All You Have To Do, Autumn Allen
All You Have To Do, Autumn Allen
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All You Have To Do

Author: Autumn Allen

Narrator: Nile Bullock, Autumn Allen, Kevin R. Free

Unabridged: 11 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/29/2023


Synopsis

Powerful, thought-provoking, and heartfelt, this young adult novel is a gripping look at what it takes (and takes and takes) for two Black students to succeed in prestigious academic institutions in America.

“Beautifully immerses the reader in the stories of two young Black student activists and their shared personal struggles that transcend decades.”—Ibram X. Kendi, author of Stamped from the Beginning, winner of the National Book Award

Being a Black kid in an elite school is not easy, but it’s a privilege. It is a path to “success.” What kind of success, though? And what price do you have to pay for it? You can’t think about that if you want to graduate. And you must graduate. After all, generations of your people fought to get you here.

Just focus on your future. That’s all you have to do. But can you?

All You Have to Do is a page-turning, heartfelt story about two young men attending prestigious schools nearly thirty years apart, and the powerful ways in which their lives connect.

In 1968, in the wake of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, Kevin joins his fellow students as they stage a sit-in to protest Columbia University’s yearslong expansion into Morningside Heights at the expense of its residents, the majority of whom are African American. And the protesters are up against more than just their school. . . .

In 1995, Gibran’s request to have a group of Black students from his prep school attend the Million Man March is met with criticism, suspicion, and condescension. Gibran writes an open letter about racism at the school, but his protest only leads to more trouble. . . .

To discover who they want to be, these two young men must challenge the ways society and family define them . . . and with each step, they risk losing the opportunities their parents worked hard to provide.

About The Author

Autumn Allen is the author of the young adult novel All You Have to Do and forthcoming picture books including Step on Board: Sculpting a Memorial to Harriet Tubman, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, and Answered Prayers. She is a senior editor at Barefoot Books, an educator, and a children’s literature specialist. She holds master’s degrees in education, children’s literature, and writing for children from Harvard University and Simmons University. Autumn grew up in Boston and lives in Massachusetts with her family.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Mallory on July 18, 2023

This was a very powerful book and I felt privileged to read it and gain some limited insight into different perspective. I loved the two timelines and perspectives and how they tied together. The look at two similar men fighting sadly similar fights in two different ways was really powerful to read.......more

Goodreads review by Provin on August 28, 2024

I was fascinated by the two timelines this book has. In one timeline it’s 1995 and Gibran is gathering his friends and classmates to go to the Million Man March. In the other timeline it’s 1968 and Kevin is fighting for equal rights after MLK‘s assassination. The stories are 35 years apart yet both......more

Goodreads review by Celia on June 27, 2023

Saying, "powerful and thought-provoking" still does not do this book justice. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO will have you in tears. This was one of the best books have read this year. This debut follows two Black teens living in different time periods experiencing similar injustices. Kevin's POV is in the 1960s......more

Goodreads review by Kayla on July 01, 2023

*I received this arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review* I was really looking forward to this story. It is such a profound story especially given the current climate we live in. It centers around the two black men coming of age in two very different periods. Gibran who is outnumbered......more

Goodreads review by Lala on February 19, 2024

This book made me mad. This is a book that needs to be read in all schools junior high to college. These are the books that yt folks are trying to ban. They dont want young ppl to get hipped to what they're doing and work together.......more


Quotes

Best Books of Fall 2023 People Magazine • Black Caucus American Library Association Best of the Best 2023 • Kirkus The Best Young Adult Books of 2023 • 2024 Texas Tayshas Reading List • NCSS-CBC 2024 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People • 2024 Bank Street Best Children’s Books • 2024 Massachusetts Book Award Masterlist (Massachusetts)

All You Have To Do is a tutorial in time. We don't simply travel through time here; we travel with time through the bending and breaking of power and tradition. Autumn Allen has created a book that counts its readers as its most important characters while examining how we fight for dignity in different, but very similar generations. Incredible art-making!”—Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy: An American Memoir, winner of the Andrew Carnegie medal for Excellence in Nonfiction

All You Had To Do beautifully immerses the reader in the stories of two young Black student activists and their shared personal struggles that transcend decades. It is a stunning debut novel.”—Ibram X. Kendi, author of Stamped from the Beginning, winner of the National Book Award

“Autumn Allen has offered a rare and refreshing glimpse into Black boyhood in elite schools on the precipice of two vital moments in American history. All You Have To Do is a profound and empathetic statement on the costs of striving for excellence against all odds. Allen is a writer to watch!”—Ibi Zoboi, author of American Street, a National Book Award Finalist

“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.”Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Allen highlights two Black teens’ parallel struggles for racial justice, 27 years apart, in this powerful debut. Through Gibran and Kevin’s individual exploits of equality and accountability, fully fleshed-out characters, and skillfully cultivated narrative tension, Allen creates a layered debut that is timely and resonant.”Publisher's Weekly, starred review

“This intense debut novel connects two young Black men struggling for acceptance and equality. Allen expertly integrates historical civil rights figures and events into a character-driven narrative that communicates how it feels to be transformed by a powerful speech, to face violence, and to stand tall every day in the face of injustice and racism. She ends with a moment of triumphant unity in a struggle that continues.”Booklist, starred review

“A compelling portrait of the intersectionality of race, class, and intergenerational change that features two Black young adults, Kevin and Gibran, living through two different time periods. An important addition to the canon of YA historical fiction and especially recommended for readers who are invested in the history of racism and the struggle for freedom.”School Library Journal