Books like Dear Martin promote empathy. When reading a book, you can see inside a character's head, and you are privy to their most personal thoughts. You get to know their vulnerabilities and strengths, talents and dreams, and their fears and failures. Often, you get to see yourself or your friends and family reflected in the words. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, a specialist in children's literature, said that books can be both mirrors and windows. Books are like mirrors because you see yourself in the thoughts and actions of the characters, and windows because you get to experience a different perspective. Dear Martin was both a mirror and a window.

In her debut novel Dear Martin, the trailblazing Nic Stone introduces current cultural issues and activism into the fictional realm. Bright, Yale bound protagonist, Justyce McAllister confronts being black and poor in the midst of affluence and privilege. Justyce attends the predominantly white Brasington Prep, and deals with blatant racism on a daily basis. He struggles to find his own unique values as his family, friends, and peers try to impose their own values on him. Attempting to overcome his anger at the injustice in his daily life, Justyce decides to write letters to Dr. Martin Luther King to apply King’s principles to his own life. The letters are a therapeutic way for him to vent his frustrations. 

The story illustrates the injustices people of color face without villainizing the reader. Nic Stone creates multi-faceted characters who all have racial prejudices. The novel does not anger or excite, rather it shows life from Justyce’s perspective. This quality promotes empathy and allows readers to understand the reasons why the characters are angry. The novel consistently shows how the Black characters have to step aside and surround themselves with a shield of passivity in order to avoid being called “sensitive” or provoking their peers into racist comments. However, not all of the white characters are racist. Spunky feminist SJ (for Sarah-Jane) Martin is a romantic prospect. Her conversations with Justyce add some intrigue to the novel. Dear Martin mirrors typical high school life, with crushes, friend drama, and college applications. However, we are given a window to view life through a different lens. 

With the recent resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, Dear Martin is a relevant novel. It is a staple on young adult anti-racist reading lists. Dear Martin helps teens reconcile with a hard truth; no amount of privilege, money, power, education or “acceptance” can protect you from racism. It’s ever present. Besides a few minor weaknesses like bizarre formatting and a confusing ending, Dear Martin is a culturally-significant novel and I would recommend it to anyone. As white female, I understand that I will never experience what characters like Justyce experience in the real world. However, it’s valuable to even have some insight into what Black people have to deal with daily. Even if we only get a peek through the window into Justyce’s world, it’s worthwhile.