For Ages
14 to 99

An NPR Best Book of the Year * The stunning sequel to the critically acclaimed,  #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Martin. An incarcerated teen writes letters to his best friend about his experiences in the American juvenile justice system.

An unflinching look into the tragically 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…

An Excerpt fromDear Justyce

Doomed

Vernell LaQuan Banks Jr. remembers the night everything changed. He’d fallen asleep on the leather sectional in Daddy’s living room while watching Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (the movie), and was dreaming about Count Olaf--who’d gotten a tan, it seemed, and looked suspiciously like his mama’s “boyfriend,” Dwight--falling into a pit of giant yellow snakes like the one from Montgomery Montgomery’s reptile room. Screaming bloody murder as he got sucked down into the scaly, slithery quicksand.

Quan’s pretty sure he was smiling in his sleep.

But then there was a BOOM that startled him so bad, he jolted awake and fell to the floor.

Which wound up being a good thing.

Next thing Quan knew, more police officers than he could count were pouring into the house with guns drawn.

He stayed down. Hidden.

Wouldn’t’ve been able to get up if he tried, he was so scared.

There was a commotion over his head--Daddy’s room.

Lots of thumping. Bumping. A yell (Daddy’s?). Muffled shouting.

Get down! Put your hands in the air--

Oww, man! Not so tight, you tryna break my arm?

Wham. BAM!

Walls…

Under the Cover