Chronicles the experiences of two Black students balancing family and personal expectations while engaging in the precarious work of organizing.

In 1995, Massachusetts high school senior Gibran’s ambivalent about attending a mostly White prep school. When a talent show performance by White students uses Black rapper aesthetics for cheap laughs, Gibran, quite literally, pulls the plug on it. This small act results in a strong warning: one more “disruption” before he’s expelled. His sympathetic mother reminds him to focus on his Howard University scholarship: “The question is, do you deserve the punishment you’re going to get for giving them what they deserve?” But when Gibran and others who wish to honor the upcoming Million Man March clash with administrators, his choices place him in jeopardy. In 1968, the day after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Columbia University student Kevin is organizing with the Society of Afro-American Students. They oppose Columbia’s expansion into Harlem, which would displace residents, and, as the Vietnam War rages, they want the university to renounce ties to war research. After reading sensationalized headlines, Kevin’s parents try to dissuade him from further participation in the lengthy, increasingly hostile student-led campus occupation. Allen constructs a vivid narrative that balances both timelines seamlessly and pointedly highlights often overlooked history. The crisp, succinct prose and fully realized characters make this a shining example of how principled research in lock step with exceptional writing creates an unforgettable reading experience.

An electric debut: a must-read for all. (acronyms and organizations, author’s note) (Fiction. 12-18)

-Kirkus Review

FROM AUDIOFILE: A duet of narrators delivers the protagonists' alternating chapters and the time periods that influence them. Nile Bullock portrays Gibran, a Black senior at a predominately white suburban high school. Bullock expresses Gibran's fiery response when his request to attend the 1995 Million Man March is denied by his school. When he attempts to organize a protest, the school administration makes a decision that jeopardizes his future. In a time shift to 1968, Kevin Free uses a calmer affect for Gibran's uncle, Kevin, whose responses to racial inequity are contained but equally strong. Inflamed by the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., he and others confront Columbia University's policies. The author portrays Dawn, Gibran's mother and Kevin's sister, who connects the men and their parallel stories. S.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2023]

Trade Ed. • Listening Library • 2023

DD ISBN 9780593744727 $27.50



Library Ed. • Listening Library • 2023

DD ISBN 9780593744734 $69.00

This is a great book. It does well telling the story from two perspectives and I love how the stories weave together gradually. Well worth the read. ( )

All You Have to Do follows two young Black men living about thirty years apart. Kevin is protesting at Columbia University days after the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, fighting the racist policies of the university. Gibran is attending a predominantly white prep school in 1995 at the time of the Million Man March and is frustrated with the racist attitudes of some fellow students and the lack of support from the school's administration.
We see how each young man grows as he attempts to succeed at his academic institution while navigating systemic white supremacy and discovering connections between class, race and gender. Neither man chooses to keep his head down and stay under the radar, as he is often advised to do. This book is eye opening as it shows us how much has changed, but also how much has stayed the same. Gibran's story could be set in the present day, were it not for the absence of the internet or cell phones.
The characters are well written and real. The story and settings are powerful and thought provoking. As the story progresses, the reader discovers an important connection between Kevin and Gibran. All You Have to Do is compelling, intense historical fiction. Thank you to BookishFirst for a copy to review. ( )

Here's a fine choice for the high school kid in your life as well as their parents and grandparents. Local Boston author Autumn Allen tells two important stories: Kevin, a Columbia University freshman in 1968 during the student takeover; and his nephew Gibran, a Boston private school student in 1995, during the time of the Million Men March on Washington. Both are surrounded by disinterested administrations and primarily white student bodies, but both improve their situations by joining with fellow activists to draw attention to and to denounce racism. The two have a strong tie in common, but also a mysterious family estrangement. The resolution is a bit weak, but overall, this historical fiction is perfect for those who may have missed out on the significance of both eras in the ongoing struggle for racial justice. ( )