Gratitude to NetGalley for recommending this ARC Proof, I received it on Wednesday, started it on Thursday, and just finished it. "[KNEEL: Justice is a Team Sport] by [a: Candace Buford|20120636|Candace Buford|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1615847831p2/20120636.jpg] is the first book that has grabbed my heart, soul, and spirit in a long time. I have been crying big gulping tears, cheering scaring the cats, and laughing a little bit. [b: KNEEL|55743833|Kneel|Candace Buford|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1613645545l/55743833._SY75_.jpg|77524328] will be one of those books that circulate in Juvenile and Y/A sections of the library so often that they have to have multiple copies and has to be replaced often, making the stats becoming a classic.

I have personally emailed a few Librarians I know who scour the earth for writing and books like this to pass this title along as a must-have for any collection that promotes diversity.

My life has been changed by reading this book. Thank you [a: Candace Buford|20120636|Candace Buford|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1615847831p2/20120636.jpg] I will never forget this story. ( )

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher (Inkyard Press) for promotional purposes.

I want to preface this review by stating that I’ve been a huge Colin Kaepernick since the beginning (the 49ers are my team) and I have always supported his peaceful protest of kneeling during the national anthem. I was very excited to read this book inspired by Kaepernick’s protest. I was not disappointed!

The storyline felt very real. It depicted the racism and injustice black people face every day in a very nuanced way. It did a fantastic job highlighting the internal struggle of deciding whether or not to speak out. Taking a stand, or in this case, kneeling, has both positive and negative consequences, and this book dove right into the complexity of it all. It really made you think.

The characters were also well done. They felt multi-dimensional and helped move the story along. For example, Russell’s parents showcased the dichotomy between wanting what’s best for your kid and letting your kid choose what they want to do. Russell’s dad in particular, was not happy about Russell’s kneeling because he knew it would mess up Russell’s chances of getting a football scholarship. On the other hand, Russell wanted to follow his heart and stick up for his friend. This felt so realistic because it’s understandable that a parent would want their kid to stay silent in order to have a better future.

My only critique of the book is that I would have liked the end to have been developed a bit more. A lot happened in the last 50 pages and I wanted to see it debriefed more.

Overall, this is an important and timely read. It shows exactly why Black Lives Matter and why the movement is calling for change. I highly recommend this book! ( )

RGG: Really good read that has plenty of football while dealing with the issue of speaking up and standing out versus living in fear of the status quo of racism. Not didatic--cute romance, good friendships, wonderful community. Joins This is My America by Kim Johnson as a fun read with a social activism message. Reading Interest: 13-YA.

RGG: Really good read that has plenty of football while dealing with the issue of speaking up and standing out versus living in fear of the status quo of racism. Not didatic--cute romance, good friendships, wonderful community. Joins This is My America by Kim Johnson as a fun read with a social activism message. Reading Interest: 13-YA.

Some books warrant attention regardless of predictable storylines, cliched characters, and unrealistic conclusions — like Kneel by Candace Buford. Russel lives in the poor, mostly black town next to the wealthy white town where football is the most important thing. Of course, he and his best friend, Marion, are the stars of their team until tragedy happens. Blah, blah, blah. The rest of the story is as predictable and trite as expected, but Kneel will (and should) still appeal to certain readers as it does a solid job of representing the heart of the BLM movement and all the reasons to get involved. Buford’s writing does the subject matter a solid turn, and younger readers looking for a sports story that exemplifies the injustices inherent in American society will find an excellent book for that. ( )