Write down your first impressions of the book. Ask some questions. Write down quotations. Copy whole passages that are difficult or that you really like a lot

The book starts by recounting the first bad encounter Jus has with the police, where they falsely accuse him of kidnapping a girl and put him in handcuffs, when it’s clear (to the reader and to the characters) that Jus is innocent. It immediately shows us what this book is about, no beating around the bush here. It also prepares the reader for what’s to come and which obstacles Jus has to face. We also get a first glimpse at the journal Justyce writes to Dr. King. In his first entry, Jus “introduces” himself to Dr. King and talks about his encounter with the police, which scarred him a bit, and he needs to process the event by writing about it. The encounter showed him that he “can’t continue to pretend like nothing’s wrong. Yeah, there are no more “colored” water fountains, and it’s supposed to be illegal to discriminate, but if I can be forced to sit on the concrete in too-tight cuffs when I’ve done nothing wrong, it’s clear there’s an issue. That things aren’t as equal as folks say they are”* and he wants to “try to live like you. Do what you would do. See where it gets me”** in hopes that he’ll be able to understand the world and the still existing bigotry & injustice a little better. Going forward, I want to know if Justyce will be able to use the journal in an effective way, and if it helps him with sorting his feelings out.

*Page 12-13, row 27-3

**Page 13, row 10-11

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Describe a character from the book. Say why you like/dislike the character

Before I start with the plot, I’ll first tell you about the characters of “Dear Martin”. These are only the most important ones though, and I may mention other characters in the weekly reviews and updates.

Main Character: Justyce McAllister

Justice “Jus” McAllister is a seventeen-year-old High School Senior at Braselton Preparatory Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s a gifted student with good grades and the captain of the debate team. His future will likely include going to an Ivy League school and getting a law degree. Jus is slow to admit his feelings for others, but he can be affectionate and loyal at the same time. He doesn’t get into trouble, yet when he gets unfairly arrested, his whole life changes and he starts writing a journal addressed to Martin Luther King Jr.

Best friend: Emmanuel Rivers

Justice’s best friend is Emmanuel “Manny” Rivers, a kid from the “richer” community who’s noticeably different than Jus. He’s the basketball captain, and fits in better with his rich classmates than he does with the boys in Justyce’s neighbourhood, even though he’ll never truly be a “part” of the rich kids.

Other friend: Sarah-Jane Friedman

Sarah-Jane is a feisty, honest and intelligent kid. She’s the Lacrosse captain, future valedictorian and Justyce’s debate partner since sophomore year. She’s incredibly aware of the world around her and with her knowledge (and loathing) of the American Justice System, she does really well in politics. Her and Justyce’s friendship is something truly miraculous and their interactions are very enjoyable to read.

Noticeable classmate: Jared Christensen

Jared is one of Manny’s “rich” friends, and they’ve known each other since kindergarten. Jus isn’t particularly fond of Jared, who regularly says mean and discriminating things, but for Manny’s sake he tries to keep quiet and deal with it. To be honest, Jared doesn’t have a great personality and he lashes out when he doesn’t get what he wants (due to being taught that the world should be handed to him on a silver platter). He acts on the lies embedded into his mind since childhood. He’s a jerk for the biggest part of the story but he undergoes a dramatic change during the end, which is honestly very impressive.

Noticeable teacher: Dr. Jarius Dray

Dr. Jarius “Doc” Dray is the debate team advisor and Justyce’s favourite teacher. Jus looks up to him and regularly asks him for advice. Doc has a formidable capability of keeping his patience when faced with prejudice or injustice, and he tries to reason with others rather than get aggressive. He’s a big father figure for Jus and without Doc, Justice would have a hard time dealing with the events that happen during the book.

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Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton