Starred review from August 25, 2014
Structured similarly to Avi’s Nothing But the Truth, this provocative novel set in a neighborhood ruled by gangs offers multiple, contradictory perspectives on the shooting of an African-American youth. No one disputes that 16-year-old Tariq Johnson was shot on the street by Jack Franklin, a white gang member, but the motives of both killer and victim remain fuzzy, as do the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The nationally renowned Reverend Alabaster Sloan claims that racial bias was involved and criticizes the police for releasing Jack. Locals have differing opinions, which spur more questions. Was the killing a matter of self-defense? Did Tariq have a weapon? Was he a gang member? Even eyewitnesses disagree on many points. Expressing the thoughts of Tariq’s family, neighbors, friends, and enemies, Magoon (37 Things I Love ) creates a montage of impressions for readers to digest before drawing conclusions about the tragedy. Through this resonant chorus of voices, Magoon masterfully captures the cycle of urban violence and the raw emotions of the young people who can’t escape its impact. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michelle Humphrey, Martha Kaplan Agency.
June 1, 2015
Gr 7 Up-Sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson is shot and killed while a diverse group of people look on. All of the eyewitnesses, plus community members who are invested in the case, tell the story of what happened. The problem is that everyone has a slightly different version of what happened, and as time goes on, the account becomes even more confused as everyone tries to make sense of the incident and how it happened. A full cast, including Cherise Boothe, Shari Peele, Kevin R. Free, and Avery Glymph, narrates, bringing the many characters and their versions of the story to life. VERDICT This story would be an excellent addition to middle and high school classes and would enhance collections dealing with race relations, diversity, and urban teens.-Amanda Stern, Northwest Village School, Plainville, CT
Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2015
Sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson is walking home from a convenience store when he is shot twice by a white man on the street. After his death, the neighborhood is up in arms, and no one has the same story of what happened. What emerges, through multiple voices, is a portrait not just of a young man and his untimely death but of a society struggling with the clashing of personal versus group identity; ethnic group membership versus class status; activism for a cause versus activism for personal gain. From a celebrity pastor using the incident to enhance his ratings to a gang leader insisting that Tariq was one of his to Tariq's little sister trying to make sense of the shooting, the story becomes fuller as more members of the community chime in with their memories or extrapolations. Audio is an excellent format for this novel, the experience akin to listening to an episode of NPR's Radiolab or Serial. Heartbreakingly timely and relevant, How It Went Down is as diverse in its perspectives and opinions as real-life news stories, and it ends with similar unsettledness. sarah hannah gomez
(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)