June Book Club 

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

------------

Guiding Questions:

Here are some questions to consider while you read Punching the Air:

- What is the significance of the book's title? The phrase “Punching the air” is spoken multiple times throughout the story. In what contexts do we see this phrases meaning represented?

- How is the poetic form of the book in conversation with its content? What are the benefits of telling a story in this way?

- When he is sentenced, Amal compares his life before this moment to Africa and says, "maybe jail / is America" (p. 61). In "DNA," he connects the shackles he wears leaving the court to the shackles his ancestors wore (pp. 80-81). Discuss the connections between his experience as a black youth in contemporary America and the experiences of early Africans arriving in the Americas. What has changed, and where do we see echoes of the past? (bookbrowse.com)

- What will you take with you from your reading of Punching the Air? Will you continue to consider the issues that are explored? What are some actions you can take to address these issues?

If you want to take it a step further and really engage with the content, use these questions as journal prompts! You can also just write about whatever comments or thoughts you have as you read :)

------------

At this link, you can see questions and reviews for the book, and engage in community discussion. If you want to track your reading progress this year, make a Goodreads account and start by adding this book to your list!

Find a library near you and check out this book to get started. Happy reading!