What Lane?
Books | Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Prejudice & Racism
4.3
Torrey Maldonado
"If you are wondering how to begin confronting Anti-Black racism in your classroom, start with What Lane?"--School Library Journal: The Classroom Bookshelf"STAY IN YOUR LANE." Stephen doesn't want to hear that--he wants to have no lane. Anything his friends can do, Stephen should be able to do too, right? So when they dare each other to sneak into an abandoned building, he doesn't think it's his lane, but he goes. Here's the thing, though: Can he do everything his friends can? Lately, he's not so sure. As a mixed kid, he feels like he's living in two worlds with different rules--and he's been noticing that strangers treat him differently than his white friends . . .So what'll he do? Hold on tight as Stephen swerves in and out of lanes to find out which are his--and who should be with him.Torrey Maldonado, author of the highly acclaimed Tight, does a masterful job showing a young boy coming of age in a racially split world, trying to blaze a way to be his best self.
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More Details:
Author
Torrey Maldonado
Pages
144
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2020-04-14
ISBN
0525518444 9780525518440
Community ReviewsSee all
"I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.<br/><br/>What Lane? by Torrey Maldonado<br/>Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group/Nancy Paulsen Books<br/>Ages: Upper Elementary and Middle School<br/>Release Date: 14 April 2020<br/><br/>Stephen, a mixed kid, begins to come to grips with the different rules he must live by in his world. After multiple encounters with adults passing judgement on him over his white best friend, he starts to question even more what lane is his.<br/><br/>This story is full of kids of different races and backgrounds and that is so important in today's culture. You have the quick-to-judge white people, the full-on racist, but you also see some allies in his young white friends-and it is nice to see the full spectrum presented.<br/><br/>Living in rural Kansas, it's easy for us adults to forget some of these things that happen. And it is even easier for our kids to not be aware of it at all. It is our job to give them windows into other worlds and this is definitely one of those.<br/><br/>My only drawbacks: I had a difficult time getting into the book, but once I did I could not put it down. Also the ending seemed really abrupt. I appreciate that Maldonado did not tie it all up with a bow, but left off with a glimmer of the possibility of hope.<br/><br/>You won't regret adding this one to your collection."
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