Come Home Safe - by Brian G Buckmire

About the Book

From attorney and ABC legal analyst Brian Buckmire, Come Home Safe is an engaging YA novel that explores the pain, the truths, and the hope that comes with growing up as a person of color in America, told in a way that can help foster conversations about what it means to navigate today's world, as well as inspire ways to work toward change.

Book Synopsis

Dad, I just want to know how to not become a hashtag. In this gripping read, biracial siblings Reed and Olive hadn't planned on navigating racial inequality or being roughed up by police on the subway, but as they face the truths and pains of being a person of color, they also lean into knowing their rights and fostering conversations about change and acceptance.

"In Come Home Safe, Brian Buckmire has crafted a story that looks the reality of police brutality in the eye and still manages to come away with hope. It is a powerful book about the necessity of 'the talk' and what it means to be a teenager in our times."--New York Times bestselling author and ABC News anchor Linsey Davis

On the subway ride home, Reed just wants to watch videos of his soccer idol, but reality crashes in when police officers question him about a suspect who matches his description. With tact and poise, Reed defends himself, but ultimately knows there is no easy way out of this conflict.

At a café, a woman accuses Olive of stealing her phone and demands to see it. Startled and indignant, Olive watches as the crowd forms and does nothing to help, even as the woman attempts to weaponize the police against her.

This read will keep you on the edge of your seat as each teen asks themself: What should I do? What can I do? What's going to get me home safe?

Come Home Safe is perfect for:

• Fans of contemporary fiction and true-to-life stories
• Youth and middle graders interested in social justice, societal change, and navigating police brutality
• Parents, teachers, and school librarians looking to start a conversation about politics, racism, or have "the talk" with their teens and middle schoolers
• Anyone looking to better understand the sociopolitical climate in America today
• Young adult readers of Angie Thomas, Nic Stone, Ibi Zoboi, and Jason Reynolds
• Black, brown, or marginalized families who wish to open a conversation about how to live in a world that only sees the color of their skin

From ABC News legal analyst and NYC Legal Aid Society public defender Brian Buckmire, this compelling story draws from real-life advice, lessons, and conversations with attorneys, law enforcement, and the wrongfully accused to help turn the whispers and family discussions about racial inequality and mistreatment into wider conversations, healing, and one day ... change.

Review Quotes

Biracial (Black and white) siblings Reed and Olive navigate racial inequality in this instructive and compassionate debut by public defender Buckmire. Singularly focused on becoming the first-ever freshman varsity soccer player at Elijah McCoy High School, 14-year-old Reed isn't thinking about injustice when he accompanies his younger sister, Olive, home from school one afternoon. But when the siblings enter the subway, a nearby NYPD officer claims that Reed matches the description of a suspect he's pursuing. Reed relies on the rules his Black public defender father taught him to navigate such incidents ('Don't pick a fight with these people--not with your words and not with your body') and does not resist arrest. As the narrative unfolds, both siblings find themselves in various frightening situations that require them to use their wits and the skills instilled in them by their parents to ensure their safety. Via informative and fast-paced text, Buckmire highlights the unjust U.S. legal system by thoughtfully rendering episodic-feeling scenarios that spotlight the conflicts Black people in America face every day just by living their lives. Ages 12--up.--Publishers Weekly