American inmates sentenced to death as teens share their personal stories of life in prison and how they got there.
Only three countries in the world currently acknowledge sentencing people younger than eighteen to death—Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. Before 2006, the United States was also on that list.
No Choirboy takes readers inside America’s prisons and allows inmates sentenced to death as teenagers to speak for themselves. In their own voices—raw and uncensored—they talk about their lives in prison and share their thoughts and feelings about how they ended up there. Susan Kuklin also gets inside the system, exploring capital punishment itself and the intricacies and inequities of criminal justice in the United States.
This is a searing, unforgettable read, and one that could change the way we think about crime and punishment.
Praise for No Choirboy
An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
An International Reading Association Book for a Global Society
A National Council for the Social Studies-Children’s Book Council Notable Trade Book
A Texas TAYSHAS Pick
A New York Public Library Stuff for the Teen Age Pick
A Bank Street Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Pick
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
“This powerful book should be explored and discussed in high schools all across our country.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“A searing and provocative account that will touch teens’ most fundamental beliefs and questions about violence, punishment, our legal and prison systems, and human rights.” —Booklist
