Summary
All American Boys, co-authored by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, is a powerful young adult novel that tackles the pressing issues of police brutality and racial tension in America. Published in 2015, this critically acclaimed work has garnered numerous accolades, including the Walter Dean Myers Award and a Coretta Scott King Author Honor.
The novel alternates between the perspectives of two teenage protagonists—Rashad, a Black ROTC student wrongfully accused of theft, and Quinn, a white basketball player who witnesses Rashad's violent arrest. Through their intertwining narratives, All American Boys explores the complex aftermath of a single act of police violence and its ripple effects throughout a community.
Plot
In All American Boys, two high school students, Rashad and Quinn, grapple with the fallout from a violent incident at a local bodega. Rashad, a Black teenager, is brutally beaten by a police officer who mistakes him for a shoplifter. Quinn, who is white, witnesses the attack and recognizes the officer as his best friend's older brother. The event sparks tension and division in their school and community.
As Rashad recovers in the hospital, news of the beating spreads, forcing both boys to confront difficult truths about racism and police brutality. Rashad's absence from school becomes a catalyst for discussion and protest among students and faculty. Meanwhile, Quinn struggles with loyalty to his friend's family and his growing awareness of systemic injustice.
The story unfolds through alternating perspectives, allowing readers to see the incident and its aftermath through the eyes of both Rashad and Quinn. As the community takes sides, the two protagonists must navigate complex emotions and relationships. Rashad's friends and family rally around him, while Quinn faces pressure to stay silent about what he witnessed.
As tensions escalate, both Rashad and Quinn are forced to make difficult decisions about how to respond to the injustice they've experienced and observed. The novel explores themes of activism, allyship, and the power of speaking out against racism. It culminates in a school-wide protest that challenges both characters to take a stand and confront the realities of racial inequality in their community.
Themes
Racial profiling and police brutality
Impact of racism on communities
Importance of speaking out against injustice
Friendship across racial divides
Coming of age and moral development
Media's role in shaping public opinion
Power of individual voices in social movements
Setting
Published in 2015 and set in contemporary America, All American Boys unfolds against the backdrop of a society grappling with racial tensions and police brutality. The story takes place in an unnamed urban area, representative of many cities across the United States.
Within this urban setting, the novel's action centers on two key locations. The first is a corner bodega where the inciting incident occurs—a violent encounter between a Black teenager and a white police officer. The second crucial setting is the local high school, where much of the fallout from this event plays out among students, teachers, and the broader community. The story moves between various locations, including homes, streets, and public spaces, illustrating how the repercussions of a single violent act can ripple through an entire community, forcing its members to confront long-standing issues of prejudice and systemic racism.
Characters
Rashad Butler: A 16-year-old African American high school student and ROTC member. He is wrongfully accused of shoplifting and brutally beaten by a police officer. Rashad is an artist with a strong sense of justice. His experience forces him to confront racism and police brutality head-on.
Quinn Collins: A white high school student and varsity basketball player. He witnesses Rashad's beating by Officer Galluzzo, who is his best friend's older brother and a father figure to him. Quinn struggles with loyalty, privilege, and doing the right thing in the face of injustice.
Paul Galluzzo: The white police officer who assaults Rashad. He is Quinn's best friend's older brother and has been a mentor to Quinn since his father died. Paul's actions spark controversy and division in the community.
Carlos Greene: Rashad's best friend and teammate on the basketball team. He is vocal about supporting Rashad and organizing protests against police brutality.
English Jones: A classmate of Rashad and Quinn who becomes involved in organizing protests. She is outspoken about racial injustice.
David Butler: Rashad's older brother, a college student who returns home after learning about the incident. He is protective of Rashad and helps him process the trauma.
Spoony: Rashad's cousin who is active in organizing protests and rallying support for Rashad. He is passionate about social justice.
Coach Carney: The high school basketball coach who struggles to keep his team united amid the racial tensions. He tries to remain neutral but is forced to confront the issues.
Quick facts
All American Boys was co-written by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, who met on a book tour in 2013.
The novel was inspired by real events, including the acquittal of George Zimmerman and the shooting of Michael Brown.
After conceiving the basic concept and themes, the authors wrote All American Boys in just five months.
The story is told from two alternating perspectives—Rashad (written by Reynolds) and Quinn (written by Kiely).
All American Boys won the Coretta Scott King Author Honor and the Walter Dean Myers Award in 2016.
The book incited controversy for its profanity, portrayal of drug use, and perceived anti-police sentiment and was ranked third on the American Library Association's list of most frequently banned books in 2020.
While banned in some schools, All American Boys has been incorporated into many other school curricula to discuss social justice issues such as racial profiling, police brutality, and activism.
About the Author
Jason Reynolds (1983-) is an award-winning American author known for his young adult and middle-grade novels featuring diverse characters. Growing up in Washington, DC, Reynolds did not enjoy reading as a child and was instead inspired by rap music to start writing poetry at age nine. He graduated from the University of Maryland with an English degree before pursuing a career as an author.
Reynolds published his first novel, When I Was the Greatest, in 2014. He quickly gained acclaim for works like All American Boys, co-authored with Brendan Kiely, The Boy in the Black Suit, and the Track series beginning with Ghost. His 2017 novel-in-verse Long Way Down received multiple honors including a Newbery Honor. Reynolds often addresses issues like racism, police brutality, and gun violence in his writing for young readers.
In addition to his original works, Reynolds has written a Spider-Man novel featuring Miles Morales and adapted Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning for young readers. He served as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature from 2020-2022. Reynolds has won numerous awards including Coretta Scott King Honors, the Kirkus Prize, and NAACP Image Awards.
Brendan Kiely (1977-) is an award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of realistic, topical fiction for young adults. In addition to All American Boys, co-authored with Jason Reynolds, he is the author of Tradition, The Last True Love Story, The Gospel of Winter, and The Other Talk: Reckoning with Our White Privilege. Kiely has received the Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award, the Walter Dean Meyers Award, and was recognized on ALA’s list of Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults.
