Thomas, A. (2017). The hate u give. NY: Harper Collins.
Summary
When Starr Carter witnesses the police shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, her world is completely shattered. Starr lives in a low income neighborhood, but attends a fancy prep school. She has had to exist in two very different worlds, but Khalil's death, and the aftermath it causes, lies solely on Starr's shoulders; she is the only one who knows what really happened that night. Khalil is called a thug, is labeled guilty until proven innocent, and Starr's struggle with the fact that his death could go without justice creates such inner turmoil and unrest that is added onto her already uncomfortable way of feeling as if she doesn't belong in either of her worlds, Starr has a hard time dealing.
A Teacher's Perspective
When this book came out, there was such unrest in the United States. BLM had really taken off and there was so much police violence against unarmed African-American citizens coming to light. These struggles are not gone. These things still happen, everyday. Thomas' book shows this reality, but from the perspective of the CHILDREN who experience it. Her book is so important in the history of our country, in the history of our literature, in the history of African-Americans. This book should not be banned or ignored.
Want to know more?
To purchase your own copy of The Hate U Give: Click here!
This book has recently been made into a movie; here is the trailer:
There is also a really great unit you can purchase on TeachersPayTeachers(Not My Product) that includes distance learning options: Link
Comments