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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
A lot
Tupac's shootings and killing recur throughout
Language
Some
"Ass" appears several times, and derogatory slurs are used against a gay character by others
Sexual Content
Barely any
A kiss
Substance Use
Some
References to cigarettes, alcohol and crack cocaine in the neighborhood
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Wrongful incarceration of a teenager, homophobia, foster care instability, and the abrupt loss of a friend
What this book is about
Common Sense Media rates this 11+, the highest of Woodson's middle grade titles, and the flags are real: "Refers frequently to the multiple shootings and death of Tupac Shakur. A robbery and severe beating, a knife fight," plus references to smoking, drinking and crack cocaine. There is a kiss, "ass" used several times, and derogatory terms aimed at a gay character — the older brother of one narrator is incarcerated, and his sexuality is part of why. It reads younger than its content.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Wrongful imprisonment of a gay teenager and slurs directed at him
A robbery with a severe beating and a knife fight
Crack cocaine references
Reader Verification
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