I am Alfonso Jones by Tony Medina

OVERVIEW:

I Am Alfonso Jones is a graphic novel which journeys through the life and tragic death of a 15-year-old African American teenager, who was murdered by the police. When we meet Alfonso, he is a fun-loving teenager travelling the city, documenting historic monuments that reflect black culture and the black experience in America. Alfonso also works as a bike messenger, so his experience takes him into amazing spaces throughout the streets of Harlem that he captures and share via social media. As Alfonso awaits his father’s release from prison, he is not only excited about this reunification, but he is thrilled about his role as Hamlet in his upcoming school play. A barrage of bullets from a police officer’s gun would remove all hope of their reunion as well as Alfonso’s dreams of portraying Hamlet with his best friend and love interest, Danetta. Although unalived in the most heartbreaking way, Alfonso remains the narrator of his own tale, talking readers on both a spiritual and supernatural adventure of heartbreak and chaos in a city reeling with the aftermath of police brutality.

Review:

Alfonso Jones is a typical millennial teenager whose character transcends the pages of the novel; readers will find him charming and relatable. Throughout the novel, the author highlights the impacts of police brutality in America by providing a realistic and graphic reflection of its consequences. Drawing on inspiration from the Black Lives Matter movement and paying homage to the many lives lost by allowing police officers to deal street justice without impunity.

Interesting Fact:

The novel includes an “Ancestors Wall” which pays homage to numerous black and brown people who became victims of police brutality between the years 1968 – 2017.