Kneel

Title:

Kneel

Author:

Summary:

For guys like Russell Boudreaux, football is the only way out of their small town. As the team's varsity tight end, Rus has a singular goal: to get a scholarship and play on the national stage. But when his best friend is unfairly arrested and kicked off the team, Rus faces an impossible choice: speak up or live in fear. "Please rise for the national anthem." Desperate for change, Rus kneels during the national anthem. In one instant, he falls from local stardom and becomes a target for hatred. But he's not alone. With the help of his best friend and an unlikely ally, Rus will fight for his dreams, and for justice.

General Note:

"Justice is a team sport" -- cover.

Physical Description:

311 pages ; 22 cm

Genre:

Social problem fiction.

Subject Term:

Football players -- Fiction.

High school athletes -- Fiction.

Racism -- Fiction.

Justice -- Fiction.

African American football players -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

Louisiana -- Fiction.

Publisher:

Inkyard Press,

Publication Date:

2021

ISBN:

9781335402516

Publication Information:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada : Inkyard Press, [2021]

Call Number:

YA BUFORD

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003557009	Young Adult	BUFORD	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable
33607003659912	Young Adult	BUFORD	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

"A must read. 10/10." --Broderick Hunter, actor, model, and activist

This fearless debut novel explores racism, injustice, and self-expression through the story of a promising Black football star in Louisiana.

The system is rigged.

For guys like Russell Boudreaux, football is the only way out of their small town. As the team's varsity tight end, Rus has a singular goal: to get a scholarship and play on the national stage. But when his best friend is unfairly arrested and kicked off the team, Rus faces an impossible choice: speak up or live in fear.

"Please rise for the national anthem."

Desperate for change, Rus kneels during the national anthem. In one instant, he falls from local stardom and becomes a target for hatred. But he's not alone. With the help of his best friend and an unlikely ally, Rus will fight for his dreams, and for justice.

"A gripping story about what it looks like when we demand equity, justice, and recognition of our own humanity." --Kalynn Bayron, author of Cinderella Is Dead

Reviews (1)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up--Black high school football captains Russell (Rus) Boudreaux and Marion LaSalle are painfully aware of the racially divided towns of Westmond and Monroe in Louisiana. They are antagonized by two white rival players, Bradley Simmons and Lawrence Perkins, at a game at Westmond High. Marion is arrested by Officer Reynaud on trumped-up charges and kicked off the team. Rus takes a knee during the national anthem at the following game in an act of solidarity; is kicked off the team by his coach; and is villainized by the media, his teammates, and his parents. Rus also starts falling for old friend Gabby Dupre. He questions his political stance when his and Marion's futures are on the line. A mystery person leaves protest fliers demanding police accountability in Westmond and the culprit is closer to home than Rus realizes. A peaceful protest in Westmond turns ugly and the lives of Rus, Marion, and Gabby forever change. Buford's YA novel will bring to mind Colin Kaepernick's political stance against police brutality and his censure by the NFL. Readers will be on the edge of their seats wondering about the teens' fates. Young people will also appreciate the discussions of food justice, vegetarianism, and green urban spaces in lower-income African American communities through the characterization of Gabby, who is a Black vegetarian. Buford has created relatable characters who will resonate with readers. VERDICT This novel is a necessary purchase for conversations about systemic racism, police brutality, and food justice.--Donald Peebles, Brooklyn P.L.