The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
ISBN :978-0062498533
Bibliography: Thomas, A. (2017). THE HATE YOU GIVE. Walker Books.
Plot Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.Soon afterward, his death became a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
Critical Analysis:
Angie Thomas writes an excellent fictional, yet very realistic account of something that has been an age-old issue: racism. The novel sheds some light on how some people who hold positions of power and establishments use negative experiences and stereotypes of people of color to defend and condone violence and racism against minorities. Thomas uses the traumatic account of Starr, a black girl who attends a predominantly white school, to illustrate how the “system” will do everything in its power to protect white people by whatever means necessary including fabrication of evidence and twisting facts that will benefit a favorable outcome for them. I strongly believe students should read this book because it touches on important issues and may be relevant to many since this problem is very real and present to this day.
Review Excerpt(s):
“With smooth but powerful prose delivered in Starr’s natural, emphatic voice, finely nuanced characters, and intricate and realistic relationship dynamics, this novel will have readers rooting for Starr and opening their hearts to her friends and family. This story is necessary. This story is important.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Pair this powerful debut with Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely’s ALL AMERICAN BOYS to start a conversation on racism, police brutality, and the Black Lives Matter movement.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“Thomas has penned a powerful, in-your-face novel that will similarly galvanize fans of Kekla Magoon’s How It Went Down and Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely’s All American Boys.” — Horn Book (starred review)
Connection:
*The students can create a theme collage that depicts and explains important themes from The Hate U Give.
*The students can compare and contrast books about social issues.
Other similar books:
CONCRETE ROSE by Angie Thomas ISBN: 978-0062846716
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