book review on the hate u give

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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

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The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas review – racism and police brutality

An outstanding debut stages the debates convulsing America in the story of a teenager who testifies after a shooting

“G irls wear their hair coloured, curled, laid, and slayed. Got me feeling basic as hell with my ponytail. Guys in their freshest kicks and sagging pants grind so close to girls they just about need condoms ...” Then gunshots shatter the music. Fleeing from the party, 16-year-old Starr is led to apparent safety by her friend Khalil. Shortly after, their car is pulled over by a police officer. What happens next crystallises the Black Lives Matter movement and indeed, the whole debate about race in America. The unarmed Khalil is murdered – shot at point blank range by the man Starr refers to from this moment on as “Officer One-Fifteen”. Starr is the only witness to the crime and her 16-year-old shoulders have to bear the ferocious outrage of her race and community.

For her YA debut, Angie Thomas gives Starr a relatively stable home life – her father, “Big Mav”, is the proprietor of a downtown convenience store, and her mother is a nurse.She has two brothers, Seven and Sekani. The family own a pet dog, Brickz, and Starr gets to wear the expensive name-brand trainers of her choice. Starr’s parents have sent her to a school in the suburbs dominated by white middle-class students. Unbeknown to her father, she is dating Chris, a white boy from school who can recite the lyrics to the opening credits of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air . To further confuse things, Starr’s Uncle Carlos is a cop who acted as a father figure while Big Mav served a three-year prison term during her childhood – a point of tension between the two men.

When she was 12, Starr’s parents instructed her on sex education – and on what to do if stopped by the police. “Keep your hands visible,” her father advised. “Don’t make any sudden moves.” It’s unnerving to read that part of the toolkit for raising a black child in America is to coach them on the dos and don’ts if confronted by the law.

What makes this novel so compelling is the way Starr negotiates the relatively safe world of school, where she assimilates despite the soft racism of one or two so-called friends, and how she navigates the dangers of her own neighbourhood, where it’s not uncommon to be caught in the crossfire of rival gangs. There is one chilling scene where Starr witnesses a police officer, in a revenge stop, force her father to lie on the ground as he searches him. “Face down,” the policeman yells, his hands never too far away from his gun, humiliating his victim even though Big Mav offers to show his ID and addresses the officer as “Sir”.

Finally, she summons up the courage to make a statement to a grand jury. The world outside waits to learn if the officer who killed Khalil will face charges. As the tension mounts, the reader suffers with Starr’s quite ordinary friends and family as they hurtle through extraordinary experiences and circumstances.

The first-person narrative is simply beautiful to read, and I felt I was observing the story unfold in 3D as the characters grew flesh and bones inside my mind. The Hate U Give is an outstanding debut novel and says more about the contemporary black experience in America than any book I have read for years, whether fiction or non-fiction. It’s a stark reminder that, instead of seeking enemies at its international airports, America should open its eyes and look within if it’s really serious about keeping all its citizens safe.

• Children and teenagers

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Most viewed.

The Hate U Give Enters the Ranks of Great YA Novels

The bestselling young-adult book by Angie Thomas looks at police violence through the eyes of a teen girl.

“They finally put a sheet over Khalil. He can’t breathe under it. I can’t breathe.”

The last words of Eric Garner, adopted and amplified by the Black Lives Matter movement, echo again in the early pages of Angie Thomas’s young-adult novel The Hate U Give. By the time she’s 16, Starr Carter, the protagonist of the book, has lost two of her childhood friends to gun violence: one by a gang drive-by, and one by a cop.

As the sole witness to her friend Khalil’s fatal shooting by a police officer, Starr is overwhelmed by the pressure of testifying before a grand jury and the responsibility of speaking out in Khalil’s memory. The incident also means that the carefully built-up boundary between Starr’s two worlds begins to crumble. For years, she has spent her weekdays at a private, majority-white school, where she explains, “I’m cool by default because I’m one of the only black kids there.” Back at home, she lives with her father “Big Mav,” a former gang-member who wants to make their crime-ridden neighborhood a better place, and her mother Lisa, who wants to move away in order to keep her family safe.

Recommended Reading

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Now in its third consecutive week at number one on The New York Times bestseller list for young-adult novels, Thomas’s debut novel offers an incisive and engrossing perspective of the life of a black teenage girl as Starr’s two worlds converge over questions of police brutality, justice, and activism.

Thomas’s book derives its title from the rapper Tupac Shakur’s philosophy of THUG LIFE—which purportedly stands for “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody”—and it’s a motif the novel returns to a few times. The acronym tattooed across Tupac’s abdomen could be read as an embrace of a dangerous lifestyle. But, as Khalil explains to Starr, just minutes before the cop pulls them over, it’s really an indictment of systemic inequality and hostility: “What society gives us as youth, it bites them in the ass when we wild out.”

This question of appearance versus reality recurs throughout The Hate U Give . Starr, familiar with perceptions of her neighborhood, community, and herself, code-switches to adapt to her environment and others’ expectations. After the shooting, a new narrative—one that paints Khalil as a drug dealer threatening a cop—surfaces, but an emboldened Starr challenges this simplistic framing of her friend. The novel goes on to raise cogent and credible counter-arguments to the flattening narratives often presented by authorities and echoed by many media outlets in shooting cases involving young black males.

As a book written for teens, The Hate U Give reminds readers of just how often racialized violence is carried out against that age group (Michael Brown was 18 when he was killed; Trayvon Martin was 17; and not-yet teen Tamir Rice was 12). And it illustrates how young people of color who might speak out to defend their late friends are unfairly criticized, as happened to Rachel Jeantel when she testified against her friend Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman. Thomas’s novel keenly understands the dangers of defaulting to the cop/vigilante versus “thug” framing device: The deceased get put on trial, rather than their killers.

The Hate U Give has many of the markers of a typical young-adult novel, too: At times, Starr feels judged and out of place in school, she’s navigating a friendship with a “mean girl,” and is a year into her first real romantic relationship. But each of these plotlines is inevitably complicated by race. For example, Starr hides her white boyfriend from her father. “I mean, anytime he finds out a black person is with a white person, suddenly something’s wrong with them,” Starr explains. “I don’t want him looking at me like that.” She’s wary, too, of sharing her role in the investigation at school because she doesn’t trust one of her closest friends to be sympathetic to her situation, and she feels self-conscious about the easy stereotyping of her neighborhood as “the ghetto.”

Thomas’s intimate writing style and the novel’s first-person perspective taps fully into Starr’s shock, pain, and outrage during the shooting and its aftermath. As a result, The Hate U Give allows some readers to see the complexity of their lives mirrored in literature; for others who may be removed from Starr’s experience or haven’t lived through similar tragedies, it can help generate deeper understanding.

In addition to being an engagingly written story, Thomas’s novel is a vital new contribution to the white-dominated publishing industry. Lee and Low Books’s 2015 Diversity survey found that about 80 percent of industry respondents were Caucasian. And while the number of black characters in children’s books has grown over the past decade, the Cooperative Children’s Book Center found that the number of books written by black authors has held relatively steady. In 2016, out of 3,400 new children’s books counted, 278 were about African Americans—a record for 12 years of surveying. But, out of the thousands of books the center receives, the number of African American writers has hovered between 70 and 100 for the same time period.

Appealing to readers across age, not just race, is a goal for Thomas as well. In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan , she explained , “‘Young adult’ is a critical age, and I knew that if I showed Starr going through these types of things, I could provide a mirror for some young adults and a window for adults—a lot of [whom] read young adult books—who might bring open hearts to a story that I told from her perspective, when they might normally look at a topic like this and say, ‘No.’” But thanks to Thomas’s absorbing storytelling, those who read The Hate U Give will be right beside Starr, grappling with understanding entrenched prejudice, where it comes from, and what role she—and those at home—have in exposing and combatting it.

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Social issues YA novels can be terrible. The Hate U Give is a stunning exception.

It’s a smart, warm-hearted book that takes on police shootings and systemic racism.

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Share All sharing options for: Social issues YA novels can be terrible. The Hate U Give is a stunning exception.

The Hate U Give is a didactic issues novel for teenagers. It is also a good book. Those two categories intersect only rarely, but The Hate U Give — a debut novel by Angie Thomas — manages the balancing act with aplomb.

Sixteen-year-old Starr grew up in a poor black neighborhood, but after she saw her best friend gunned down in a drive-by gang shooting when she was 10, her parents sent her off to a wealthy white private school.

Starr rapidly becomes an expert in code switching, saying “ew” at school and “ill” at home; dancing at school, where she knows everyone will assume she’s cool because she’s black, and observing at home, where she would have to work harder to earn her coolness. At school, she hangs out in a white girls’ clique and laughs about her middle school obsession with the Jonas Brothers. At home, she hangs out at her father’s grocery store and talks about how Drake is her future husband.

But all of Starr’s careful work to keep her two worlds separate falls apart when a police officer shoots her childhood friend, Khalil, in front of her. It’s the latest police shooting of an unarmed black man, and the case becomes a national scandal. Starr is the only witness.

At school, her friends talk about how Khalil was a drug dealer who probably deserved it. At home, gangs use Khalil’s death as an excuse to expand their turf wars. Whenever Starr talks to the police, she has to remember that one of them shot her friend and then held her at gunpoint. It’s a vivid, intimate portrait of how systemic racism works to forbid Starr any truly safe space of her own — and of how she builds one anyway, with the help of her deeply supportive family.

It was probably inevitable that someone would write a YA novel about police shootings, but it was not inevitable that it would be a good book. Whenever a societal problem becomes a national obsession, some adult will write a book about it for teenagers; usually the result is a Go Ask Alice – style stew of fearmongering and breathless sensationalism.

But The Hate U Give is charming and funny and carefully crafted, and Starr’s witty, observant, pop culture–inflected voice is a delight. There’s a scene early on where she’s trying to decide how to play things with her boyfriend after a minor transgression on his part: Does she want to go full-on ’90s R&B breakup song, or should she be gentler, like a Taylor Swift song? (“No shade,” she adds, “I fucks with Tay-Tay, but she doesn’t serve like nineties R&B on the angry-girlfriend scale.”) Then it comes to her, the perfect solution: She’ll Beyoncé him.

The specificity and whimsy of ideas like the anger scale of breakup songs is what keeps The Hate U Give moving so deftly through its heavy subject matter; it stays warm and focused and grounded in character even when it’s dealing with big, amorphous ideas like systemic racism. The result is a book so thoughtful and so fun to read that you’ll want to Bruno Mars it.

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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

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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

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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

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REVIEW: The Hate U Give By Angie Thomas

Inspired by Black Lives Matter, this emotional and powerful debut by Angie Thomas is a must-read.

The Hate U Give is a book that everyone should read. Not only does it delve into the deep murky waters of many heavy topics—racism, white privilege, racial stereotyping, and police violence to name a few, but  it also gives the world a glimpse into black culture and showcases what black people go through in America.

Eight hours. It took me eight hours to finish this book, and every minute was amazing. It touched me in so many ways. So many different emotions swept through me—anger, sadness, rage, nostalgia and so many more. So many times I cried. I laughed. I screamed. I hurt. I smiled. I cursed. I laughed again, and sometimes sobbed. It’s been years since a book has ever made me feel so much. Like seriously—WOW.

Starr, the main character, is one of my favorite heroines of all-time. The main reason for that was that I saw myself in her, and I related to her so much—too much. We had so many similarities that it was scary. We grew up in the same type of neighborhood—we had similar upbringings. Similar parents, friends, and relationships. Similar feelings and outlooks on life. And that’s just saying a few. I had constant déjà vu, while reading and I loved it, but it also made me cry because while growing up, there wasn’t tons of books around where I got to see or relate to characters that looked and sounded like me or that resembled my family and culture. So, when I read books like this, it makes me extremely happy and gives me hope that more diverse books like this can/will get published.

Bottom line: I loved Starr. She’s courageous even when she’s afraid and strong even when she feels weak. Her voice was captivating, authentic and encouraging. And with all that, she still had insecurities and weaknesses that made her a unique, flawed character, yet she never let that hold her back. She’s a great role model, and a superb heroine that will forever be in my heart and a part of me.

One of my favorite things about this book though was the family dynamic. Yes, Starr’s family had their messy drama and arguments, but you’ll regret the day when you mess with any of them because the others will descend on you like rabid beasts haha just kidding, but they all were very close and loved each other fiercely. Yeah, they fought and teased each other, but if one of them needed anything —the others were right there to help. It was truly beautiful and heartwarming.

The best part of the book for me was the messages/lessons that Starr learned throughout her journey. One lesson she learned was how important it is to use your words, and that your voice is powerful. Like one of my favorite passages from the book is this:

This is bigger than me and Khalil though. This is about Us, with a capital U; everybody who looks like us, feels like us, and is experiencing this pain with us despite not knowing me or Khalil. My silence isn’t helping Us.

These words are so powerful and so true, and there are so many other strong passages throughout this book that just really empower you and teach you how to do better. Other powerful messages I picked up while reading were that people will try to keep you down—hurt you—scare you—silence you, but you can overcome. Our voices are important and they can and will be heard as long we never give up or give in and keep fighting for what we believe in. Change will come, but we need to be brave when we’re afraid, and keep fighting and believing in ourselves when the world or society doesn’t.

The Hate U Give is a must-read. I lost count of how many times I laughed and cried—sometimes I did both at the same time. It was truly amazing, and I’m not surprised that it’s still #1 on the NYT Bestseller List. It deserves to be. It will seriously change your life and challenge you. It’s powerful, educational and emotional. It’s extremely well-written, and all the characters felt like family—I bonded with them so quickly and so deeply. They felt so real. It was truly bittersweet when I turned that last page.

I highly recommend this to everyone. Everyone can learn something from this book.

This one will leave you in awe.

The Hate U Give  is an emotional book that will leave you in awe. It’s beautifully written with amazing, realistic characters that will forever stay in your heart. It’s filled with strong messages and powerful statements that will challenge you, and make you want to do better. This was truly a great read, and I loved every word of it.

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The Hate U Give

By angie thomas.

Angie Thomas's first novel, 'The Hate U Give,' is a riveting, interesting, and very entertaining piece of work. You will be glued to every page as you read.

Article written by Juliet Ugo

Former Lecturer. Author of multiple books. Degree from University Of Nigeria, Nsukka.

‘ The Hate U Give ’ is one book that offers a lot of education, information, and enjoyment to the reader. From the youthful infatuation of characters Starr and Khalil to the budding romance between Starr and her white boyfriend to the unexpected turn of events when Khalil was shot and killed in the presence of Starr, the book has a lot of action to keep a reader glued to the pages.

This is one book that never gets old as the pages and stories therein are always fresh and exciting. It is a beautiful story of Starr Carter, who is a 16-year-old girl from the poor, black community of Garden Heights. In their mostly black community, her protective dad Maverick owns the local grocery store. Starr and her siblings go to private Williamson Prep school about 40 minutes away in a rich white neighborhood because mom Lisa wants her kids to have a good education.

Dual personalities

Starr never felt totally okay with her existence in code-switching. She feels the disapproving glance mean girls give her at Williamson when she spends time with her white boyfriend, Chris. Yet she doesn’t feel like she belongs at the parties with her neighborhood friends. Starr and Khalil are old friends who reconnect at a party in ‘ The Hate U Give ’.

One day while riding home with her friend Khalil, they’re pulled over, and in a series of unfortunate events, Starr watches in horror as her friend is killed. Khalil reaches inside the car for his hairbrush but is gunned down by a white cop who thinks it was a gun. Seeing cable news reports or reading articles about young African-Americans being shot and killed is one thing, but for Starr, it hurts even more since it’s her second close friend to die via a bullet.

Finally, Starr decides to be the voice of Khalil but also, more importantly, to find her own. As she tells Chris in one of the great scenes that reflect the real-life fights of many that if he doesn’t see her blackness, then he doesn’t see her. This book is a coming-of-age story that fits in nicely with a great slate of other significant films with similar themes this year. In its own way, ‘ The Hate U Give’ carry more weight because it deals with kids in their formative years.

Right from when Starr was a child, Maverick taught her what to do when pulled over by police but reminded his kids that “just because we have to deal with this mess, don’t you ever forget that being black is an honor, because we come from greatness.” that was a good foundation that Starr used to work out how best to live her own life and fight systemic prejudice.

Angie Thomas’s first novel, ‘ The Hate U Give’, debuted at No. 1 after its release and, after 18 weeks on the list, is back in the top position. Thomas’s book made news (including a front-page New York Times profile) partly for its topical storyline and partly because Thomas herself, a 29-year-old from Jackson, Mississippi, is so cheerfully a symbol of change in the publishing industry. 

As a kid, she wondered if anything could happen to her, ‘the little black girl from the hood?’ This book is a beautiful read about a strong female protagonist who finds the courage to speak out against injustice. A page-turner that I devoured and would be suitable for any reader who is interested in the world and the events that shape it (which should be every reader). This incredible book offers a total understanding of inequality and also highlights the importance of taking a decision and meaningful action within our communities.

It’s amazing to see the ways Angie Thomas so accurately depicts the microaggressions directed toward black people and the accuracy of how the community treats one another. Taking into account the events of the last year, this sought book is essential as a tool to educate and convey marginalized voices. One of the main things to learn from this book is that ‘sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong.  

A Great Book with a Fantastic plot

This is an excellent book to read with a strong plot and storyline, especially in the light of the Black Lives Matter movement. It is a book filled with good characters who portray a credible representation of the many challenges felt within a typical community of black American New York. Yet, you see the humanity, unity, and compassion they exhibited in their community. This togetherness brought a bit of hope to the tragedy.

‘ The Hate U Give ‘ is an important book to read touching on so many themes , although the main themes in the story are police brutality, racism, and Black Lives Matter. Starr, the main character, makes you empathize with what happens in the story and feel her day-to-day struggles while she also tries to fight for justice on behalf of her friend. This is a great book for group discussion. The publisher’s age recommendation is 14 plus, but I think given the content, I would suggest ages ten years and above.

This is an interesting book that was challenged for its portrayal of the police and its profanities – so a good book to introduce to students in any school. This novel was timely and important, which took a challenging topic and tackled the BLM movement head-on.

I love this book. It is interesting to see how many girls of African and Caribbean descent are drawn to this novel. ‘ The Hate U Give ‘ is an incredibly controversial book. Although I can’t fully relate to the issues the main characters dealt with, the author has written the novel in such a great way that anyone who reads it can understand and have an insight into the pain the black communities go through when one of their own is killed by police. It’s a topic that has been spoken about for years worldwide and is still as relevant today. It is important to keep these conversations going, and this book enables the younger generation to join the discussions and form their own compassionate opinions.

It was an amazing and meaningful book. I was overwhelmed yet pleased by the variety of emotions captured in the novel. Once in a while, someone tells a story that makes so much sense and is more vivid than the news, biographies, journal articles, and history books that try to explain it. Every young person should read this book and see why we shouldn’t be complacent about divisions, injustices, and inequalities related to race.

The Hate U Give Review: An Engaging and Strong Plotline

Book Title: The Hate U Give

Book Description: 'The Hate U Give' captivates with Starr Carter's journey, tackling police brutality, racism, and racial profiling in contemporary America.

Book Author: Angie Thomas

Book Edition: First Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)

Date published: February 28, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-06-242018-4

Number Of Pages: 472

• Writing Style
• Lasting Effect on Reader

The Hate U Give Review

‘ The Hate U Give ‘ is a book that you’re going to love. From its opening lines to the struggles Starr Carter had in the book, a reader is met with constant twists and turns. The issue of police brutality and racism is widely addressed. Other contemporary issues like racial profiles were widely discussed in the book. It’s a great book that touches on most of the relevant issues African Americans face in the US.

• A plot that is incredibly engaging to the reader
• It has original, yet relatable characters
• Very relevant
• Some current trends in the novel may not be relevant in a few years
• Use of bad language and violence

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About Juliet Ugo

Juliet Ugo is an experienced content writer and a literature expert with a passion for the written word with over a decade of experience. She is particularly interested in analyzing books, and her insightful interpretations of various genres have made her a well-known authority in the field.

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Author Interviews

'the hate u give' explores racism and police violence.

In Angie Thomas' novel, Starr Carter lives in a gang-ravaged area and goes to a school where she's one of only a few black students. She talks with Lulu Garcia-Navarro about her book The Hate U Give .

Copyright © 2017 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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The Hate U Give Book Review

Title: The Hate U Give Author: Angie Thomas Type: Fiction Published: 2017 Pages: 438

“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”

The Hate U Give is a young adult novel whose protagonist, sixteen-year-old- Starr, witnesses the murder of her friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. She is shocked and deeply heart-broken, but it stirs something inside of her which makes her realise that she needs to use her voice to get Khalil’s story heard. Raising questions about race and police brutality, this book is an important insight into what is unfortunately all too much of a reality. But The Hate U Give uses Starr to make us chillingly wonder, even though Khalil’s death was wrong, what’s the chance of him ever actually receiving justice?

Everything I’d heard about this book had been great, and I knew that reading it would be enjoyable, but I think books with so much hype are always dangerous, because they have an expectation to live up to what everyone’s said. Thomas’ writing was enjoyable from the get-go and I loved Starr as a protagonist – she was realistic, as were her relationships with the other characters in the novel too.

What I also liked about this book is how empowering it felt; Starr obviously has to go through a horrible ordeal, but through it, you can see the way she realises things about the world around her, and about how she should use her experience to help other people, and more importantly, get justice for her friend. Throughout the course of the novel, you see her grow from a young person, into someone who is a force to be reckoned with.

Obviously this book is great for showcasing black culture, but it was also disconcerting to read; when Starr says that at 12-years-old, her parents taught her sex education, and what to do if she’s stopped by the police, as a white reader, this felt unnerving to read when you realise that it’s the reality for black children growing up in America.

Unfortunately, while reading, I couldn’t get away from the feeling that the whole thing just felt quite long. It was 438 pages, and usually YA novels are great for the speed in which you can read them. However, there were unnecessarily long sections of dialogue, and I thought all the scenes were all dragged out slightly, and so overall, it was about 50 pages too long.

This is an important story to read regardless of how much I did or didn’t enjoy the writing style, and for that I think it’s worth picking up. Starr is an interesting character and I like how much it sheds a light on a situation which is all too familiar in real life. I also love how Thomas, like Starr, has used her position to start a conversation and try and make a change, which I think is one of the reasons reading, and books, are so great, so for that, this book is very commendable.

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The Hate U Give

This is Angie Thomas’ debut novel and was published in 2017. The book was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement.

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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 is 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.

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Edgar Allan Poe Award (Mystery Writers of America)

Best young adult nominee, new york times, #1 bestseller, coretta scott king, honor (author), william c. morris, michael l. printz, national book award, boston globe, horn book award.

Ultimately the book emphasizes the need to speak up about injustice. That’s a message that will resonate with all young people concerned with fairness, and Starr’s experience will speak to readers who know Starr’s life like their own and provide perspective for others.

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS (starred review)

A marvel of verisimilitude.

Booklist (starred review)

John Green, #1 NYT Bestselling Author of THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

Absolutely riveting!

Jason Reynolds, bestselling co-author of ALL AMERICAN BOYS

Fearlessly honest and heartbreakingly human. Everyone should read this book.

Becky Albertalli, William C. Morris Award-winning author of SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA

This is tragically timely, hard-hitting, and an ultimate prayer for change. Don’t look away from this searing battle for justice. Rally with Starr.

Adam Silvera, New York Times bestselling author of MORE HAPPY THAN NOT

This story is necessary. This story is important.

Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Heartbreakingly topical.

Publishers Weekly (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)

…An important and timely novel that reflects the world today’s teens inhabit… Thomas delivers an authentic plot with realistic, relatable characters.

VOYA, (starred review)

Thomas has penned a powerful, in-your-face novel.

HORN BOOK, (starred review)

Ordering Facts

Order a signed copy from Lemuria Books . For more information, call (601) 366-7619.

ISBN-10: 0062498533 ISBN-13: 978-0062498533 February 28th, 2017 by Balzer + Bray

• United Kingdom : Walker Books
• Australia & New Zealand : Walker Books
• Germany : CBT
• France : Nathan
• Spanish Language : Oceano
• Sweden : Natur & Kultur
• Finland : Otava
• Norway : Gyldendal Norsk
• Denmark : Gyldendal
• Brazil : Galera/Record
• Italy : Giunti
• Catalan Language : Grup Editorial 62
• Hungary : GABO
• Israel : Kinneret-Zmora Dvir
• Dutch : Moon
• Serbia : Urban Reads
• Bosnia : BTC Sahinpasic

Collector’s Edition

This special edition includes:

• a letter from Angie
• the meanings behind the names
• a map of Garden Heights
• the full, original story that inspired the book
• an excerpt from On the Come Up

Movie Tie-In Edition

• movie poster art
• full-color photos
• Angie Thomas in conversation with Amandla Stenberg and director George Tillman Jr.

The acclaimed, award-winning novel is now a major motion picture starring Amandla Stenberg, Russell Hornsby, Regina Hall, Anthony Mackie, Issa Rae, and Common. Read More

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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

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The hate u give by Angie Thomas: A Book review

Book Name: The Hate U Give 

Author: Angie Thomas

Genre: Fiction – YA

Characters: Starr Carter, Big Mav, Lisa, Seven, Khalil

Setting: The USA

Plot Summary of The Hate U Give

Starr, a 16-year-old African American kid, is stuck between two worlds. She lives at Garden Heights, a ghetto with gangsters and drug pushers. Her father Big Mav is a former gangster who took a blame and chose to go to prison so that he could get out of the system and lead a normal gang-free life. He wants their ghetto to be better and a safe haven for his kids.

She is one of the two black kids in her rich and predominantly white, prep school. She falls for a white boy, whom she has to hide from her father because he is ‘white’ and has two white best friends. Her mother is a nurse who wants to save her children from the ghetto life by taking them away.

Stuck between the two worlds and parents who have different views about their lives, Starr feels an outsider in both places. Starr understands her lives are universes apart and has never had to choose between them – until the fateful night, her unarmed friend Khalil gets shot by a cop in front of her eyes.

Should she remain silent , as her mother and uncle want her to be, and save herself from the wrath of the public and her own peers at school? Or should she put her life in danger, give a voice to the cause that may lead nowhere ?

What do you do when your best friend is being a bully and a racist, intentionally or not? Do you confront her, putting your entire friendship jeopardy or pretend it was unintentional and you are just overreacting? How long can one hide a white boyfriend from your father?

Book review of The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give  is essentially a coming of age story in the present American scenario, dealing with racism, bullying and violence. It is inspired by the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, obviously but is much more than that. It is an honest account of a strong black family that has nothing to do with the gangs or drugs but is put to trial because of their skin colour. I do not want to spoil your reading experience by giving out any spoilers.

It is not just the strong storyline that made The Hate U Give  the NY! bestseller but the well-written characters and a sprinkle of humour that made the story all the more fun to read. The writing is just perfect for YA, not becoming too political, yet talking about all the main themes like a true social commentary .

Yes, there are few characters that were flat and the ending with the perfect boyfriend was just too good to be true. But hey, those did not seem to be a big issue to me, all things considered. It is, after all, a young adult book that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

As a person who is not living in the USA, I may not have faced such an incident in my real life, but violence and prejudice against colour, cast and creed are no different in any other country. That is one of the things that makes The Hate U Give  close to my heart. As someone who doesn’t want to be an unintentional racist or offend anyone without meaning to, this book is an eye-opener. It made me think about my stand and actions on certain topics which is exactly what was expected of this book.

Bottom-line

The Hate U Give  is surely one of the best books I have read this year. Books like this and Feel me fall makes me gain more faith in the YA genre. I have not stopped raving about this book to anyone I know even though I read this book about a month back. I can not recommend this book enough. READ THIS BOOK.

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Let us talk

Have you read The hate you give by Angie Thomas? What are your favorite young adult books? Do you read young adult books? Let’s chat.

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22 comments.

That was such a lovely review 🙂 I loved The Hate U Give so much and I think it’s a book everyone should read. It was so powerful and it really made me think about this whole situation I may not be too familiar with, or at least not to this level, since I don’t live in the USA either. Great review 🙂

I don’t think none of us has been spared these kinda prejudices, some way or the other we have all been affected. THUG is definitely on my top reads of the year.

This is on my Christmas list, hoping to read it soon!

I am sure you will love it.

Great review. Such a good book. One of my favorites this year. As you said this really was an eye-opener

I really want to read this, its been on my TBR for ages!

Read this book right away. It is so worth it.

This book has been on my TBR for so long. Now I’ll definitely have to pick it up ASAP. Great review!

Pl do pick it up, Can’t recommend enough.

This sounds like it really has a lot to it. I might have to pick it up just to see what all the hype is about 🙂 Great job on your review. I loved all the different points you touched on!

It is soo worth thte hype Megan.

I reviewed this book earlier in the year. I absolutely loved it. So powerful. Glad it’s being made into a film.

Yes I am excited about its cast too.

Great review!

Thanks Kitty. Did you get a chance to read this book yet?

No, I haven’t. I really want to though.

Your review was brilliant!

Thanks Nandini.

I love all consuming books like this

You HAVE to read this DJ!

This was such an amazing and powerful book, great review!!

I totally agree!

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“The Hate U Give,” Reviewed: An Empathetic, Nuanced Portrait of a Teen’s Political Awakening

By Richard Brody

There’s no special merit to films that address subjects of urgent political concern, nor to ones that advocate progressive views. Sometimes such movies offer little more than fan service, of a sort that hardly differs from canonical interpretations of superhero stories designed to please hardcore followers. In skewing their drama and characters in order to stoke viewers’ responses in favor of one particular outcome, some political movies dull the emotional experience of watching. Far from advancing and reinforcing the desired view, such numbing movies suggest that the view exacts a price in vitality; viewers will decide for themselves whether the trade-off is worth it. What’s certain is that a narrow view of advocacy and a narrowed emotional range go hand in hand, and that filmmakers, in the grip of their own persuasion, often miss that connection.

“The Hate U Give,” which is in wide release this Friday, does not fall into this trap. It’s an explicitly political movie that advocates a manifestly progressive view of its subjects, but it does so with a varied emotional energy, a set of complex characters in uncertain situations, and a perspective that emphasizes the drama’s open-ended, trouble-filled engagement with society at large. It does so with a sense of balance, of heads-up alertness that suggests a dramatic type of peripheral vision—the director, George Tillman, Jr., seems to know, and to convey that when the camera is on one character or several others are present and potent, whether just out of frame or somewhere out of view but clearly exerting an unseen influence.

It’s the story of a black family living in the predominantly black Georgia neighborhood of Garden Heights and confronting, directly and personally, legally enforced and socially reinforced norms of racism—which is to say, they’re a perfectly ordinary black American family, working and living under circumstances that, as is clear from the start, would be inconceivable for a white family to face. The central character, Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), a sixteen-year-old high-school student, is also the movie’s central consciousness—her presence, her conflicts, and her voice (in the form of a retrospective voice-over) dominate the film from beginning to end. The movie, based on a novel by Angie Thomas , with a screenplay by Audrey Wells (who died earlier this month), opens with Starr’s recollection of “the talk” that her father, Maverick (Russell Hornsby), gave her and her two siblings—about how to behave if stopped by a police officer, in order not to give the officer any excuse to shoot them.

Starr was nine at the time. Her half brother was ten, and his very name, Seven, is relevant to the story’s premise: he was named by Maverick in reference to point No. 7 of the Black Panthers’ Ten-Point Program, which demanded “an immediate end to police brutality and murder of black people,” and it’s precisely the police murder of a black person on which the drama of “The Hate U Give” pivots. Maverick, who owns a convenience store, and Starr’s mother, Lisa (Regina Hall), a nurse at a local hospital, arrange for Starr to attend a well-funded, predominantly white high school in a nearby community. (Starr describes the “two versions” of herself—Version One, which is her in her own neighborhood, and Version Two, which she puts forward in her school in order not to be considered “ghetto.”)

Starr Version One goes to a party with black friends in her neighborhood; when shots ring out, one of them, a young man named Khalil (Algee Smith), a lifelong friend, brings her to safety and drives her home. But during a routine traffic stop—ostensibly for a failure to signal a lane change but actually a case of a white cop catching Khalil “driving while black”—he reaches for his hairbrush, which the officer claims to believe is a gun, and shoots Khalil dead. Starr, the only witness, had started recording the arrest on her phone; ordered to put it away, she nonetheless is able to identify the officer by his badge number.

When a grand jury is convened to consider charges against the officer, Starr is asked by an attorney for Khalil’s family named April Ofrah (Issa Rae) to testify. But, as Starr knows, Khalil had been a newbie small-time drug dealer (because his family faced a catastrophic failure of the safety net) and was working for a local kingpin named King (Anthony Mackie), who pressures—and threatens—her not to testify. What’s more, Starr also faces pressure from the local police and their allies not to testify. To complicate matters, Maverick is King’s former “right-hand man.” He served three years in jail for a crime committed by King—the deal being that, after his release, he’d be released from the gang. Maverick wants Starr to testify; Lisa, however, who fears King’s gang (the King Lords), as well as the police, wants to protect Starr above all, and to keep her from testifying.

The drama is sharply delineated, the conflict clearly drawn—but Wells’s script sets them in motion by means of a wide array of complicating subplots and contextualizing incidents, which Tillman balances nimbly, energetically, and perceptively. There’s Starr’s relationship with Chris (K. J. Apa), her boyfriend, a white classmate; her friendships with other classmates, white and Asian; her relationships with her younger brother, Sekani (TJ Wright), with Seven (Lamar Johnson), and with Seven’s other half sister, Kenya (Dominque Fishback); her relationship with her uncle, Carlos (Common), who’s a police officer; and there’s the media factor, which plays a role in all of these relationships. The killing of Khalil is major local news, widely reported on television—though, because she is a minor, Starr’s identity is concealed, including from her friends.

What’s more, these media accounts are themselves a defining aspect of the movie’s societal landscape: the depiction of Khalil, the obsession with his criminal behavior, the depiction of his family, the depiction of protests that erupt after his killing, the representation of the Garden Heights community, the questions posed in interviews by a Barbie-like TV reporter are all implicated in the story. Similarly, attempts by the police to prevent residents from recording officers’ actions are also elements of the drama; so is the oppressive prevalence of gun violence on the part of the drug-dealing gang and the endemic, menacing presence of guns in the homes of law-abiding citizens as well; so is local activism, the urgency of protest, and police repression of it.

There’s also a plethora of social context in the film, regarding both Starr’s personal and familial backstory and the political framework within which Maverick is raising the family. (He instills his children with political ideals by way of a quasi-military but nonthreatening discipline.) Lisa—who nonetheless shares Maverick’s larger ideals—inculcates in the children a practical and fundamentally apolitical route to success. Despite Starr’s painful efforts to meet the unfair expectations of her white classmates, she meets with a wide range of uncomprehending judgments ranging from oblivious to insidious. The vectors of frustration, rage, and despair that rack the black residents of Garden Heights are echoed, wrongly and prejudicially, in the media in ways that only aggravate the hostility that the residents face.

The very title of the film, borrowed from the late Tupac Shakur’s explanation of his album titled “Thug Life”—The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody—highlights the cycle of damage caused by racism. The phrase, like the film, unambiguously asserts that racist practices and attitudes, whether official or merely habitual, are the underlying engine of the movie’s very action. The movie isn’t a bold or bracing work of stylistic originality; rather, it’s one in which a familiar manner is expanded and elevated by way of insight and sensibility. “The Hate U Give” is the rare movie that puts the background into the foreground—that integrates its characters’ personal struggles and dreams with a wide and clearly observed political and historical environment. Its unstinting vigor and empathetic but unsentimental nuance mark it as a distinctive and exceptional political film.

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The Hate U Give: A Printz Honor Winner Hardcover – February 28, 2017

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8 starred reviews · Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best   ·  William C. Morris Award Winner · National Book Award Longlist · Printz Honor Book · Coretta Scott King Honor Book · #1 New York Times Bestseller!

"Absolutely riveting!" —Jason Reynolds

"Stunning." —John Green

"This story is necessary. This story is important." — Kirkus (starred review)

"Heartbreakingly topical." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A marvel of verisimilitude." — Booklist (starred review)

"A powerful, in-your-face novel." — Horn Book (starred review)

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 is 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.

Want more of Garden Heights? Catch Maverick and Seven’s story in   Concrete Rose , Angie Thomas's powerful prequel to  The Hate U Give.

• Book 1 of 2 The Hate U Give
• Print length 464 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 9 - 12
• Lexile measure HL590L
• Dimensions 8.3 x 5.9 x 1.6 inches
• Publisher Balzer + Bray
• Publication date February 28, 2017
• ISBN-10 0062498533
• ISBN-13 978-0062498533
• See all details

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From the Publisher

The Hate U Give

• 8 Starred Reviews
• Junior Library Guild Selection
• New York Magazine - 11 Young-Adult Books for Stoking the Feminist Fire
• The Fader - 7 Writers of Color You Should be Reading in 2017
• Teen Vogue - 10 Diverse Books by YA Authors of Color to Read in 2017
• Entertainment Weekly - 20 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2017
• Bustle - 16 Young Adult Novels to Read in 2017, According to YA Authors
• Featured in the New York Times, Cosmopolitan, Essence, and more!

Meet the Author

Angie thomas.

Angie Thomas was born, raised, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi as indicated by her accent. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine with a picture included. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. She is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Myers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books.

Editorial Reviews

From school library journal.

“As we continue to fight the battle against police brutality and systemic racism in America, THE HATE U GIVE serves as a much needed literary ramrod. Absolutely riveting!” — Jason Reynolds, bestselling coauthor of ALL AMERICAN BOYS

“Angie Thomas has written a stunning, brilliant, gut-wrenching novel that will be remembered as a classic of our time.” — John Green, bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars

“Fearlessly honest and heartbreakingly human. Everyone should read this book.” — Becky Albertalli, William C. Morris Award-winning author of SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA

“This is tragically timely, hard-hitting, and an ultimate prayer for change. Don’t look away from this searing battle for justice. Rally with Starr.” — Adam Silvera, New York Times bestselling author of MORE HAPPY THAN NOT

“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)

“Though Thomas’s story is heartbreakingly topical, its greatest strength is in its authentic depiction of a teenage girl, her loving family, and her attempts to reconcile what she knows to be true about their lives with the way those lives are depicted—and completely undervalued—by society at large.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Beautifully written in Starr’s authentic first-person voice, this is a marvel of verisimilitude as it insightfully examines two worlds in collision. An inarguably important book that demands the widest possible readership.” — Booklist (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)

“The Hate U Give is an important and timely novel that reflects the world today’s teens inhabit. Starr’s struggles create a complex character, and Thomas boldly tackles topics like racism, gangs, police violence, and interracial dating. This topical, necessary story is highly recommended for all libraries.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (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)

“Ultimately the book emphasizes the need to speak up about injustice. That’s a message that will resonate with all young people concerned with fairness, and Starr’s experience will speak to readers who know Starr’s life like their own and provide perspective for others.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

“In her debut novel, Angie Thomas creates what might be one of the decade’s most vivid voices in YA fiction. Though the appalling scenario depicted here is sadly familiar, Thomas’s clear and honest writing moves beyond sound bites to represent the real people and communities behind the headlines.” — Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“The story of Starr Carter, a 16-year-old who sees her childhood best friend fatally shot by a police officer, is compelling, thought-provoking, and conversation-enabling. One readers are sure to be talking about for a long time.” — Brightly

From the Back Cover

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD STARR CARTER moves between two worlds: the poor black 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, Khalil’s death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Starr’s best friend at school suggests he may have had it coming. When it becomes clear the police have little interest in investigating the incident, protesters take to the streets and Starr’s neighborhood becomes a war zone. 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 destroy her community. It could also endanger her life.

Angie Thomas’s searing debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinary circum-stances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart, and un-flinching honesty.

This collector’s edition of the acclaimed, award-winning novel contains a letter from the author; the meanings behind the names; a map of Garden Heights; fan art; the full, original story that inspired the book; and an excerpt from On the Come Up .

About the Author

Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Balzer + Bray; 1st edition (February 28, 2017)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062498533
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062498533
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 15+ years, from customers
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ HL590L
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.3 x 5.9 x 1.6 inches
• #2 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Peer Pressure
• #18 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Prejudice & Racism
• #26 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Emotions & Feelings

About the author

Angie Thomas was born, raised, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi as indicated by her accent. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine with a picture included. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. She can also still rap if needed. She is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Myers 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. Film rights have been optioned by Fox 2000 with George Tillman attached to direct and Hunger Games actress Amandla Stenberg set to star.

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Review: In ‘The Hate U Give,’ a Police Shooting Forces a Teen to Find Her Voice

‘the hate u give’ | anatomy of a scene, george tillman jr. narrates a sequence from his film where maverick, played by russell hornsby, teaches his children how to behave around the police..

“My name is George Tillman Jr., and I am the director of “The Hate U Give.” We always called this scene “the talk.” The scene was actually in the middle of the book, but we decided very early on to move it at the top of the film. What I love about this scene is, outside, you see a normal neighborhood, with a lot of playing. It feels like a Saturday afternoon. But I cinematically wanted to move slowly towards this house, to really show that, while everyone is having a good time playing, there’s important business being done with the Carter family. The first guy we see is Mav Carter. You see a guy who got braids, and he got a tattoo, so your assumption is that this guy is a gang member and he’s up to no good. But as the scene sort of progressed, I love turning the scene on its head and seeing that he’s not who you think he is.” “Now, one day, you’re all going to be with me, and you best bet we gonna get pulled over.” He’s a guy who’s a father, a husband, and he’s talking about something that’s a very serious issue, that he’s telling them to put their hands on the table. “You’re going to see me with my hands like this.” What I love about this scene is that this feels like a normal conversation like somebody would have about the birds and the bees with their children. But this is a scene that’s very normal in a lot of African-American families across the country, which is, how you keep your kids safe. How do you get them to understand how to act around police officers? It’s all about a father protecting his family. “It can get real dangerous, so don’t argue with them. But keep — “ The rehearsal for the scene was very important. It started off by rehearsing a scene with Lamar Johnson, who plays Seven, and Amandla Stenberg, who plays Starr. They rehearsed the scene, but they are not actually in the scene, but I only rehearsed it with them so they could have it as a backstory for them, moving forward, for the rest of the film. “Now, just because we got to deal with this mess, don’t you ever forget that being black is an honor, because you come from greatness.” But the young kids who played the scene in the film, I didn’t rehearse with them. I wanted them to be on camera for the first time experiencing that. So what we do — we’re seeing three different kinds of dynamics in this scene, is understanding the subtext of what an African-American family go through in the inner city. We’re seeing a father figure who is very present in the household. And we’re seeing a relationship that shows a loving relationship between a husband and wife. Even though they have disagreements, we still see a love. “You understand?”

By Aisha Harris

• Oct. 3, 2018

The rapper Tupac Shakur once broke down the acronym for his mantra “T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E.”: “The hate you gave little infants [expletive] everybody,” he said of systematic injustices. “What you feed us as seeds, grows and blows up in your face.” More than two decades after his death, his message was worked into “The Hate U Give,” Angie Thomas’s best-selling 2017 novel about a black teenager who experiences those inequalities firsthand.

“Pac’s gonna always be relevant,” Khalil (Algee Smith) insists to his childhood friend Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) in this uneven film adaptation directed by George Tillman Jr. Moments later, Khalil will be dead, shot by a jittery white police officer who pulls them over and mistakes his hairbrush for a gun.

The messy thing about relevancy is that sometimes it means not enough has changed for the better. One way to reckon with this fact is through art — which is why, as more black artists have gotten behind the camera and entered the writers’ room, the police brutality narrative has almost become a genre unto itself . Some recent works, like “Queen Sugar,” the TV series created by Ava DuVernay, and Solange Knowles’s 2016 album, “A Seat at the Table,” have been better than others at exploring the psychological toll of that brutality with care and nuance. Mr. Tillman’s “The Hate U Give” (with a screenplay by Audrey Wells) lies somewhere in the middle.

The film opens with a powerful affirmation of blackness, both in the beauty of it and the burden. In voice-over, Starr recalls her father, Maverick (Russell Hornsby, excellent), giving “ The Talk ,” a familiar rite of passage for many black Americans about navigating (and surviving) a predominantly white world, to her younger self and two brothers. He wants to instill in them a sense of pride and the tenets of the Black Panther Party’s Ten-Point Program.

As a teenager, Starr is a sneakerhead who uncomfortably straddles opposing worlds — Garden Heights, a predominantly black and lower-income neighborhood, is the place she’s always called home; Williamson Prep, a fancy predominantly white private school, is where she and her siblings, Seven (Lamar Johnson) and Sekani (TJ Wright), attend school. She works hard every day to keep them separate, hiding her white boyfriend, Chris (K.J. Apa), from her father, while policing her own appearance and actions at school. Black vernacular makes her white classmates cool, she observes. “Slang makes me ‘hood.’”

Her code switching is the most intriguing story line here, partly because young black female protagonists in popular culture are still few and far between. (A majority of recent films and TV shows starring black characters, like “Insecure” and the “She’s Gotta Have It” TV remake, have focused on 20- and 30-somethings.) Ms. Stenberg strikingly embodies Starr’s dichotomies — self-doubt and bouts of confidence; introversion and outspokenness — but the film’s driving plot is Khalil’s death and how it pushes Starr to come into her own as an activist.

Yet the script struggles to effectively weave this all together with the kind of thoughtful complexity that Ms. Thomas brought to her young-adult novel. Mr. Apa’s Chris, for instance, makes for a bland if earnestly supportive boyfriend, and the film glosses over his troublesome recitation of the tired axiom “I don’t see color” when expressing his disappointment with how Starr has kept her connection to the shooting a secret.

Elsewhere, the rapper Common has a small role as Starr’s uncle Carlos, a police officer. There’s only a vague understanding of the tension that comes with being in such a position, condensed to a conversation late in the film in which he defends police shootings to Starr by explaining what an officer might be thinking when interacting with a civilian. Thankfully the moment doesn’t end on a #BlueLivesMatter note, though it comes close. But it’s a missed opportunity; after a succinct rebuttal from Starr, the plot pushes on.

That’s the other thing about cultural relevancy — if you rely on it too much at the expense of deep characterization, you’ll barely scratch the surface. Ms. Stenberg, Mr. Hornsby and others in the ensemble (including Regina Hall as Starr’s mother, Lisa) are more than capable of exploring their characters’ depths, but a wonky script gets them only so far.

The Hate U Give Rated PG-13 for traumatic violence. Running time: 2 hours 12 minutes.

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10 Movies Adapted From Black Writers and Playwrights

T he development of African American literature dates all the way back to the founding of the country, as Phillis Wheatley, a Black woman educated by her masters, was able to publish a book of poetry. She gained her freedom not too long after, but Wheatley’s publication marked the very beginning of a long literary tradition in the United States. While some may think of contemporary classic writers like James Baldwin and Toni Morrison when asked about what Black writers shaped the modern Black literary traditions, African Americans have been telling their stories through a myriad of ways, whether it’s through Harlem Renaissance poems and dramas, slave narratives, or oral traditions.

Some of the biggest classics in the American Black canon have become movies . While we go through a period of increased representation for African Americans on screen, showing their stories in ways that were unlike the not-so-distant past, some incredible movies have been adapted from Black literature. Here are 10 movies that made their mark after being adapted from plays and novels.

Fences (2016)

Release Date 2016-12-16

Director Denzel Washington

Cast Saniyya Sidney, Jovan Adepo, Mykelti Williamson, Viola Davis, Denzel Washington, Russell Hornsby

Main Genre Drama

August Wilson originally published the play Fences in 1985, and it won the Pulitzer Prize when it made its way onto the stage for the first time. Its protagonist is Troy, a former baseball player who couldn’t make it to the big leagues and now lives in his home with his wife and son. His son wants to be a football player, and the wife encourages him, but Troy doesn’t want his son repeating the same mistakes and actively discourages him from his dreams.

Why It’s Great

Fences is a tragic story as Troy reminisces about the past and how he was forced to give up what he really wanted in life, yet he continues the same generational cycle with his son. Although the story does not change from the original, it still resonates, containing quite a bit of sorrow packed into the film.

Stream on Netflix

If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

If beale street could talk.

Release Date 2018-12-14

Director Barry Jenkins

Cast Colman Domingo, Kiki Layne, Michael Beach, Teyonah Parris, Stephan James, Regina King

Main Genre Crime

If Beale Street Could Talk originally was a novel by the acclaimed writer James Baldwin, who published the book later in his life. Tish and Fonny have known each other almost the entirety of their lives, but when they get romantically involved and try to find an apartment as Black individuals living in New York, it’s the beginning of their struggles. When Fonny is arrested and falsely accused, it will completely change their lives.

If Beale Street Could Talk offers the soul of Baldwin’s experiences as a Black man who grew up in New York and knew what it was like. From a visual standpoint, this film adaptation is visually stunning to watch and truly an emotional experience from start to finish.

Stream on Max

The Color Purple (1985)

Release Date 1985-12-18

Director Steven Spielberg

Cast Akosua Busia, Willard E. Pugh, Margaret Avery, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover

Based on the novel by Alice Walker of the same name, the 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple introduced the world to how much of a star Whoopi Goldberg could be. She portrays a teenage girl with two children, and as she suffers from domestic abuse and a plethora of problems after being forced into marriage, she has to watch her younger sister leave their home after being kicked out.

Although this might be an example of whether the book was better , The Color Purple introduced many actors, who had not had big opportunities or were working primarily for the stage, into the spotlight. Goldberg was at her best in this movie, creating such a mesmerizing performance throughout the film.

Stream on Paramount+

Related: 10 of the Most Iconic Black Movie Characters

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)

Playwright August Wilson came out with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom in 1982, and 40 years after its stage debut, it made its way into theaters around the world. Set in 1920s Chicago, Viola Davis portrays blues singer Ma Rainey as she has to real with a turbulent recording session. The movie features the final role by Chadwick Boseman before his unfortunate death from cancer.

Davis is incredible to watch as Ma Rainey, who was a woman who could command a stage with her presence. Not only is the movie incredible to watch because of its acting, but it poignantly captures a period of time when Black culture was so prominent, yet infringed upon by racial tensions brimming to the surface.

For Colored Girls (2010)

For colored girls.

Release Date 2010-11-05

Director Tyler Perry

Cast Thandiwe Newton, Kimberly Elise, Loretta Devine, Kerry Washington, Anika Noni Rose, Janet Jackson

Main Genre Comedy

In 1976, playwright and poet Ntozake Shange made history when her play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf opened on Broadway. She was the second Black woman to make it on a Broadway stage, and For Colored Girls is an adaptation of her work. The film tells the story of multiple women who, after reciting a poem, face difficult situations in their everyday lives.

While Tyler Perry’s movie might not fully capture the beauty of the Broadway show, and contains an all-star cast, the movie tries its best. By forcing the play, which is very fluid, into a movie format, a lot of the magic is lost in translation, forcing the movie to rely more on the dramatics rather than nuance.

Stream on Tubi

Waiting to Exhale (1995)

Forest Whitaker had his feature film debut with Waiting to Exhale , which came out in 1995. The movie is about four close friends who are willing to support each other no matter what, and they want to see each other find romance in the best ways possible. However, no matter how hard they want to find a man, they realize all good things can come with time.

Waiting to Exhale is one of those movies that serves as a guilty pleasure. While many wish they, too, could live the lives of the characters on-screen, they have their own issues they need to grapple with too. Four Black women finding friendship and searching for love is a premise that appeals to many, but, in the nineties, not a lot of movies catered towards this demographic.

Rent on AppleTV

The Hate U Give (2018)

The hate u give.

Release Date 2018-10-19

Director George Tillman Jr.

Cast Amandla Stenberg, Anthony Mackie, Common, Issa Rae, Russell Hornsby, Regina Hall

Based on the award-winning novel of the same name, The Hate U Give has a powerful, coming-of-age story . After Starr Carter transfers to an elite, white-dominant private school in her area, she grapples with the fact she’s Black in such an institution. But after she witnesses the murder of her friend by a police officer and his gun, she decides to become an advocate against racial violence.

The Hate U Give is an example of what advocacy can look like after tragedy, as well as the continuous trauma Black communities are put through on a daily basis. It’s a reminder that we need to do better, and stand up like Starr so bravely does by the end of the movie.

Related: The 12 Best Movies Directed by Black Directors

Malcolm X (1992)

Spike Lee came out with Malcolm X in 1992, and cast Denzel Washington in the lead role of Malcolm X. It is based on the book by Alex Haley titled The Autobiography of Malcolm X , and Malcolm himself collaborated on it. The movie takes place across key periods of his life, such as how he was imprisoned, converted to Islam, and then became the activist he is known for being today.

Malcolm X is a fascinating figure throughout history, and his life just needed to be made into a movie because of how interesting the circumstances of what led him to become an activist are. This is a movie that comes across as an epic, and Denzel Washington is one of the anchors holding it down.

Moonlight (2016)

Release Date 2016-10-21

The story behind the Academy Award-winning movie Moonlight comes from an unpublished play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, who co-wrote the script for the film. Taking place across three different time periods, the life of one boy and his coming of age are shown through how he struggles not only with his socioeconomic position, but also his sexuality.

Moonlight is a movie that comes across like poetry. It flows beautifully from one scene to the next, and some may even cry from what it has to offer. There are so many themes and images to unpack throughout the movie, making it quite the work of art throughout its runtime.

I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

I Am Not Your Negro is based on the manuscript by James Baldwin that was left unfinished, as he died before completing it: Remember This House . This documentary focuses on Baldwin’s memories behind the civil rights movement and those leading it. As his narrative is read throughout, it cuts to the figures he was once friends with, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

Baldwin was an extraordinary writer, and juxtaposing his writing against the same figures he once was good friends with is a brilliant decision on the filmmaker’s part. Much of the commentary Baldwin provides throughout is still relevant to America today, making it a searing look into both the past and present.