Published: 2023
Series: N/A
Author: Don P. Hooper
Illustrator: N/A
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, African American, Coming Of Age, Cultural, Young Adult Contemporary, Race
Audience (Grade Levels): Grades 9-12
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
Goodreads Link: True True
Triggers: Systemic racism, racial slurs, microaggressions, physical altercations, unjust school suspension, and retaliatory sabotage
Review By: Francesca Miesner
Publisher’s Summary:
In this powerful and fast-paced YA contemporary debut, a Black teen from Brooklyn struggles to fit in at his almost entirely-white Manhattan prep school, resulting in a fight and a plan for vengeance.
This is not how seventeen-year-old Gil imagined beginning his senior year—on the subway dressed in a tie and khakis headed towards Manhattan instead of his old public school in Brooklyn. Augustin Prep may only be a borough away, but the exclusive private school feels like it’s a different world entirely compared to Gil’s predominately Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn.
If it weren’t for the partial scholarship, the school’s robotic program and the chance for a better future, Gil wouldn’t have even considered going. Then after a racist run-in with the school’s golden boy on the first day ends in a fight that leaves only Gil suspended, Gil understands the truth about his new school—Augustin may pay lip service to diversity, but that isn’t the same as truly accepting him and the other Black students as equal. But Gil intends to leave his mark on Augustin anyway.
If the school isn’t going to carve out a space for him, he will carve it out for himself. Using Sun Tzu’s The Art of War as his guide, Gil wages his own clandestine war against the racist administration, parents and students, and works with the other Black students to ensure their voices are finally heard. But the more enmeshed Gil becomes in school politics, the more difficult it becomes to balance not only his life at home with his friends and family, but a possible new romance with a girl he’d move mountains for. In the end, his war could cost him everything he wants the most.
Review:
Don P. Hooper’s explosive young adult contemporary debut, True True, offers a brilliant, high-stakes examination of institutional racism, privilege, and the heavy emotional burden of code-switching forced upon marginalized students. The story centers on seventeen-year-old Gil, a gifted Black teen from a vibrant, predominantly Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn who earns a partial scholarship to Augustin Prep, an elite, almost entirely white private school in Manhattan. Attracted by the school’s prestigious robotics program and the promise of a brighter future, Gil crosses borough lines only to find himself in an entirely different world—one that preaches diversity but practices exclusion. After a racist microaggression from the school’s privileged “golden boy” erupts into a physical fight on day one, Gil is unjustly suspended while his white counterpart faces no consequences. Realizing the administration’s diversity efforts are merely performative, Gil decides to wage a clandestine tactical war to carve out space for himself and his fellow Black peers, using Sun Tzu’s The Art of War as his strategic blueprint.
A book that is hard to put down is hard to find for me, these days. This novel was enticing from start to finish. The main character, Gil, uses Sun Tzu’s The Art or War to navigate his new school and work to fit in. The use of this text shows the reader just how complex and stressful a school could feel for a black teen, especially when it isn’t an accepting environment. Using this novel in a classroom would provide students with a perspective that they might not otherwise understand, but it is also an enticing story that will keep the entire room hooked until the end.
Hooper’s writing style is razor-sharp and remarkably fast-paced, masterfully capturing the systemic pressures and psychological toll of navigating hostile environments. The inclusion of The Art of War adds an innovative, intellectual layer to the classic coming-of-age narrative, demonstrating Gil’s brilliance even as his quest for vengeance threatens to derail his future. Beyond the political warfare, the novel shines in its rendering of Gil’s personal life, beautifully balancing his deep loyalty to his family and Brooklyn roots with a tender, burgeoning romance that grounds his emotional arc. Though the sheer intensity of the climax may feel overwhelming to some readers, it perfectly mirrors the high stakes of Gil’s reality. I highly recommend this exceptional 5-star novel to high school librarians, educators, and literature circle leaders looking for contemporary stories that evoke critical thinking and empathy. It is an essential, gripping addition to any high school library collection, successfully sparking vital conversations about equity, resilience, and systemic change.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- ELA / Literature: Excellent mentor text for analyzing intertextuality (pairing narrative events with Sun Tzu’s The Art of War), tracking complex character foil relationships, and exploring personal voice in contemporary realistic fiction.
- Social Studies / Civics / SEL: Connects deeply to discussions regarding systemic institutional racism, educational equity, performative diversity vs. true inclusion, and developing emotional resilience when confronting trauma and prejudice.
- Extension Activity / Library Application: Ideal for high school book clubs, classroom literature circles, or high-interest independent reading. As an extension activity, students can examine excerpts from The Art of War alongside Gil’s various strategies in the novel to evaluate the ethics and outcomes of his tactical choices. Alternatively, students could collaborate to design a school-wide equity or inclusion proposal based on the structural reforms Gil and his peers advocate for at Augustin Prep.
- Diversity & Representation:The novel provides powerful and authentic representation by exploring the intersectional experiences of a Black teenager from a predominantly Caribbean Brooklyn neighborhood navigating an elitist, predominantly white institution. It deftly handles the nuances of cultural identity, community solidarity, and the everyday realities of code-switching without reducing its characters to flat stereotypes.
Readalikes:
- Invisible Son by Kim Johnson
- The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson
- Dear Martin by Nic Stone
