This fictional story follows Yusef as he is arrested and tried for an attack on a white youth who is left in a coma, a crime he did not commit. No one will believe him when when he tries to tell them he is innocent. Yousef, an artist and a poet, suffers prejudice, humiliation, and brutality during the six years he serves before he is exonerated. The book speaks to the current issue of racial justice.
- Walter Award Winner
- Goodreads Finalist for Best Teen Book of the Year
- Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year
- School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
- Kirkus Best Book of the Year
- New York Public Library Best Book of the Year