We’re thrilled to share that Safe Passage by G. Neri & David Brame was selected as a featured title for the National Education Association’s Read Across America 2024–2025!
Each month, the National Education Association selects a picture book, middle grade, and young adult title that explores diversity and inclusion and includes activity suggestions, questions for discussion or reflective writing, related resources, and more titles to try.
Safe Passage is the young adult pick for the March 2025 theme “Join In.”
Safe Passage
From Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author of Yummy G. Neri comes an epic journey across the South Side of Chicago for Darius, his little sister Cissy, and his best friend Booger as they set out to find an armored truck that has lost a payload of cash.
“⭐ Somber with a sprinkling of optimism and a firm grounding in unconditional familial love.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“[A]n amazing achievement and. . . a prime example of what the comics medium can do when true masters are at the height of their craft.” — John Jennings, award-winning comics creator and scholar
“Honest and essential, Safe Passage is a harrowing look at a stark reality many Americans don't see.” — A.S. King, Printz-winning author of Dig
“Neri and Brame have crafted a masterpiece where every twist is unpredictable, uneasy, and unrelenting.” — Stacey Robinson, illustrator of I Am Alfonso Jones and Across the Tracks: Remembering Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre
G. Neri is an award-winning author, including a Michael L. Printz Award for his contribution to The Collectors anthology as well as an Eisner nomination and Coretta Scott King Honor for Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty. He has written many books for young people, including Ghetto Cowboy, which was made into the movie Concrete Cowboy, starring Idris Elba, debuting at #1 on Netflix. His books have been translated into multiple languages in more than 25 countries. In 2023, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from SUNY for his literary output. Mr. Neri lives on the Gulf coast of Florida. For more information, visit gneri.com.
David Brame is the Eisner-nominated comic artist of After the Rain, whose art for the graphic novel was hailed as "bold and arresting" by Publishers Weekly. He was also a contributor to the graphic novel anthology Young Men In Love: A Queer Romance Anthology, which earned the GLAAD Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel or Anthology and the American Library Association's award for Great Graphic Novel for Teens. David lives in Alaska with his three dogs. For more information, visit his Instagram @amazingdavidbrame.
NEA Book of the Month Collection
Several other Lee & Low titles have been selected since the Read Across America program began. Check out our entire collection here!
