Dear Martin

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Dear Martin
Dear Martin.jpg
First edition
AuthorNic Stone
CountryUnited States
PublisherCrown Books for Young Readers
Publication date
October 17, 2017
Pages224
ISBN978-1101939499
Followed byDear Justyce 

Dear Martin, published in 2017 by Crown Publishing Group, is a young adult novel by Nic Stone. It is Stone's debut novel, written as a reaction to the murder of Jordan Davis.[1] The book appeared as #4 on The New York Times Best Seller list.[2]

Development and publication[]

Stone began writing the book after a series of racially-charge events, including the 2012 murder of Jordan Davis, a 17-year-old who was killed by a man who shot several rounds into a car of teenagers over a dispute about loud rap music, and the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown.[1][3] Stone was also inspired to write the book for her sons.[3] Stone sold her book as a proposal, resulting in her writing and researching simultaneously over an eight-week period to develop a draft.[4] Stone described the experience as "excruciating" and stated that she was not interested in repeating it.[4]

Dear Martin has been published and translated in Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, the Netherlands, UK, Turkey, and Romania.[5]

Plot[]

Dear Martin follows Justyce McAllister, a high school student living in Atlanta and attending a predominantly white preparatory high school on a scholarship.[1][4][6] Justice is thrown to the ground and handcuffed by a white police officer.[1] After the incident, Justyce attempts to make sense of life as a black teenager in the current political climate and begins writing letters to the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, asking himself, "What would Dr. King do if he were alive today?".[4][1]

Reception[]

The book received a starred review from Booklist.[7]

In February 2020, two years after it was first published, Dear Martin again hit the New York Times bestseller list, as the #1 Young Adult Paperback.[8]

Dear Martin received the following accolades:

  • 2018 Finalist for the William C. Morris Debut YA Award [9]
  • 2018 American Library Association's (ALA) Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults[10]
  • 2018 ALA's Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers[11]
  • 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Nominee [12]
  • 2020 South Carolina Book Award Nominee for Young Adult [12]
  • 2020 Lincoln Award Nominee [12]

Sequel[]

Stone wrote a sequel, Dear Justyce, which was published in October 2020.[13] The book is about an incarcerated teen, Quan, who is on trial for murder charges.[3] Quan first appears in Dear Martin as the cousin of Justyce's best friend.[3] Stone was not planning on writing a sequel, but was encouraged by her publisher and decided to write a book about a "black boy that everybody is afraid of."[3]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Green, Adrienne (2017-11-01). "The Teen Protagonist Writing Letters to Dr. King". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  2. ^ "Young Adult Hardcover Books - Best Sellers - November 5, 2017 - The New York Times". Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  3. ^ a b c d e February 20, George Nelson |; 2019 (2019-02-20). "'Dear Martin' Author Shares Her Story With Students". Business Journal Daily. Retrieved 2019-05-29.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c d Foley, Maddy (December 14, 2017). "How This Author Is Challenging The YA Status Quo With Her #BlackLivesMatter Novel". Bustle. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  5. ^ "DEAR MARTIN - The Deborah Harris Agency". www.thedeborahharrisagency.com. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  6. ^ DEAR MARTIN by Nic Stone | Kirkus Reviews.
  7. ^ "booklist dear martin - Google Search". www.google.de. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  8. ^ "Young Adult Paperback Books - Best Sellers - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
  9. ^ "Dear Martin | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. 2018-02-15. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  10. ^ "Dear Martin | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. 2018-08-01. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  11. ^ Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) (2018-01-31). "2018 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". American Library Association. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  12. ^ a b c "Dear Martin (Dear Martin, #1)". Goodreads. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  13. ^ Perryman, Holland (January 3, 2021). "Review: 'Dear Justyce,' sequel to bestseller 'Dear Martin,' delivers harrowing tale of injustice". The Post and Courier. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
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