“The Hate U Give” is an award-winning, young adult novel by Angie Thomas. Told through the eyes of Starr Carter, a 16-year-old African American girl living in a poor neighborhood but attending a predominantly white private school. The book follows Starr’s life after she is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her childhood friend, Khalil, by a police officer during a traffic stop.
While struggling with grief and facing pressure from both the police and the local community to speak out about what she saw, she decides to take a stand and become the voice for Khalil, seeking justice for him and bringing attention to the unjust treatment of black people by the police.
Throughout the novel, Starr faces various challenges, including navigating her relationships with her friends, her boyfriend, and her family, all while dealing with the trauma of witnessing her friend’s death. The story explores themes of racial identity, social injustice, police brutality, and the importance of finding one’s voice in the face of adversity.
“The Hate U Give” is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that sheds light on the complexities of racial tensions and the fight against systemic racism in America.
About The Author
Angie Thomas lives in Jackson, Mississippi, where she was born and raised. She is a former teen rapper and holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University. She is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Meyers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books. Her debut novel, The Hate U Give, was acquired by Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins in a 13-house auction and was released in the spring of 2017. In 2018 a film adaptation of the book was released.