Punching the Air

Punching the Air

• Genre: Young adult fiction; poetry; social justice
• Originally Published: 2020
• Reading Level/Interest: Young adult (ages 14 and up)
• Structure/Length: Novel in verse; approximately 400 pages; audiobook length approximately 4 hours, 29 minutes
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Punching the Air is a powerful novel in verse co-authored by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, one of the “Exonerated Five,” who was falsely convicted of rape in 1990 and exonerated in 2002. The central conflict revolves around Amal Shahid, a talented young artist and poet who is wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit. The novel explores Amal's journey through the criminal justice system and his fight for justice, self-expression, and identity as a young Black man. Through poetry and prose, Punching the Air delves into themes of systemic racism, the power of art, resilience, and the impact of incarceration on young lives. Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam's storytelling is known for its powerful and thought-provoking examination of social justice issues.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes related to racial injustice, incarceration, violence, and their impact on young lives

Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, Authors

• Bio: Ibi Zoboi is an acclaimed author of young adult and middle grade fiction, known for works like "American Street" and "Pride." Yusef Salaam is a member of the Exonerated Five and an advocate for criminal justice reform.
• Other Works: Ibi Zoboi: American Street (2017), Pride (2018); Yusef Salaam: Better, Not Bitter: Living on Purpose in the Pursuit of Racial Justice (2021)
• Awards: Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature (2020); Walter Dean Myers Award (2021); New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Book Award for Children's Literature (2021)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Freedom Is Worth Hoping for
• Destiny Cannot Be Controlled
• The System Perpetuates Racism

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the historic and legal systems that surround Amal and his court case.
• Study paired texts and other resources to make connections to the text’s themes of Freedom Is Worth Hoping for, Destiny Cannot Be Controlled, and The System Perpetuates Racism.
• Draft a letter of appeal on Amal’s behalf based on evidence from the text.
• Analyze and evaluate the author’s craft to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding titles, role models, text structures, and other topics.