The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Wow, just wow. This book contains a powerful punch - DO NOT MISS it, trust me. Taking a page from the news, this debut novel deals with a police shooting of a young black man, followed by both the community and law enforcement reaction. Told by Starr, a young black teenager who was in the car with Khalil when he was pulled over and shot, this young woman opens up the world of the inner city, of being a black student in an all-white suburban high school, of the anger in a community, of the frustration over injustice, of trying to straddle both worlds. Starr is a rock star, plain and simple. Is she perfect? Nope. She is sassy, combative, and angry; she is also fiercely independent, brave in the face of death threats and social exclusion, and knows when to shut up and when to step up.
The supporting cast are stars in their own right as well: Maverick, Starr's ex-con, ex-gang, grocery-store owning father who loves his family fiercely and is not afraid to show it; Maya and Hayley, Starr's teenage girlfriends who provide two opposing pictures of racial knowledge and ignorance; Starr's siblings - Seven who shows what it means to be a big bother, the step-siblings who provide a look into a family in turmoil, and the baby of the family who quite honestly just made me laugh out loud. This book will provide many "ah-ha" moments, as well as a deeper appreciation of the bubble where we all reside. I highly recommend this to all ages, all colors, all income levels - the more we learn, the more we can come together, stand together, progress together.
Reviews reposted with permission from Laurie's Lit Picks.
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