The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

 

    Starr Carter is a young girl caught between two lives: working in her daddy's store in Garden Heights, a lower-income city, otherwise known as "the hood," and attending Williamson Prep, a fancy suburban school with her rich friends and White boyfriend.  She walks the line for a while, switching between "Garden Heights Starr" and "Williamson Prep Starr," forced to make difficult and confusing social choices to keep her lives separate. But when a close friend of hers is murdered by the police in front of her in Garden Heights, something shatters inside of her, and suddenly, she can no longer find the line that once separated her two worlds. It's up to her to speak up, fight for what's right, and stay true to herself- things very hard to do all at the same time. 

"If Officer Cruise were sitting here, what would you say to him?"

"I'd ask him if he wished he shot me too."

(Thomas, pg. 290)

This is one of the most engrossing YA books I've ever read, and not because it's action-packed or dramatic- it's just real. It's based on relevant subject matter, especially for Black teens walking that line and trying to figure out who they are amidst a world that is on fire, a world they might realize will not embrace them. I wish I had read this when I was a teen going to my predominantly White high school, just trying to figure it all out. I remember I wanted to protest during 2020 when George Floyd was murdered, but my parents thought it'd be too dangerous. They were probably right, but if I had had this book in my toolbox, it might've fed those flames.

How I'd Use This In A Classroom:

This is a book that I believe will be very helpful because of its themes of diversity, race, and identity. Everyone should be after their own authentic voice, and this is the kind of book that emboldens the chase. In this book, there are many different relationship dynamics. I would assign students different characters and have them argue their character's case from that specific point of view. I think it would be interesting for students with different backgrounds to interact with feelings they've never had to feel or be validated in those that they have. In the end, my goal would be to make my students more socially conscientious people who are sensitive to the circumstances and feelings of others, as well as students who are in tune with their own voice, confident to speak up for what's right and to defend others.