Play the Game is a different kind of whodunnit - more like, who didn't do it - about friendship and first love, and what it means to name and claim justice. And it's also about video games!
My new book, My Fairy God Somebody, is due out December 3, 2024, and you can preorder now! It's about a girl’s search for belonging in a forest of secrets, lies and family ties. I can’t wait to share it with readers!
I have an MFA in writing for children and young adults, which means I got to go to school to read and write all day, a truly fantastic experience. On the activist side, I do a lot of work to promote restorative justice and end mass incarceration, because I believe those things can truly change the world.
Play the Game
In the game of life, sometimes other people hold all the controls. Or so it seems to VZ. Four months have passed since his best friend Ed was killed by a white man in a Brooklyn parking lot. When Singer, the man who killed Ed, is found dead in the same spot where Ed was murdered, all signs point to Jack, VZ’s other best friend, as the prime suspect.
VZ’s determined to complete the video game Ed never finished and figure out who actually killed Singer. With help from Diamond, the girl he’s crushing on at work, VZ falls into Ed’s quirky gameiverse. As the police close in on Jack, the game starts to uncover details that could lead to the truth about the murder.
Can VZ honor Ed and help Jack before it’s too late?
What People Are Saying about Play the Game
“Powerful. Authentic. A riveting gut punch. This is how you galvanize young activists. A voice not soon to be forgotten.”
— Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of The Weight of Blood“Honest, raw, and absolutely alive. Play the Game is a tour de force, and Charlene Allen has announced herself as a powerful new voice.”
— Matt de la Peña, author of Mexican WhiteBoy and Last Stop on Market Street
“Fast-paced, insightful, and highly relevant, Allen’s novel illustrates the application of restorative justice practices to real life situations. A must read for all young people impacted by racism and those adults who love them.”
— Angela Y. Davis, Distinguished Professor Emerita, UC Santa Cruz
“A compelling look at different ways of approaching grief and justice.”
— Kirkus Reviews