The Hate U Give

by Angie Thomas
Balzer + Bray,  2017
Young adult, fiction
Ages: 12 and up, Grades 8-12
ISBN: 978-0399546440
Honors:
New York Times #1 Bestseller * Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction

Starr Carter is just 16 years old when she sees a police officer shoot and kill her childhood friend Khalil. Suddenly, the RIP hashtags and Tumblr memorials to slain youth hit home, and Starr must decide whether or not to share what she knows.

The sole witness to the killing, she’s the only person who can reveal the truth. But in the real world, speaking up could put friendships, community alliances, and even her life at risk. She’s already in a precarious position as an outsider in both her poor neighborhood and at Williamson, the wealthy prep school she attends across town. Stepping forward amid national controversy and community unrest could cement her marginal status—or worse.

The magic of this book is the way it explores major social issues—police violence and racism—through the intimate prism of one teen girl’s life and perspective. It grapples with large questions of justice and equity on the same pages as family drama and social media snafus. It is big drama rendered in small strokes—memorable characters, textured relationships, and vivid language.

Readers will root for Starr as she navigates grief and works to honor her friend’s life and her own principles—her way.
-MPS