The Hate U Give

Although I love a book that takes you traveling to the past or to foreign lands, sometimes I want to jump into the shoes of a contemporary character and understand their world. This book does just that. 

Starr Carter is a black teenager who lives in a poor, predominantly black neighborhood but attends an elite, mostly white private school. Starr manages to code-switch between her two lives until her childhood friend is shot by the police. 

If you like books about social justice and characters who stand up for what they believe, this is a fantastic read. 

I am not the target audience for this book. But it had gotten some buzz, and it seemed interesting, so I read it. And it just blew me away. I’ve read so many articles that say that the more fiction you read, especially books about people and cultures unlike your own, the more empathetic you become. This book does this so well you can practically see it happen. I’ve seen this book on a lot of banned book lists, and for the life of me, I don’t understand why. 

When I first read it, my thought was, “Everyone should read… show more.

Angie Thomas wrote a powerhouse novel for young teens with this book! This contemporary novel reflects the real-life struggles of minorities in America and how racism can affect and alter the lives of everyday communities. It's emotionally charged, incredibly well-written, and deeply relatable for any reader.

We've all faced moments of fearing to use our voice, and how to overcome that fear is wrapped in this amazing book. I can't recommend it enough!

When it comes to unforgettable protagonists fifteen-year-old Starr Carter definitely tops the list. Her father, Maverick, is also someone that I was left wanting to know more about and, luckily, Concrete Rose (Thomas’s follow-up to THUG), gives us the backstory to his life.

The Hate U Give details Starr’s journey as she struggles with deciding whether or not to testify in front of a grand jury after her best friend, Khalil, is killed by a police officer. The settings of the novel are critical to Starr’s inner conflict as she grapples with having to navigate between her home in… show more.

This powerful story follows sixteen-year-old Starr Carter after her friend Khalil’s death, shot by a police officer during a traffic stop. As the shooting because national news and controversy surrounds the details in the case, Starr struggles with whether to come forward as a witness. I appreciated that Starr is a well-rounded character and a relatable teen, with friend and boyfriend troubles and changes in her relationship with her parents, even as the book explores timely and important themes of racial profiling, fear, violence, and the importance of speaking up.

The Hate U Give is a best-seller and a blockbuster movie. The former English teacher in me would say it’s a perfect balance of character, setting, plot, and theme. The writer in me would say each scene is crafted to draw me in and carry me along. Beyond the storylines of searing systemic racism and the collision of Starr Carter’s two worlds (the white suburban prep school she attends and the volatile black neighborhood in which she lives), the interactions between sixteen-year-old Starr and her parents, her peers, the police, and the Garden Disciples and the Cedar Grove King Lords… show more.

This was written way before George Floyd’s death and the subsequent protests in the United States which makes me sad that the messages in this book are still not being heard. Not strictly a crime book, but a must-read for everyone. Totally heart-rendering and revealing. I promise you’ll be swept away.

This one may be a no-brainer, but it nevertheless must be mentioned in a list like this. By now, most of America has read this searing page-turner about a teenage girl who becomes part of the movement to end police violence against Black folks, after her close friend is murdered. If you are one of the few who still hasn't, make it a priority to do – you won't regret it. Thomas' haunting portrayal of a community reckoning with its ongoing racism and racial bias through the lens of one girl and one family is utterly compelling, as well as… show more.

One fateful night shatters Starr's world when her best friend is shot by a police officer. Starr is faced with speaking her truth about what really happened that night. Filled with inspiring dialogue and the fight for justice, I feel this is a powerful book that shares many important messages.  

A purpose gets teens out of their heads and engaged in living. It is a key to happiness because that's what our mind, body, and soul crave. 

This is for high school readers! Sometimes lessons come easier in fictional novels. We can learn about people and gain understanding through stories. The Hate U Give is about a teenage girl who is Black. She walks between two worlds, her fancy white school, and her poor neighborhood. When her friend is murdered, readers get a taste, or validation of what it is like to lose someone so close in the most public… show more.