All American Boys Discussion Guide:

U
se this discussion guide to inspire in-depth thinking, and jump-start a conversation about All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely.  There’s plenty here to set your mental wheels in motion.

1. All American Boys is a novel that has two narrators, and chapters that switch perspectives between those narrators (Rashad and Quinn). Why do you think Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely wrote the book this way?
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2. What does the phrase ‘All-American boy’ mean regarding Quinn, and how does he feel about it?
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3. How does Rashad’s experience at Jerry’s Corner Mart mirror larger societal issues?
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4. How does the incident between Rashad and the police affect Quinn’s perspective on his community?
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5. Quinn struggles to reconcile Paul’s actions with the person he used to look up to. And, how does his internal struggle reflect the broader societal themes presented in the book?
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6. What does Rashad’s reaction to how he is depicted on TV signify about societal perceptions of race?
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7. What does Quinn’s struggle with his identity tell us about the pressures young people face when trying to fit in?
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8. What role does Spoony play in the story, particularly regarding Rashad’s situation? And how does this character function within the novel?
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9. What is the significance of the T-shirt Quinn created for the march?
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10. What meaning does the ‘die-in’ protest have for Rashad and his friends?

Have a gander at our take on

All American Boys: A journey from passive to active voice.

 #banned books        #African-American authors        #Jason Reynolds        #Published 2010s