Bibliographic Information:
Title: I'm Not Dying With You Tonight
Authors: Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal
ISBN: 978-1492678892
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Copyright Date: August 6, 2019
Reading Level / Interest Level: Grades 9 - 12 (Novelist).
Genre / Format: African American Fiction, Realistic Fiction / Book
Themes: Facing Racism, Police Brutality
Awards or Honors: YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (2020)
Plot Summary: The story follows two teen protagonists, Lena and Campbell, as they navigate a chaotic night. A fight at their high school breaks out after a racial slur and the presence of police quickly escalates everything. Campbell, who is introverted, white and new in town, must work with Lena, who is black, extroverted, and popular in order to make home safely. They have absolutely nothing in common but the chaos of the fight, the tension in the air caused by flying batons and bullets, brings the two together. They work together to walk across town to get to Campbell's home and Lena's friends, but without realizing, they walk into a riot. Now they have to figure out how to navigate the rest of the night if they don't want to end up dying together in a vandalized store.
Author Background: Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal are New York Times bestselling authors; they cowrote I'm Not Dying With You Tonight, it being the first novel for both. Kimberly Jones is also a filmmaker; a short video where she compares the economic plight of African Americans to a rigged Monopoly board went viral in 2020, released during the George Floyd protests.
Critical Evaluation for Books and Non-Print Items: This book tackles racial issues but it goes beyond race. The story is not about race, but rather about different perspectives and the assumptions people make about others. It cleverly tackles sensitive subjects through a dual perspective. The two perspectives are told by two different authors, one white and one black, allowing for the reader to explore two authentic points of view. Overall, this story is incredibly engaging and fast paced, and the dual perspective makes it a very quick read.
Creative Use for a Library Program: eResources Training Opportunity: Controversial Points
Teens will be shown a variety of resources that tackle controversial topics. These resources can be accessed for free at our library and we encourage teens to explore all sides of an issue to better understand each other. These resources can be used for school assignments and essays. Some of these tools include:
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer: A racial slur leads to a fistfight. Police presence quickly escalates the already tense situation and suddenly, Lena and Campbell find themselves trapped in high school without a working phone. Now they have to go across town and walk through the parts people avoid at night. Will they be able to make it home safely before a riot erupts?
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: The book tackles issues of racial injustices and racism in America. Police brutality is depicted in the book, with high school students attacked. A riot is also depicted in the story. Some concerned parents would take issue with any negative depiction of police. I would argue that the tense relationship between police and people of color is an unfortunate reality and to avoid the topic would be counterproductive, insensitive, and disrespectful to people's experiences.
Reason for Inclusion: The book was written after the 2015 protests in Baltimore turned violent as the community reacted to the death of African American Freddie Gray. The main characters in the book, one white and one black, have different responses to the riot that breaks out in their city. This story uses a dual perspective as a way to explore a conversation about two girls with very different experiences. Angie Thomas, author of the book The Hate U Give, gave her endorsement for this book (azfamily, 2019).
Enhancements
Kimberly Jones - Speaking Out About Black Experiences in America | The Daily Social