Dear Martin

• Genre: Realistic Fiction; Young Adult
• Originally Published: 2017
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 720L; grades 9-12
• Structure/Length: 2 parts; 23 chapters; approx. 240 pages; approx. 4 hours, 32 minutes on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: Justyce McAllister is a 17-year-old Black honor student who is racially profiled and wrongfully arrested for a crime. As a coping strategy, Justyce turns to the writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., responding to Dr. King’s old letters. When Justyce’s best friend is killed by an off-duty police officer, Justyce must defend his own character while also navigating grief and trauma.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Police brutality; systemic racism; violence; explicit language; sexual innuendos

Nic Stone, Author

• Bio: Born and raised in Atlanta, GA; graduated from Spelman College; worked in teen mentoring before becoming a full-time writer
• Other Works: Dear Justyce (2020); Hazel and Gray (2020); Clean Getaway (2020)
• Awards: Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year (2018); Oklahoma Sequoyah Children’s Book Master List (2018); Oklahoma Sequoyah Young Adult Book Master List (2018); William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist (2018)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• The Effect of Opposing Forces on Self-Motivation and Self-Worth
• Identity in Teenagers Who Straddle Different Social and Cultural Worlds
• The Impact of Appearances on People’s Assumptions and Perceptions
• Inspiration and Challenges in Dr.