All Boys Aren't Blue

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All Boys Aren't Blue
All Boys Aren't Blue book cover.jpg
AuthorGeorge M. Johnson
Cover artistCharly "Carlos" Palmer
GenreYoung adult non-fiction
PublisherFarrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date
2020
Media typePrint
ISBN9780374312718
OCLC1246484973
306.76/6208996073
LC ClassHQ76.27.A37 J644 2020
Websitehttps://www.fiercereads.com/books/all-boys-arent-blue/

All Boys Aren't Blue is a young adult non-fiction "memoir-manifesto" by journalist and activist George M. (Matthew) Johnson,[1] published April 28, 2020 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

The book consists of a series of essays following Johnson's journey growing up as a queer Black man in Plainfield, New Jersey,[2] and Virginia. In addition to describing Johnson's own experience, it directly addresses Black queer boys who may not have someone in their life with similar experiences.[3]

Plot[]

The book consists of a series of essays following Johnson journey growing up as a queer Black man in Plainfield, New Jersey,[2] and Virginia. In addition to describing Johnson's own experience, it directly addresses Black queer boys who may not have someone in their life with similar experiences.[3]

The book discusses consent, agency, and sexual abuse, alongside various other topics. It also describes two sexual encounters and statutory rape.[4]

Background[]

Johnson was motivated to write All Boys Aren't Blue by Toni Morrison, whose maxim "If there's a book you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it," which Johnson has tattooed on their right arm.[5]

The "blue" in the title carries several meanings, being the color of masculinity and the color of police officers, who have disproportionately invoked violence against queer Black people.[5] The title also pays homage to the character Blue from Queen Sugar, as well as the appearance of Black skin in Moonlight and the play it is based upon, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.[5]

Reception[]

Critical reception[]

All Boys Aren't Blue received a starred review from Kirkus,[6] as well as positive reviews from School Library Journal,[7] Booklist,[8] and Publishers Weekly.[9]

Kirkus called the book "[a] critical, captivating, merciful mirror for growing up Black and queer today."[6]

Publishers Weekly noted, "Though at first glance the book lacks the synthesizing call to action that "manifesto" would imply, its "be yourself" message remains a radical stance for doubly marginalized individuals."[9] They continued to say, “In a publishing landscape in need of queer black voices, readers who are sorting through similar concepts will be grateful to join him on the journey,” and called it "a balm and testimony to young readers as allies in the fight for equality."[9]

The New York Times called it "[a]n exuberant, unapologetic memoir infused with a deep but clear-eyed love for its subjects."[2]

HuffPost wrote that it was "an unflinching testimony that carves out space for Black queer kids to be seen."[10]

Bitch Magazine said that "All Boys Aren't Blue is a game changer".[11]

Kirkus named All Boys Aren't Blue one of the best young adult biographies/memoirs of 2020.[12] The New York Public Library[13] and Chicago Public Library[14] also included it in their list of the top ten books of 2020 for young adults.

Awards and honors[]

Year Award Result Ref.
2021 ALA's Rainbow List Top 10 [15]
YALSA's Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Selection [16]
YALSA's Teens' Top 10 Selection [17]
2020 Goodreads Choice Award for Memoir & Autobiography Nominee [18]
2019 Outstanding Books for the College Bound: Literature and Language Arts Selection [19]

Controversy[]

All Boys Aren't Blue has frequently been censored. School boards in ten states have removed the book from their libraries.[4][20][21][22]

In 2021, a Flagler County School Board member and retired teacher filed a criminal complaint against the Superintendent for carrying the book, objecting to mentions of masturbation and oral sex.[23][20][24] The Flagler County Sheriff's Department found that the content of the book was not a violation of law and did not warrant further investigation.[20] The removal of the book prompted student protests.[20]

In 2021, the Wentzville School Board in Missouri banned All Boys Aren't Blue, alongside three other books, from the district's high school libraries. Other books included in the ban were Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, Kiese Laymon’s Heavy, and Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home.[25]

Adaptation[]

All Boys Aren't Blue was adapted into a short film in 2021. The film was directed by Nathan Hale Williams and stars Dyllón Burnside.[26]

All Boys Aren't Blue was optioned to be developed as a TV series by actress Gabrielle Union.[27]

References[]

  1. ^ Clarendon, Dan (June 9, 2020). "20 LGBTQ+ Books for Teens Coming Out in 2020". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on 2020-06-15. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  2. ^ a b c Harlan, Jennifer (April 18, 2020). "From Missing Persons to Mistaken Identities, Books About Seeing and Being Seen". The New York Times.
  3. ^ a b Steele, Taylor. "19 Books By Queer Authors Reviewers Fell In Love With". BuzzFeed.
  4. ^ a b McDougle, Jonathan (18 November 2021). "George M. Johnson isn't surprised their book is being banned: "America has always had an issue with anything that tells the truth"". CBS News.
  5. ^ a b c Mayer, Petra (May 2, 2020). "'Give Them The Damn Information': Questions For George M. Johnson". NPR.
  6. ^ a b "All Boys Aren't Blue". Kirkus Reviews. 2020-01-23. Archived from the original on 2020-01-23. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  7. ^ "All Boys Aren't Blue". Chicago Public Library. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  8. ^ All Boys Aren't Blue. 2020-03-01. Archived from the original on 2020-09-24.
  9. ^ a b c "Children's Book Review: All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-37431-271-8". Publishers Weekly.
  10. ^ "George M. Johnson's New Memoir Reminds Us That 'All Boys Aren't Blue'". HuffPost. April 28, 2020.
  11. ^ Dionne, Evette (January 3, 2020). "17 Memoirs Feminists Should Read in 2020". Bitch Media.
  12. ^ "Best YA Biography and Memoir of 2020". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  13. ^ Pullen, Emily (November 24, 2020). "Introducing NYPL's Best Books of 2020". The New York Public Library. Archived from the original on 2020-11-24. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  14. ^ "Best Teen Nonfiction of 2020". Chicago Public Library. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  15. ^ "The 2021 Rainbow Book List". Rainbow Book List. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  16. ^ "2021 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2021-01-04. Archived from the original on 2021-01-04. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  17. ^ Serbekian, Michael (2021-11-04). "2021 YALSA Teens' Top Ten titles announced". American Library Association News and Press Center. Archived from the original on 2021-11-08. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  18. ^ "All Boys Aren't Blue". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  19. ^ "2019 OBCB Literature and Language Arts". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2020-02-14. Archived from the original on 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  20. ^ a b c d Garrison, Mark (December 5, 2021). "Conservatives Target Queer, Black Memoir, 'All Boys Aren't Blue'".
  21. ^ Cooper, Alex (November 9, 2021). "Conservatives Fight to Ban This Black, Queer Memoir State-By-State". www.advocate.com.
  22. ^ Perez, Suzanne (2021-11-09). "Goddard school district orders 29 books removed from circulation". KMUW. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  23. ^ Woronoff, Brent (November 10, 2021). "School Board member Jill Woolbright turns to Sheriff's Office over 'obscene' book at schools | Palm Coast". Palm Coast Observer.
  24. ^ Gollon, Chris (November 15, 2021). "A Full Breakdown of Jill Woolbright's Efforts to Remove 'All Boys Aren't Blue' from School Libraries".
  25. ^ Schaub, Michael (2022-01-25). "Missouri School District Bans Toni Morrison Book". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  26. ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13957954/[user-generated source]
  27. ^ Petski, Denise (June 10, 2020). "Gabrielle Union Options 'All Boys Aren't Blue' Memoir For Series Development With Sony TV".
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