DEAR MARTIN

Narrator Dion Graham conveys Justyce McAllister's depth of character and inner conflict. The African-American honor student's life is changed when he is the victim of racial profiling, police brutality, and wrongful arrest. Graham at first registers Justyce's confusion and shock. With equal believability, Graham depicts Justyce's anger and trauma at experiencing racism at his mostly white prep school. To better understand his emotions, Justyce begins a journal, a series of letters to Martin Luther King, Jr. In his entries, Graham reflects Justyce's isolation, suffering, and occasional moments of solace. Then, a terrible string of events occurs. Graham voices Justyce's reactions of disbelief, disgust, and, finally, hope in this powerful journey of self-discovery. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2017]