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How It Went DownSeries

This series delves into the complex aftermath of violence through a multifaceted exploration of a tragic event. Each voice offers a unique perspective, uncovering layers of truth and deception surrounding the loss of a young life. The narratives grapple with grief, anger, and the pursuit of justice within a community affected by racial tensions and loss. It's a powerful examination of how individuals and society confront consequences and seek understanding in the wake of devastating events.

How It Went Down
Light it Up

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  1. 1

    How It Went Down

    3.9(296)Add rating

    A Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book When sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson dies from two gunshot wounds, his community is thrown into an uproar. Tariq was black. The shooter, Jack Franklin, is white. In the aftermath of Tariq's death, everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events line up. Day by day, new twists further obscure the truth. Tariq's friends, family, and community struggle to make sense of the tragedy, and to cope with the hole left behind when a life is cut short. In their own words, they grapple for a way to say with certainty: This is how it went down. How It Went Down is a timely story by acclaimed author Kekla Magoon who won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for The Rock and the River, and whose book X :A Novel (written with Ilyasah Shabazz) was longlisted for the National Book Award. This title has Common Core connections.

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  2. 2

    Light it Up

    4.2(767)Add rating

    Told in a series of vignettes from multiple viewpoints, Kekla Magoon's Light It Up is a powerful, layered story about injustice and strength—as well as an incredible follow-up to the highly acclaimed novel How It Went Down.A girl walks home from school. She's tall for her age. She's wearing her winter coat. Her headphones are in. She's hurrying.She never makes it home.In the aftermath, while law enforcement tries to justify the response, one fact remains: a police officer has shot and killed an unarmed thirteen-year-old girl. The community is thrown into upheaval, leading to unrest, a growing movement to protest the senseless taking of black lives, and the arrival of white supremacist counter demonstrators.

    Light it Up