SYNOPSIS:
When sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson dies from two gunshot wounds, his community is thrown into an uproar. Tariq was black. The shooter, Jack Franklin, is white.
In the aftermath of Tariq’s death, everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events line up. Day by day, new twists further obscure the truth.
Tariq’s friends, family, and community struggle to make sense of the tragedy, and to cope with the hole left behind when a life is cut short. In their own words, they grapple for a way to say with certainty: This is how it went down.
WHY SHOULD YOU CHECK IT OUT?
It is easy to assume that this is one of those ripped-from-the-headlines, make-a-quick-buck-on-controversy stories. But then you remember that the author routinely writes about characters in and around the Black Panthers and you realize that this is merely a case of perfect timing. Readers out there of all races would do well to pick this one up, remind ourselves of each others’ humanity, and expand our empathy for the good and the bad that people choose to do.
On the cover, black silhouettes of birds perch ominously on electrical wires high above the sparsely illustrated urban setting. A character in a hoodie has strolled into frame–however their race and gender are obscured. It’s a really great image overall, but we wish the design team had actively shown the face of a black teenager on this YA novel about race. With white faces still dominating the YA market, the absence of teens of color on not only book that don’t ignore their presence but also on books that actively call out to them, we remember the disproportional whiteness of our industry. We’ve come a ways, but there is still a lot more to go. Hopefully a reprint edition will feature Tariq front-and-center, unobstructed.
Races issues have always been close hitting topics for author Kekla Magoon, having been raised in a biracial family in the Midwest. In addition to her previous YA work, like CAMO GIRL and THE ROCK & THE RIVER series, Kekla Magoon is the author of historical non-fiction such as “PANTHERS! The History and Legacy of the Black Panther Party in America”. Kekla live sin New York City, where she teaches writing. Find Kekla online at www.KeklaMagoon.com!
EARLY REVIEWS SAY…
As each character reflects on Tariq, a complex young man is revealed, one who used his considerable charm to walk the tightrope of life in his neighborhood. Magoon skillfully tells the story in multiple, sometimes conflicting, voices. This sobering yet satisfying novel leaves readers to ponder the complex questions it raises. (Kirkus Reviews)
[T]his provocative novel set in a neighborhood ruled by gangs offers multiple, contradictory perspectives on the shooting of an African-American youth. …Through this resonant chorus of voices, Magoon masterfully captures the cycle of urban violence and the raw emotions of the young people who can’t escape its impact. (Publishers Weekly)
NECESSARY DETAILS
YA Contemporary
Hardcover & ebook, 336 pages
Published on October 21, 2014 by Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Reader (ISBN 0805098690)
http://us.macmillan.com/books/9780805098693
Purchase How It Went Down
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