Punching the Air
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi is an illustrated young adult novel published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2020, featuring 386 pages. This poignant narrative, co-authored by prison reform activist Yusef Salaam, explores the life of Amal Shahid, a young artist and poet who faces wrongful incarceration. Set against a backdrop of social themes such as prejudice and racism, the story delves into the impact of a biased system on Amal’s life and creativity.
Readers will find a compelling exploration of resilience as Amal navigates the challenges of being imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. Through his journey, he discovers solace in his art and words, which serve as a refuge from despair. The novel addresses significant issues related to law and crime, while also highlighting the power of self-expression in the face of adversity. With its lyrical prose, Punching the Air presents a thought-provoking narrative that resonates with contemporary social issues.
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New York Times and USA Today bestseller * Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor * Walter Award Winner * Goodreads Finalist for Best Teen Book of the Year * Time Magazine Best Book of the Year * Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year * Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year * School Library Journal Best Book of the Year * Kirkus Best Book of the Year * New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
From award-winning, bestselling author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five comes a powerful YA novel in verse about a boy who is wrongfully incarcerated. A must-read for fans of Jason Reynolds, Walter Dean Myers, and Elizabeth Acevedo.
The story that I thought
was my life
didn’t start on the day
I was born
Amal Shahid has always been an artist and a poet. But even in a diverse art school, because of a biased system he’s seen as disruptive and unmotivated. Then, one fateful night, an altercation in a gentrifying neighborhood escalates into tragedy. “Boys just being boys” turns out to be true only when those boys are white.
The story that I think
will be my life
starts today
Suddenly, at just sixteen years old, Amal is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison. Despair and rage almost sink him until he turns to the refuge of his words, his art. This never should have been his story. But can he change it?
With spellbinding lyricism, award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam tell a moving and deeply profound story about how one boy is able to maintain his humanity and fight for the truth in a system designed to strip him of both.
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