the hate you give book report

• Bookreporter
• ReadingGroupGuides
• AuthorsOnTheWeb

The Book Report Network

Sign up for our newsletters!

Regular Features

Author spotlights, "bookreporter talks to" videos & podcasts, "bookaccino live: a lively talk about books", favorite monthly lists & picks, seasonal features, book festivals, sports features, bookshelves.

• Coming Soon

Newsletters

• Weekly Update
• On Sale This Week
• Summer Reading
• Spring Preview
• Winter Reading
• Holiday Cheer
• Fall Preview

Word of Mouth

Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:, the hate u give.

To everyone at her school with a predominantly white population, Starr is the cool African American girl who is part of a semi-athletic group of friends, and has a sweet, yet oblivious boyfriend. That’s about all they know about her. They don’t know that she lives across town in Garden Heights, an area that’s known as the ghetto. Basically, she’s a part of two polar opposite communities, and Starr has to put on a different face for each one.

At school, she worries about her attitude and her actions, which in the wrong light could place her in the stereotype of the “angry black woman." At home, she’s ridiculed for losing her roots. Her two lives have always been separate, until she takes a ride home with her friend Khalil in Garden Heights, when they’re pulled over by a cop. With both of them unarmed, Khalil is taken out of the car, without a clear reason why. While they wait for the cop to return to the car, Khalil moves toward Starr in the car to check on her, and is shot dead. Being the only witness to Khalil’s brutal murder, Starr must decide if she’s willing to have her two worlds collide in a fight for justice.

"I am telling you right now, go read THE HATE U GIVE, and let it sit with you. Think about it everyday. Tell your friends about it. Read it once, twice, or three times. This is a story you need to know, and a situation you need to be aware of."

Before I start this review, it’s important for you to know the point of view I’m writing from. I am a girl who is completely of European descent, and am white. Because of that, I have a huge amount of white privilege in our society. I have never experienced the consequences of a racial remark or action toward me, and I’ve never had to worry about police brutality directed at me, a reality for so many minorities. In itself, reading THE HATE U GIVE was a privilege. I was able to just read about a situation like Starr’s, and didn’t have to experience it.

I would like to say that I was shocked when I read the outrageous injustices in Starr and Khalil’s story, but I wasn’t. In the years that I’ve finally started to become aware of social issues, I have read stories like Trayvon Martin, who was my age when he was murdered by a neighborhood watch guard for carrying a pack of candy at night, or Eric Garner, who was strangled to death during an arrest because he was selling cigarettes on the street. Those are just two of the hundreds of African Americans killed by authoritative figures in recent years, let alone in all of history.     

Starr was one of the most incredible woman that I have ever read in literature, and I would’ve said the same thing if she decided not to pursue the action she took. She constantly showed a track record of standing up for social injustices, and wasn’t afraid to call out someone who was in the wrong. At the same time, she was very aware of the racial construct in the two societies she lived in. From what I observed, she also had a pretty great bond with her family. Both of her siblings were protective of her in the same way she was protective to them.

I also really enjoyed how Angie Thomas worked at breaking down the cycle of poverty, and how it connects to violence, drugs and gangs. Right now, I think that a lot of outlets feed on demonizing anyone who is a victim of police brutality, exploiting any negative background knowledge about them. THE HATE U GIVE brings back their humanity by looking at several situations of people who are just trying to get through life and protect their family, even if their decisions might be dangerous.

Lastly, it’s important to say that in no way is this book anti-cop, and neither is the Black Lives Movement, which plays a huge role in THE HATE U GIVE. Rather, this book highlights the fact that there are fantastic cops and cops who abuse their power. In fact, Starr’s uncle, who is very influential in her life, is a cop, and constantly is a reminder to Starr that while there is evil, there is also good. On a side note, this book explores the complex actions and thoughts that feed into riots, and whether riots are effective or not.

I am telling you right now, go read THE HATE U GIVE, and let it sit with you. Think about it everyday. Tell your friends about it. Read it once, twice, or three times. This is a story you need to know, and a situation you need to be aware of. Most importantly, I urge you to become active in the fight for justice, because when there is injustice anywhere, there is injustice everywhere.

Reviewed by Reanna H., Teen Board Member on March 31, 2017

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

• Publication Date: September 4, 2018
• Genres: Fiction
• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Balzer + Bray
• ISBN-10: 0062872346
• ISBN-13: 9780062872340

The Hate U Give

Angie thomas, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Hate U Give: Introduction

The hate u give: plot summary, the hate u give: detailed summary & analysis, the hate u give: themes, the hate u give: quotes, the hate u give: characters, the hate u give: terms, the hate u give: symbols, the hate u give: theme wheel, brief biography of angie thomas.

Historical Context of The Hate U Give

Other books related to the hate u give.

• Full Title: The Hate U Give
• When Written: 2017
• Where Written: Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
• When Published: February 28, 2017
• Literary Period: Contemporary
• Genre: Young Adult Fiction
• Setting: The lower-class, predominantly black neighborhood of Garden Heights and the upper-crust world of Williamson Prep.
• Climax: Starr and her neighbors embrace the power of their voices to create change; Starr defends Khalil’s life at the protests following the indictment verdict, while Garden Heights residents tell police that King set fire to Maverick’s store.
• Antagonist: One-Fifteen, King
• Point of View: First person

Extra Credit for The Hate U Give

Personal Experience. Like the protagonist of her novel, Angie Thomas witnessed a shootout as a child in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi.

Historical Connections. Thomas grew up close to civil rights activist Medgar Evers’ home, and says her mother heard the gunshot that killed him.

The Hate U Give

By angie thomas.

• The Hate U Give Summary

The novel opens on 16-year-old protagonist Starr Carter attending a spring break party with her friend, Kenya . Starr’s family lives in Garden Heights, a predominantly black and impoverished urban neighborhood, but she and her brothers attend a ritzy and mostly white private school forty-five minutes away. At the party, Starr is acutely aware of the double-sided personality this lifestyle engenders: she tries not to act “ghetto” at school, but neighborhood kids accuse her of abandoning them for white friends. Starr has just started to catch up with Khalil —her best friend from childhood, who has entered the dangerous world of drug dealing since Starr began attending prep school—when a gang dispute leads to a dancefloor gunfight. Starr and Khalil flee the scene and are pulled over by a police officer for driving with a broken taillight. The officer pats Khalil down and walks back to his car. When Khalil opens his car door to ask Starr if she’s okay, the officer opens fire, and Starr watches her friend die.

The grief, confusion, anger, and fear that Starr must deal with in the aftermath of Khalil’s death make her initially unwilling to identify herself as the sole witness of the night’s events. As time passes, however, she loses her reluctance, serving as part of the police department’s investigation, speaking to the local defense attorney, and hiring a lawyer from a local activist group. Starr ultimately embraces activism herself by advocating for justice for Khalil on a nationally-televised interview and brazenly joining street protests after a grand jury fails to indict the officer who shot Khalil. Throughout the weeks that follow Khalil’s death, Starr must grapple not only with her own guilt and trauma, but also with white classmates who use the event as an excuse to get out of class or imply that the officer had done society a favor by shooting a drug dealer. She hides her involvement from her Williamson friends and her white boyfriend, Chris , before the truth comes bubbling up and Starr realizes which of her friends are worth keeping.

The tragedy of Khalil’s death tears through a neighborhood already fragmented by drugs and violence from deeply entrenched gangs. Starr’s father, Maverick, is a former gang member who spent time in prison before he could extricate himself from the street life. His long-standing feud with Kenya’s father, King —a gangster who effectively runs the neighborhood—puts Starr’s family in constant danger. Tensions arise between Maverick and his brother-in-law Carlos ; Carlos was Starr’s first father figure while Maverick was locked up. The tense situation is further complicated because Carlos is a cop serving on the same force as the officer who shot Khalil. Torn between the protective impulse he feels for Starr and the loyalty he has towards his career, Carlos helps Starr see that police cannot be characterized as generally corrupt or bad people.

Starr’s mother, Lisa, argues with Maverick about whether the family should move out of Garden Heights. At first, Maverick is opposed because he believes he can best improve Garden Heights when he is living in it; Lisa counters that their family’s safety is a priority and that Maverick can continue to use the grocery store he owns in the neighborhood as a means to help the community. Ultimately, the family moves to the suburbs, but Starr’s brother Seven—who lives with Kenya and King—remains torn between the urge to stay and protect his mother and sisters, and the desire to attend college outside of the city. Meanwhile, a newly initiated gangbanger named DeVante turns to Maverick for help in getting out of the gang; he ends up living with Carlos.

The tensions and feuds running through the novel come to a head with the grand jury decision over whether to arrest the officer who shot Khalil. When the jury fails to indict, protests and riots take over Garden Heights. King takes advantage of the chaos to set fire to Maverick’s store while Starr, Chris, Seven, and DeVante are trapped inside. With Maverick’s help, they manage to escape; the neighborhood turns on King, getting him arrested for arson. With the promise of Carlos’s protection, DeVante agrees to serve as witness to King’s drug-dealing schemes, removing him from the neighborhood’s gang scene and ending his abuse towards Kenya and Seven’s mother. Maverick also grows to accept Chris, inviting his daughter’s boyfriend to go boxing with him. The novel ends with Starr making a promise to Khalil’s memory: she won’t remain silent, and will continue fighting against injustice.

The Hate U Give Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Hate U Give is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Finally, Starr’s blog offers an important perspective on Khalil after he has been dismissed as a drug dealer and thug by the general public. Her tender snapshots of Khalil’s life demonstrate the importance of not limiting people to stereotypes, or...

How does Starr feel about being at the party

Starr feels invisible and uncomfortable at the party. She seems different from everyone else because she goes to a different school, dresses differently, and she is really not into drugs or alcohol.

The Hate You Give

Seven's living arrangements change for a few reasons, the first being his desire to protect his sisters. More importantly, Seven's relationship with his mother is strained, and his mother's relationship with King doesn't help matters. Seven feels...

Study Guide for The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give study guide contains a biography of Angie Thomas, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Hate U Give
• The Hate U Give Video
• Character List

Essays for The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

• Inequality Merges With Truth: Societies at Odds in 'The Hate U Give'
• 'The Hate U Give': A Critique of Modern Day American Society
• The Relationships: the Building Blocks of Life

Lesson Plan for The Hate U Give

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Hate U Give
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Hate U Give Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Hate U Give

• Introduction
• Development and publication

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Explaining the News to Our Kids

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

The hate u give, common sense media reviewers.

Powerful story of police shooting of unarmed Black teen.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Explains police brutality from the victims' perspe

Strong messages throughout The Hate U Give about c

Unlike many books aimed at young adults, this nove

We see several instances of violence and hear abou

There's talk of an affair between two adults. Teen

Conversational swearing by both adults and teens t

Name brands including Jordans, luxury automobiles,

Teens drink alcohol and smoke marijuana at a party

Parents need to know that Angie Thomas' New York Times best-selling book The Hate U Give won a 2018 Coretta Scott King Author Honor, a Michael L. Printz Honor, and the Odyssey Award for best audiobook for kids and teens. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, it involves the police shooting of…

Educational Value

Explains police brutality from the victims' perspective and shows a broad view of protest strategies, justice, inequality, and the systemic failures that often accompany police shootings.

Positive Messages

Strong messages throughout The Hate U Give about community activism and togetherness, family strength, courage, bravery, and redemption.

Positive Role Models

Unlike many books aimed at young adults, this novel is full of positive kid and adult role models. The adults who reach out to mentor and advise the students not only provide guidance but also show vulnerability, which allows the teens in the story to feel comfortable with their own vulnerability. The teens navigate tough situations but show a willingness to learn from mistakes and make amends.

Violence & Scariness

We see several instances of violence and hear about others. A unarmed teen boy is shot and killed; we see the blood, and we see him die. There are other reports of shootings and deaths as a result. Another boy is badly beaten. A woman is described as being beaten. An older gentleman is attacked by a group of young men; we don't see the attack but we see the injuries. Many threats are made on the lives of various people. A young girl dies in a drive-by shooting and her blood is described as mingling with the fire hydrant water. There are school fights between girls and boys. Buildings are set on fire during riots.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

There's talk of an affair between two adults. Teens engage in heavy petting, talk about having sex and condoms. A teen girl is described as being on birth control, and there's discussion of teen pregnancy and the assumption that a married couple is having sex when they go to their bedroom and turn the television up loud. A woman is revealed to be a sex worker.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Conversational swearing by both adults and teens throughout the novel, including "s--t," "f--k," "ass," "bitch," "damn" (and variants), and "nigga."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Name brands including Jordans, luxury automobiles, junk food brands, and restaurants such as Taco Bell are mentioned for scene setting or to show the disparity between lifestyles.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Teens drink alcohol and smoke marijuana at a party. Two adult characters are alcoholics. Adults are described as being addicted to drugs, addiction to crack cocaine is discussed, and both teens and adults are described as selling drugs. We don't actually see drugs being sold, but drug dealing is discussed throughout the novel.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Angie Thomas' New York Times best-selling book The Hate U Give won a 2018 Coretta Scott King Author Honor, a Michael L. Printz Honor, and the Odyssey Award for best audiobook for kids and teens. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, it involves the police shooting of an unarmed black teen. The book covers topics of race, interracial dating, political activism, grief, friendship, wealth disparity, police brutality, addiction, and the media's depiction of African Americans. Parents should be prepared to discuss recent and past instances of police shootings, how they were covered in the media, dealing with grief, and possible reactions to the trauma revealed in the book. There is some conversational swearing by both adults and teens throughout the novel, including "s--t," "f--k," "ass," "bitch," "damn" (and variants), and "nigga." Violence includes an unarmed teen boy shot and killed -- we see the blood and see him die. There are other reports of shootings and deaths as a result. A boy is badly beaten. A woman is described as being beaten. An older gentleman is attacked by a group of young men; we don't see the attack but we see the injuries. A young girl dies in a drive-by shooting and her blood is described as mingling with the fire hydrant water. There are school fights between girls and boys. Buildings are set on fire during riots. Sexual situations include teens engaging in heavy petting, talk about having sex and condoms. There's discussion of teen pregnancy and the assumption that a married couple is having sex when they go to their bedroom and turn the television up loud. A woman is revealed to be a sex worker. Teens drink alcohol and smoke marijuana at a party. Two adult characters are alcoholics. Adults are described as being addicted to drugs, addiction to crack cocaine is discussed, and both teens and adults are described as selling drugs.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (53)
• Kids say (184)

Based on 53 parent reviews

R Rated Book

What's the story.

In THE HATE U GIVE, Starr Carter is a teen between two worlds: her school, which is rich, fancy, and white; and her neighborhood, which is poor and black. She navigates this differing terrain every day of her life until her worlds collide when she witnesses the fatal police shooting of her best friend, Khalil, an unarmed black teen. Khalil's death goes viral, and Starr is caught in the middle between the protesters in the street and her friends at school. With the eyes of the world on her, Starr has to decide: Will she say what happened that night? Will it matter?

Is It Any Good?

Wrenching, soul stirring, funny, endearing, painful, and frustratingly familiar, this novel offers a powerful look at a few weeks in a fairly typical teen girl's life -- with one horrific exception. Sure she worries about school, issues with friends, and her secret boyfriend, but she's also the sole witness to the fatal shooting of her best friend by a police officer. In The Hate U Give , author Angie Thomas manages to bring humanity -- deep, emotionally binding, full-bodied humanity -- to the victims of police brutality and the families and friends they leave behind. The scenarios that revolve around the shooting are achingly routine -- unarmed African American, the media's push to blame the victim, a lax investigation, and a lack of charges or convictions. However, set against the backdrop of typical teen life, of community and family life, the consequences of the officer's actions and the actions others take after the tragedy take on a life and power beyond what any think piece or talking points on the subject could achieve.

The characters in the book are rich, complex, and fully developed. They feel like family, friends, and neighbors, and they give those unfamiliar with life in urban centers an understanding that the setting may be specific but the human condition is the universal. The tragedy and triumph of Thomas' stellar work is that it's very real and heartbreakingly familiar. Teens will enjoy the book for its unfiltered look at life, death, grief, and social and political commentary, while parents and teachers will enjoy the book's well-written and thorough approach to a complex social issue.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how The Hate U Give discusses the media's reaction to police shootings of unarmed African Americans vs. how it reports violence against or perpetrated by white Americans. What's the difference in the language used? Whom and what does the media focus on when it reports the story? Is it fair?

How do you talk about race and other social issues with friends and family? How do you deal with friends who tell racist, homophobic, and otherwise offensive jokes? What about family members who say inappropriate things? Is it better to ignore or confront the person? What are the repercussions of each approach? What strategies could you use to make the discussion less awkward?

Discuss "the talk" -- the conversation that parents of African American and other minority kids have with their children, particularly their sons, about what to do when confronted by the police. Did your parents give you the talk? How does the conversation differ between what minority children are told and white children are told? (Do white children even have this conversation?) Do you think it's fair that there's a difference in the conversation?

Book Details

• Author : Angie Thomas
• Genre : Contemporary Fiction
• Topics : Activism , Brothers and Sisters , Friendship , Great Girl Role Models
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : HarperCollins Publishers
• Publication date : February 28, 2017
• Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
• Number of pages : 464
• Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
• Awards : ALA Best and Notable Books , Coretta Scott King Medal and Honors
• Last updated : January 15, 2019

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

All American Boys

How It Went Down

Books about friendship, books about racism and social justice, related topics.

• Brothers and Sisters
• Great Girl Role Models

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

You have exceeded your limit for simultaneous device logins.

Your current subscription allows you to be actively logged in on up to three (3) devices simultaneously. click on continue below to log out of other sessions and log in on this device., the hate u give by angie thomas | slj review.

This review was published in the   School Library Journal   January 2017  issue.

Get Print. Get Digital. Get Both!

Libraries are always evolving. Stay ahead. Log In.

Add Comment :-

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:

• Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
• Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
• Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
• Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
• If you see something objectionable, please let us know . Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

First Name should not be empty !!!

Last Name should not be empty !!!

email should not be empty !!!

Comment should not be empty !!!

You should check the checkbox.

Please check the reCaptcha

Ethan Smith

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.

Posted 6 hours ago REPLY

Jane Fitgzgerald

Posted 6 hours ago

Michael Woodward

Continue reading.

Added To Cart

Related , lgbtqia+ books fly in the face of bans, 17 adventure-filled transitional books to kick off summer reading | we are kid lit collective, aapi women audio narrators on the joys and challenges of the job, the age of queer defiance, a guest post by matthew hubbard, 31 ya novels for every day of aapi heritage month and beyond, this above all, a guest post by m. e. corey, "what is this" design thinking from an lis student.

The job outlook in 2030: Librarians will be in demand

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, --> Log In

You did not sign in correctly or your account is temporarily disabled

REGISTER FREE to keep reading

If you are already a member, please log in.

Passwords must include at least 8 characters.

Your password must include at least three of these elements: lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers, or special characters.

The email you entered already exists. Please reset your password to gain access to your account.

Create an account password and save time in the future. Get immediate access to:

News, opinion, features, and breaking stories

Exclusive video library and multimedia content

Full, searchable archives of more than 300,000 reviews and thousands of articles

Research reports, data analysis, white papers, and expert opinion

Passwords must include at least 8 characters. Please try your entry again.

Your password must include at least three of these elements: lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers, or special characters. Please try your entry again.

Thank you for registering. To have the latest stories delivered to your inbox, select as many free newsletters as you like below.

No thanks. return to article, already a subscriber log in.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

Thank you for visiting.

We’ve noticed you are using a private browser. To continue, please log in or create an account.

CREATE AN ACCOUNT

SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS

Already a subscriber log in.

Most SLJ reviews are exclusive to subscribers.

As a subscriber, you'll receive unlimited access to all reviews dating back to 2010.

To access other site content, visit our homepage .

• ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

Kirkus Reviews' Best Books Of 2017

Kirkus Prize finalist

New York Times Bestseller

IndieBound Bestseller

THE HATE U GIVE

by Angie Thomas ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 28, 2017

This story is necessary. This story is important.

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter is a black girl and an expert at navigating the two worlds she exists in: one at Garden Heights, her black neighborhood, and the other at Williamson Prep, her suburban, mostly white high school.

Walking the line between the two becomes immensely harder when Starr is present at the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend, Khalil, by a white police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Khalil’s death becomes national news, where he’s called a thug and possible drug dealer and gangbanger. His death becomes justified in the eyes of many, including one of Starr’s best friends at school. The police’s lackadaisical attitude sparks anger and then protests in the community, turning it into a war zone. Questions remain about what happened in the moments leading to Khalil’s death, and the only witness is Starr, who must now decide what to say or do, if anything. Thomas cuts to the heart of the matter for Starr and for so many like her, laying bare the systemic racism that undergirds her world, and she does so honestly and inescapably, balancing heartbreak and humor. 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.

Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-06-249853-3

Page Count: 464

Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION

Share your opinion of this book

More by Angie Thomas

BOOK REVIEW

by Angie Thomas ; illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey

by Dhonielle Clayton , Tiffany D. Jackson , Nic Stone , Angie Thomas , Ashley Woodfolk & Nicola Yoon

by Dhonielle Clayton & Tiffany D. Jackson & Nic Stone & Angie Thomas & Ashley Woodfolk & Nicola Yoon

More About This Book

SEEN & HEARD

IF HE HAD BEEN WITH ME

by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2013

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.

The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.

Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.

Pub Date: April 1, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5

Page Count: 336

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES

More by Laura Nowlin

by Laura Nowlin

IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER

by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.

In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me , three characters tell their sides of the story.

Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.

Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024

ISBN: 9781728276229

Page Count: 416

Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE

• Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
• News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
• Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
• Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
• Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
• More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
• About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Popular in this Genre

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

• Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Contact us: 1-800-316-9361 or email [email protected].

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.