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Cover of All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan KielyAll American Boys
Modern · Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens

All American Boys

by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
2015 · 320 pages · Fiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 8 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Sixteen-year-old Rashad is wrongly accused of shoplifting and brutally beaten by a police officer. His classmate Quinn witnesses it, and the officer is the older brother of Quinn's best friend. Told in their alternating voices, the novel follows a school and a town divided.

Why it's worth reading

It spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a powerful, widely taught novel about racism and police violence.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It was written by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. It's a young-adult novel.

By the numbers

68.1Must-Read Score
  • Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2016

How we rank

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →

Quick answers

Is All American Boys worth reading?

Yes. It spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,517 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.1 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is All American Boys about?

Sixteen-year-old Rashad is wrongly accused of shoplifting and brutally beaten by a police officer. His classmate Quinn witnesses it, and the officer is the older brother of Quinn's best friend. Told in their alternating voices, the novel follows a school and a town divided.

How long does it take to read All American Boys?

About 8 hours (320 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after All American Boys?

If you liked it, try The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Dear Martin by Nic Stone or Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds.