True True

Praise for True True:

An Aaron Judge ALL RISE Summer 2024 Book Club Pick
A Black Caucus American Library Association Best of the Best 2023 Pick

★ “In this compassionate debut, a love letter to Brooklyn and Caribbean culture, Hooper paints an organic portrait of a Black teenager who feels caught between two different worlds. Gil’s determination to lift up his peers often results in him disregarding his own needs and wants; through his earnest first-person POV and natural-feeling prose, Hooper presents valuable lessons on the healing power of community, forgiveness, and sharing one’s truth.” —Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

“A powerful novel.”—The Root

“Don P. Hooper’s blistering YA debut True True follows a Black New York City teen facing racial discrimination from students and administration at his new private prep school.”—Pop Sugar

“With modern and quick language mixed with the energy of New York City seen through the eyes of Jamaican immigrants, Dreamers, and first-generation kids, the author takes readers on a journey as Gil figures out how a place at the school of his dreams mixes with the only life he has ever known in Brooklyn…A timely YA novel that takes on heavy themes of race and immigration with freshness, hope, and a dash of Jamaican patois.“—School Library Journal

“I loved this book. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t wait to find out how Gil’s story would unfold. I loved the way Gil used Sun Tzu’s The Art of War as a guide to help him navigate the often hostile world at his new, mostly white prep school. It kept the plot moving enticingly and kept me wondering what his next step would be. But ultimately, it was his deep connections to his family, his friends, and his community that made this book sing for me. Wonderful!”—The Southern Bookseller Review

“Hooper unflinchingly shows Gil’s torment at the hands of hostile peers and ignorant school officials. However, the author is similarly unafraid to highlight how Gil’s single-minded quest for justice…Featuring a rich and layered rendering of New York City few other YA books can match, this debut novel is ideal reading for politically minded young readers.“—Booklist Online

“Gil is persistent and determined and works to make life at his new school not just better for him but for all the marginalized students who go there. A fast-paced, fury-inspiring read.”—Teen Librarian Toolbox

“Immersive and captivating, True True is an unflinchingly honest letter to culture, social injustices, community, and the limitless power of one’s voice. A riveting page-turner! Do yourself a favor—read this book!” —Julian Winters, bestselling and award-winning author of Right Where I Left You

Don P. Hooper is a writer and filmmaker of Jamaican heritage (and a programmer in a former life). His short story Got Me a Jet Pack is part of the New York Times bestselling anthology Black Boy Joy. His directing work has been featured in the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, the New York City Horror Film Festival, and the New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival (award winner). He does voice-over in video games and documentaries. True True is his debut novel.

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