The Hate U Give

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.

The moment when unarmed Khalil is shot by a police officer, I was devastated—and hooked. This is not only a book about racial profiling and the quest for justice; it’s also a personal journey for Starr, the main character. Will she find the courage to tell the truth, no matter the consequences? I was fascinated by the contrast between Starr’s two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she lives and the upscale world of her private school. No wonder she’s torn.