violence, police violence, incarceration, hatred, drugs, alcohol, sneaking out, partying, lying, stealing, segregation, oppression, language.  The reality of the situations discussed is not PG, but the book does not sensationalize anything for the sake of shock, it is rooted in reality and a YA audience will grasp that.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

Teachers, librarians, parents, teens: read this book.  Think about what you are reading, discuss what happened, what you understand, and how it makes you feel.

This book was excellent. Because of the authors excellent writing I was able to understand the perspectives of black people a lot more. Very educational and very enjoyable.

*All You Have To Do is beautiful, powerful, and thought-provoking
*if you're going to read one YA debut this year, make it this one, for real
*I really didn't expect much but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.
*I didn't really know where it was going in the beginning, but it nicely set up the two protagonists and their separate but intertwined settings and characters.
*both protags have arcs and captivating plotlines. sometimes dual POV can drag with certain characters, this was not the case here.
*I haven't read a book that made me feel like I learned something in a while, and AYHTD taught me a lot
*there are just so many important conversations here and for once I agreed with a lot of it.
*lastly, this!!!! is the Black + Muslim rep we - as in, real live Black + Muslim people - are looking for. take notes, folks. (neither protagonist is Muslim but the Muslim side characters are just really great and I'd gladly read an entire book about either of them.)

This is a powerful, well written book told in dual timelines, tying the perspectives of the characters together, battling similar fights in two different ways.
The characters are oh so like able and I pulled for them all the way.
It is 1968 and Kevin is protesting in the wake of Martin Luther King’s assassination at his Ivy League college. It is 1995 and Gibran, in the subject of the Million Man March, is challenging his fancy prep school’s racist color blind attitudes and advocating for himself and his fellow Black students. The school supports every other field trip so why not this one?
I definitely recommend this heartfelt YA novel by Autumn Allen.

This was a very powerful book and I felt privileged to read it and gain some limited insight into different perspective. I loved the two timelines and perspectives and how they tied together. The look at two similar men fighting sadly similar fights in two different ways was really powerful to read. I loved both characters and was rooting for them, and I definitely loved the way things tied together and ended. In 1968 Kevin is protesting in the wake of Martin Luther King’s assassination at his Ivy League college. Meanwhile in 1995 in the wake of outrage about the Million Man March Gibran is challenging his fancy prep school’s racist color blind attitudes and advocating for himself and his fellow Black students. Both boys had clear and wonderful voices and were a pleasure to read. I definitely recommend this book and will be looking for more books by this author.

I don’t read much YA historical fiction, but I liked the sound of this one, and I’m so glad I picked it up. It was so compelling, and I read it in one sitting because I didn’t want to put it down. I liked the dual timelines and how we followed two different family members. I did enjoy Kevin’s perspective a little more because I found Gibran a little too brash at times. Both make mistakes throughout the course of the story, and it was satisfying seeing their growth by the end. There were a few pacing issues and some dialogue felt clunky, but for the most part I really enjoyed this. Being a white person, there’s obviously a lot of things that happen in this book that I’m not the right person to speak on, but I do think this is an important read for anyone, especially given the social climate we live in.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for allowing me early access to Autumn Allen’s All You Have To Do in return for an honest review!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! I’ll admit, I found some parts slightly boring or confusing, but I still. think the author did a great job on this novel!