COME HOME SAFE

A pair of biracial siblings face the challenge of trying to feel safe after traumatic interactions with the police in this debut by a public defender and television legal analyst.

Reed is a stylish 14-year-old soccer phenom who’s excited to try out for the varsity soccer team at his Brooklyn high school. He’s out with his 12-year-old sister, Olive, when three older boys offer Reed a joint. Self-possessed Olive, who has an interest in law, intervenes, explaining the marijuana penalty for juveniles and helping Reed save face. Later, the siblings are riding home on the subway when police officers claim Reed fits the description of a boy they’re pursuing. Olive films their interactions, and Reed’s internal monologue shows everything he learned from his Black public defender father about his rights and how to behave in such situations. In another encounter, a White woman at a cafe accuses Olive of stealing her phone and attacks Reed when he intervenes. Olive likewise recalls her father’s advice when the police officer is threatening toward her. Ultimately, it is the arrival of the kids’ White mother that saves them. The author shows how, despite the young people’s restrained, well-informed responses, their race makes them vulnerable to profiling. Reed and Olive are dynamic characters who process their experiences in different ways; their story will resonate with and educate readers about social justice, advocacy, and self-protection.

An impactful novel that explores the damage of the unjust application of laws.