Praise and Achievements for ‘TJ Crowley'

"A deftly crafted, thought-provoking, and solid work of historical fiction. Unreservedly recommended for both school and community library YA fiction collections." — Midwest Book Review

"One of the most popular books in my classroom library. The questions it raises about race, class, and family resonate with young women and men encountering a world with injustice and conflict for the first time, just like the young women and men of the book." — Dave McIntire, Kansas History Teacher of the Year, Pembroke Hill School

"The perfect book to spur frank discussions about whiteness with teens and young adults, offering insights into the fear and hate of white supremacy and a model of how a white person can change and challenge what they think they know about race." — Jenna Chandler-Ward, co-founder of Teaching While White

"Brought to life by a series of finely drawn characters, the book offers readers, particularly teens, a chance to think about some of the most important issues facing our society today. I heartily recommend it." — Mark Potok, former Sr. Fellow, Southern Poverty Law Center

"This is a book that demands discussion. Read it in a group and talk genuinely about history and its important connection to current society." — Marguerite Penick-Parks, Ph.D., co-editor of “Everyday White People" and “A Guide for White Women Teaching Black Boys"

"Set in an explosive moment in America's racial history, this coming-of-age history prompted me to consider my own moral courage. What choices would I have made if I were in TJ's shoes? I was on the edge of my seat, turning the pages and rooting for TJ as he navigated his young life with increasing clarity." — Debby Irving, racial justice educator and author of “Waking Up White"

"A compelling book for our time… . Grant Overstake has given us a book that reads easily while not being easy to forget at all." — Kim Uden Rutter, Book of the Year Judge, Library Journal reviewer

"Historical fiction at its finest." — Nancy Julien Kopp, “Chicken Soup for the Soul"

"Students can begin to understand how race is interwoven not only in the criminal justice system but also society through TJ Crowley. We can stick our heads in the sand and conveniently ignore it, or we can begin to discuss it—I mean, really, really discuss it—and TJ Crowley can help tremendously in this goal." — Michael Birzer, Ph.D., School of Criminal Justice, Wichita State University

"A nostalgic and haunting work of fiction. Anyone who remembers the late 1960s will find the story warm and familiar and deeply unsettling. The story is a window into a time and place that seems so distant, and yet so familiar." — Jay M. Price, Ph.D., Department Chair and Director of Local and Community History, Wichita State University

"I am thoroughly impressed! Couldn't put it down!" — Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books & Café, National Book Awards Judge