How It Went Down

Cherise Boothe anchors this production with her performance as world-weary Jennica, a teen we meet when she tries to save her schoolmate, Tariq Johnson, after he's shot in broad daylight. In the wake of Tariq's death, a full cast alternates between points of view as diverse as that of the shooter, who believed Tariq was armed, and that of the Reverend Alabaster Sloan, who comes to town in the wake of the tragedy to bolster his political career. As Tariq's family, other teens, and neighborhood stalwarts fail to agree on the facts or on what they mean, the full-cast approach highlights the way people's expectations and assumptions influence what they see and believe. Timely, but also timeless in its exploration of the mysteries at the core of being human. A.F. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Starred review from August 25, 2014
Structured similarly to Avi’s Nothing But the Truth, this provocative novel set in a neighborhood ruled by gangs offers multiple, contradictory perspectives on the shooting of an African-American youth. No one disputes that 16-year-old Tariq Johnson was shot on the street by Jack Franklin, a white gang member, but the motives of both killer and victim remain fuzzy, as do the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The nationally renowned Reverend Alabaster Sloan claims that racial bias was involved and criticizes the police for releasing Jack. Locals have differing opinions, which spur more questions. Was the killing a matter of self-defense? Did Tariq have a weapon? Was he a gang member? Even eyewitnesses disagree on many points. Expressing the thoughts of Tariq’s family, neighbors, friends, and enemies, Magoon (37 Things I Love ) creates a montage of impressions for readers to digest before drawing conclusions about the tragedy. Through this resonant chorus of voices, Magoon masterfully captures the cycle of urban violence and the raw emotions of the young people who can’t escape its impact. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michelle Humphrey, Martha Kaplan Agency.

June 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-Sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson is shot and killed while a diverse group of people look on. All of the eyewitnesses, plus community members who are invested in the case, tell the story of what happened. The problem is that everyone has a slightly different version of what happened, and as time goes on, the account becomes even more confused as everyone tries to make sense of the incident and how it happened. A full cast, including Cherise Boothe, Shari Peele, Kevin R. Free, and Avery Glymph, narrates, bringing the many characters and their versions of the story to life. VERDICT This story would be an excellent addition to middle and high school classes and would enhance collections dealing with race relations, diversity, and urban teens.-Amanda Stern, Northwest Village School, Plainville, CT

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