Such a Necessary Story

This book really tugged at my heartstrings. Aiden and Brandon were such lovable characters both individually and collectively. I wanted to protect them from this big bad world. I loved getting Aiden’s inner thoughts. He made autism feel a lot less foreign to me. His commentary on always being excluded made me so sad for him. I was just as sad for Brandon and the unfair treatment that he received. It was so special how they leaned on each other to get through it all. Their parents were amazing. They were patient and incredibly bright. There were a lot of special characters in this story. Aiden’s potential love story was super sweet.

With all of the love poured into this story, there were still a lot of tough issues to tackle. Racism and classism were front and center. It led the way for a portrait of how police brutality is covered up, celebrated, and encouraged. The fallout of what happens when white girl tears are weaponized was addressed as well. All of it made me so angry. This book truly made me feel all of the feels. I appreciated the suspense of waiting to see how it would all work out.

I’m excited about this story being shared with the world. I’m already planning to gift this book to a few friends. I want them to experience the range of emotions that I did. Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and DeAndra Davis for this advanced copy for me to review. #AllTheNoiseAtOnce #NetGalley

Thank you @simonandschuster @simonteen for the digital copy!

In this compelling, moving story about brotherhood, identity, and social justice, a Black, autistic teen tries to figure out what happened the night his older brother was unjustly arrested.

^from the publisher!

This truly is a perfect book. It starts off with a great hook of two brothers trying out for football, and Brandon (the older brother) taking care of Aiden (the younger brother) when he has an episode related to his autism during tryouts. My heart squeezed for these two.

I absolutely loved the framing of this story told as before and after the incident. Being in Aiden’s head was so incredibly interesting and I loved his thought process. He and Brandon had such a deep love and respect for each other and it is evident throughout.

When Aiden gets on the team, some players aren’t happy and a fight breaks out leading to his brother being arrested and Aiden left feeling incredibly guilty that it was his fault. I felt all of the emotions with him. My heart!! How the story moves on from there left me breathless and turning the pages. I was so sure I knew the ending.

I also really loved the family dynamics, Aiden figuring himself out, Isabella, and the autism portrayal being displayed with such care and compassion. The final few chapters really had me reeling.

In conclusion, it’s a yes from me. Everyone should read this book.

Aiden is an autistic black teen who dreams of playing football like his brother, Brandon. While Aiden experienes a meltdown during his tryouts, he still ends up making the team. He's happy to finally live his dream of being a football player, but finds himself stigmatized by the other players. Things escalate between the brothers and the team, and Brandon is wrongfully arrested for assaulting a police officer. Throughout Brandon's trial, Aiden grapples with his intersecting identities, finding support along the way.
This book explores the intersection of race and disability in a way that is nuanced yet realistic. This book exlores very real themes, ones that are often bleak, while showing the importance of friends and family in a compelling manner. I am excited to recommend this book to my teen patrons.

Absolutely phenomenal debut. This book is going to stay with me for YEARS. I really can't wait to see where Davis's career takes her, because this is an utterly stunning start.

Hi! I am the author and am mostly just submitting a review so that I don't mess up my Netgalley ratio. Requested to help boost numbers. :)

This is one of those books that leaves an impact and stays with you. It will likely be one of the most important reads of my life, and I look forward to purchasing the physical book once it's released.

It is hard to put my emotions into words with this book, as it touches on such a sensitive topic. I was extremely grateful to see Autism Spectrum Disorder represented so well.

I'll be talking about and thinking about this book for a very long time. The cover is beautiful too.

Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to receive a free ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and this is my honest opinion.