We’re excited to share that Bay County has selected All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely as its 2021 Community Justice Read!

This novel tells the story of two teenage boys—one black, one white—and their experiences with a violent act that leaves their school, their community, and even their country bitterly divided by racial tensions. It’s a powerful read, and a contemporary one for our times.

A number of free copies of “All-American Boys” are available at all Bay County Library branches while supplies last. The e-book is also available to area residents with a library card. You can even pick up a free pin from your branches celebrating our first community read. Come and pick up your pin from any branch, even if you found a copy of the book elsewhere.

Four community read discussions about this book will be held via Zoom and at the Sage Library outdoor Word garden, featuring local facilitators who will guide the participants through a series of discussion questions about the book. Those dates are:

• Thursday, April 29, 7-8:30 pm (on Zoom)
• Tuesday, May 11, 7-8:30 pm (on Zoom)
• Saturday, May 22, 10-11:30 am (at the Sage Library)
• Wednesday, May 26, 7-8:30 pm (on Zoom)

To register to attend a discussion, go to http://www.justicelibrary.org/communityread2021baycity/.