Teen Book Review: Light It Up by Kekla Magoon

Hey everyone, it’s Sarah!

I was excited to see Magoon’s new novel at my librarian book buzz last year. I couldn’t wait to read it. In fact, this was the ARC I wanted most. I did get the ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Magoon has a strong way with words and can rock changing POVs in ways I have never seen before.

Title: Light It Up

Author: Kekla Magoon

Book Summary:

Not to long ago, in this same neighborhood, an unarmed black teen guy was gunned down by the police. While the neighborhood rose up and protested with hopes for a brighter future, change still needs to be made. A young girl who had done nothing but listen to music on her headphones, was shot by a police officer. The fresh trauma from the unjust shooting of Tariq makes the murder of Shae far more horrifying. How can the police continue to murder those they are supposed to be protecting? Protests begin breaking out across the neighborhood and white Supremacist protests begin occurring in the affluent borders of the area. How will the community come out of this tragedy?

Book Review:

This is a powerful book, which is no surprise because of Magoon’s artistry as an author. The story is told from several points of view, each with a distinct voice that never muddles with another. Also, the perspectives that these voices bring to the story allow the author to provide a richer exploration of the events in the book. This is a second book in a series, however, it is not necessary to read the first book to appreciate this book. The characters are real, the events are real, and the spark of discussion is important. This book would fit in with a classroom curriculum and will be appreciated by the students because it is high interest and well done.

Rating:

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