Book
Review:
Bibliography-
Jackson,
T. D. (2018). Allegedly. Katherine Tegen Books.
Plot Summary-
Mary B. Addison killed a baby. Allegedly. She didn’t say
much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only
blanks that mattered: a white baby had died while under the care of a
churchgoing black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted
Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it? There wasn’t a point to
setting the record straight before, but now she’s got Ted, and their unborn
child to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary’s fate
now lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most, her Momma. No
one knows the real Momma. But does anyone know the real Mary?
Critical Analysis-
The story was written in a very
straightforward style, without feeling emotionally manipulative, complete with
urban slang. I think this kind of narration is even more powerful because of
its simplicity. Most of the book is stream of consciousness narrative, which sometimes
misses the mark with readers. I felt
that Jackson made it easy to understand Mary's reactions and decisions, for the
most part, even if I didn’t always agree with them. In this story, she
highlights the importance of black female friendships and supporting one
another, which is an important characteristic in realistic fiction. It was incredibly
moving to hear Mary's remembrances of various parts of her childhood, her
challenging relationship with her mentally ill mother, and of her alleged
crime. Mary Addison is a whip-smart, mixed-race girl, who struggles with low
feelings of self-worth and faces many obstacles. Her codependency with her mentally ill mother was so
raw. I truly felt for her and was drawn into her story. The rest of the book cleverly fills in
the blanks with an assortment of mixed media sources, such as police interviews
and court transcripts. I thought the blending of different styles together
was executed perfectly to reveal the truth at the heart of the story. I also appreciated
the way this book reflected on the juvenile justice system and their general
systematic failures as well as shining a light on the hopelessness and
desperation these kids experience.
Review Excerpts-
“With
remarkable skill, Jackson offers an unflinching portrayal of the raw social
outcomes when youth are entrapped in a vicious cycle of nonparenting and are
sent spiraling down the prison-for-profit pipeline. This dark, suspenseful
exploration of justice and perception raises important questions teens will
want to discuss.”-School Library Journal starred
review
“Suspenseful
without being emotionally manipulative, compelling without resorting to shock
value, this is a tightly spun debut that wrestles with many intense ideas and
ends with a knife twist that will send readers racing back to the beginning
again.”-Booklist starred review
Connections-
-After reading a few chapters of the book throughout the week,
have an open discussion with the students. Each student can pick a pre-written,
thought-provoking question from a bag. Students can verbally share their
answers. Question examples: If this novel were made into a movie, which
actors/actresses would play which role? Explain your choices. Describe
different settings in this book and how each setting influences the characters
and their choices. What genre does this book belong, and why?
-If students liked this book, other suggestions are:
Concrete Rose By:Angie Thomas ISBN 9780062846716
Moth to a flame By:Ashley Antoinette ISBN 9781601622631
Dear Justyce By:Nic Stone ISBN 9781984829665
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