Rest in Power

Starred review from January 1, 2017
The parents of Trayvon Martin (1995-2012) tell their sides of the story about his death.In alternating points of view, Fulton and Martin narrate the events leading up to their son's death, the trial, and the aftermath. The book is filled with the heartache and anguish only parents who have lost a child can fully understand, as the authors delve into the nitty-gritty details of what it was like to learn of their son's death, the terrible, nightmarish quality of the days and weeks following the shooting, and the experience of going to trial only to have the killer proclaimed not guilty. They share family stories and anecdotes about Trayvon, giving readers a rounded, more complete picture of the teenager who was gunned down by a neighborhood watch captain, George Zimmerman, on a rainy night in 2012. Their son's death provoked anger across the country and contributed to the founding of the Black Lives Matter movement, but as Fulton points out, the violence and deaths of African-Americans has hardly stopped after Trayvon. "We tell this story in the hope that it will continue the calling that Trayvon left for us to answer and that it might shine a path for others who have lost, or will lose, children to senseless violence. We tell it in the hope for healing, for bridging the divide that separates America, between races and classes, between citizens and the police," writes the author. "Most of all, we tell it for Trayvon, whose young soul and lively spirit guide us every day in everything we do." Fulton and Martin are not heavy-handed on the dramatics; they speak honestly and boldly and win empathy and understanding through their expression of their bleak reality. The authors also provide answers not readily found in the avalanche of news covering this story, and the book should foster further discussions on the issues of race and violence in America. A brave, heart-rending narrative from the parents who lost their son far too soon.

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February 15, 2017

The murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012 became a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement and a national flash point on the state of race in the United States. Before he became the embodiment of young blacks in America, Trayvon was a high school student who enjoyed hanging out with friends and playing video games. This dual memoir by his parents, Fulton and Martin, is told in alternating points of view and reveals Trayvon in a way only they could; by taking him beyond the hoodie to show a boy who was, at turns, an athlete, a good son, and a flawed student. This book is also a personal tale of a family's loss of a child, following both parents as they learn to deal with their grief while grappling with an unresponsive police force and hostile legal system. The narrative moves from the sidewalks and courts of Florida to the national stage, as Fulton and Martin find their voice to speak to a burgeoning movement. VERDICT Highly recommended. This historic memoir captures the heartbreak of loss complicated by a broken legal system, and will appeal to anyone interested in the ongoing struggle for civil rights.--John Rodzvilla, Emerson Coll., Boston

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 1, 2017
Four years after Trayvon Martin, a black teenager, was killed walking home by George Zimmerman, a white neighborhood watch coordinator with a gun, the teen's mother and father, in alternating chapters, share the devastating experience of losing a son to senseless violence: -We tell it in hope for healing, for bridging the divide that separates America.- Evident throughout are Fulton's and Martin's anger and frustration with the way the case was handled by the Sanford (FL) Police Department, the makeup of the jury, the prosecution's weak performance, and the often outrageous behavior of the defense. Why was Zimmerman allowed to go home with evidence on his body? Why was Trayvon, but not Zimmerman, subjected to drug and alcohol tests? Why were there background checks on Trayvon but not on Zimmerman? Both parents also chronicle the numerous protest marches that propelled a national movement. Pointing out the blatant missteps they encountered, Fulton and Martin come across as caring and compassionate individuals who remain hopeful that their son will live on through their continued work with the Trayvon Martin Foundation. VERDICT A well-told and gripping portrayal of the killing of a son and the subsequent legal process, with all its twists and turns.-Jane Ritter, Mill Valley School District, CA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2016
Fulton and Martin's beloved 17-year-old son, Trayvon, for whom they had the highest aspirations, was going through a rough patch in early 2012. Though the couple was divorced, Fulton, who worked for the Miami-Dade housing authority, and Martin, a truck driver, remained equally close to their son. Both felt that it would do Trayvon good to get out of Miami for a little vacation with Martin's girlfriend and her son in their safe, gated community in Sanford, Florida. Instead, Trayvon, walking in the rain, wearing a hoodie, and talking on his cell phone, was shot dead by a neighborhood-watch volunteer. As the fifth anniversary of this tragic crime nears, Fulton and Martin share a remarkably candid and deeply affecting in-the-moment chronicle of the explosive aftermath of the murder. Writing in alternate chapters, they share every detail of their shock, grief, and grueling quest for justice as their private loss became a public cause inspiring prominent figures to speak out and tens of thousands to express their support on the streets and online. Given the unconscionable shooting deaths of young black men, many by police, that followed Trayvon's, this galvanizing testimony from parents who channeled their sorrow into action offers a deeply humanizing perspective on the crisis propelling a national movement.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)