All You Have To Do
Autumn Allen
Kokila
August 1, 2023
Ages 12 to 17

It’s a privilege to attend an elite school, but as a Black kid, it has always come with its challenges. Kevin is a freshman at Columbia College in 1968, participating in a sit-in at his institution following Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. When he discovers his school is removing people from their homes to further expand, he takes action. Gibran is completing his senior year at a prep school in 1995. He rallies Black students to petition a “Day of Absence” to attend the Million Man March. They encounter resistance and criticism. Gibran and Kevin are connected in their avocation to change society despite the personal cost.  

Allen manages time travel with dual timeline narratives almost thirty years apart. The point of views alternate with chapters, revealing the struggles each character faces. Gibran and Kevin’s stories are similarly paced, written so each reaches their personal transformations simultaneously. Both characters fight for racial equality but risk losing the opportunities their families worked extensively to provide. Kevin may continue to push Dawn, his little sister, away for good if he throws away his future. His frustration with societal issues is stronger than his relationship concerns. Gibran may not graduate from his prep school or keep his scholarship to the college of his choice. His anger typically overrides his rational decisions. Both characters allow their ambition and courage to battle society. Themes of acceptance, power, and racial identity are explored through overlapping connections and characters. A tribute to generations that have fought and continue to fight for social justice.  

This review is based on an ARC that did not include the images used in the final publication.