Dear Justyce by Nic Stone

Dear Justyce is the incredible follow up to Nic Stone's bestselling debut, Dear Martin.  This book is important and powerful and will stick with the reader longer after turning the final pages.  It is about the injustice our young people often face in the juvenile justice system.  It is a novel about the trauma that youth often face in their own homes and the impact it has on their lives.  Most importantly, this is a story about the importance of having people in your life who truly believe in you. 

Dear Justyce tells the story of Quan, a young man who has been incarcerated for a crime he didn't commit.  Through flashbacks and letters to his childhood friend Justyce, we learn what has put Quan where he is.  Through the trauma of a troubled childhood, Quan finds a group of people who fulfill his familial needs.  But his loyalty causes him to take the rap for a crime he didn't commit.  As he awaits trial nearly two years after being arrested, he suddenly finds himself surrounded by a support team who truly believes in him, including Justyce, who has just completed his first year of pre-law at Yale.  When Quan finally tells Justyce that he didn't do what he has been accused of, Justyce puts together a team that is intent on giving Quan a chance at a new life.  Having people with a true belief in him gives Quan a new outlook on a life that he felt, and was often told, was destined for a prison cell.  With the support that he always lacked, Quan now has the chance at a life that he not only wants, but one he deserves. 

The stunning sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Martin. Incarcerated teen Quan writes letters to Justyce about his experiences in the American juvenile justice system. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas.

In the highly anticipated sequel to her New York Times bestseller, Nic Stone delivers an unflinching look into the flawed practices and silenced voices in the American juvenile justice system.

Vernell LaQuan Banks and Justyce McAllister grew up a block apart in the Southwest Atlanta neighborhood of Wynwood Heights. Years later, though, Justyce walks the illustrious halls of Yale University . . . and Quan sits behind bars at the Fulton Regional Youth Detention Center.

Through a series of flashbacks, vignettes, and letters to Justyce--the protagonist of Dear Martin--Quan's story takes form. Troubles at home and misunderstandings at school give rise to police encounters and tough decisions. But then there's a dead cop and a weapon with Quan's prints on it. What leads a bright kid down a road to a murder charge? Not even Quan is sure.

"A powerful, raw, must-read told through the lens of a Black boy ensnared by our broken criminal justice system." -Kirkus, Starred Review