The Hate U Give

A very thought provoking and relevant book

Interesting

I was hooked from the opening and was compelled to read the book in a day. There was a strong cinematic feel to this story and I'm not at all surprised to see that it has been made into a film. I was caught by the relationship between Starr and Big Mav and them working through the tension between protecting/being protected and a father supporting a daughter to find and use their voice when it would have been so understandable to stay under the radar. I was aware that I was looking from outside the situations of the story, in many ways; I would be very interested in hearing from the young people with whom I work about their own reactions.

An incredible read with some hard hitting quotes and moments. A book of fiction that is sadly far too real. A must read and a great starting point for understanding the difficulties the minority face on a daily basis. Outstanding!

An incredible read with some hard hitting quotes and moments. A book of fiction that is sadly far too real. A must read and a great starting point for understanding the difficulties the minority go through. Highly recommend!

An incredible read with some hard hitting quotes and moments. A book of fiction that is sadly far too real. A must read and a great starting point for understanding the difficulties the minority go through and how we can all do better.

It’s book is awesome I definitely would recommend it it’s just a amazing black pov book

This book explores and depicts social issues, from a young person’s perspective excellently. The thorough discussions of cultural prejudice enables the reader to instantly empathise with the characters as well as to reflect on current social issues. The vast contrast between Starr’s school life and home life reveals the potential struggles with identity that some young people are subjected to. As a white female living in the U.K. it has opened my eyes to the fact that these traumatic, racist experiences are still very current.

This book was a stunning read. Fast paced and with characters that you came to care about. Usually I find books set in America a challenge to read but this one had me hooked from the beginning. At its core is a story about police brutality, accountability and racism but it also deals with themes of family and self identity.

A very well-written book, telling the story of a teenage girl who witnesses the shooting of a childhood friend. The serious subject matter is balanced by a lot of humour and really engaging style of writing. The way dialogue is written is particularly effective and realistic. I would recommend it to Y9/10 and above because of the language used and also to adult readers.

Start has learned to exist in two worlds without ever having to speak her mind. She’s forced to find her voice when her best friend is murdered by a police officer. This highly political young adult novels, deals with hard hitting themes including Black Lives Matter. All of Thomas’ characters and well developed and she shows readers the reality of gang culture. This is a modern classic that everyone should read to understand the depths of racism.

good representation

This is an essential read for teens. It felt so real and highlighted the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement. The characters were so well developed you either loved or hated them (sometimes changing at any given moment!) but were always seeped in the complexity that being human entails. The events are emotional; the relationships between the variety of characters well-realised. The main character was so caught between two worlds it was no wonder she struggled to find herself but this struggle was endearing and I couldn't help rooting for her.
A book from out of my comfort zone but I am so glad to have read it and will recommend it widely (with consideration to age-appropriateness - mature year 7s have discussed the book sensibly but there is extensive swearing and more mature themes).

I loved this book so much that at certain parts I even started to cry. This book made me aware of the racism among the police force and that not many victims get the justice they deserve. This book sent a very powerful message and I think anyone who has read this would understand. This book was very touching and heartwarming at times too. This book also showed how gangs could be very dangerous at times and that people needed to tell the police if things got dangerous. I think this book is for older kids but it is very good

I have mixed feelings about this book.
The main subject is SO important and brilliantly dealt with. In the world we live, it is more than important to give young people of colour a sense of pride in who they are, and this book is awesome for that.
But... I really thought it was too long and the story focused on a lot of secondary (and unnecessary) subjects. I didn't like Starr's character and for me, the book would have won in depth if alternating between the different characters' point of views.
Apart from these minor flaws, this is a book that every young adult should read at least once in his/her life!

An important, relevant and profound novel that was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. Starr is a brilliant protagonist - her narration and experiences encourage readers to explore their own experiences and ideas about racism and injustice.

Excellent read. Very relevant to the issues and injustices that people of colour face in the USA and worldwide. The story of a young African-American growing up in a deprived area, and attending a private school in a predominantly White upper class area. The story details how those very different worlds force the main character 'Starr' to act differently in order to fit in. Sadly Starr witnesses the killing of her childhood friend by a police officer, a very familiar story that happens too often to African-Americans. Would definitely recommend.

Brilliant, eye opening and stunning book. A real insight in to race and discrimination.

A brilliantly written book – Very descriptive, you felt you were actually with the characters throughout the story. I would recommend!

A brilliantly written book – Very descriptive, you felt you were actually there with the characters throughout the story. I would recommend!

A beautiful read about a strong female protagonist who finds the courage to speak out against injustice. A page turner which I devoured and would be suitable for any reader who is interested in our world and the events that shape it (which should be every reader!). The book offers a comprehensive perspective on inequality and really highlights the importance of taking meaningful action within our communities.

Incredible book. As a person of colour it’s amazing to see the ways Angie Thomas so accurately depicts the micro aggressions directed towards black people and the accuracy around how the community treat one another. Taking into account the events of the last year this sought of book is essential as a tool to educate and convey marginalised voices. One of the main things I took away was the statement, ‘Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right’.

Excellent book to read, especially in the light of BLM. Strong plot and storyline with good characters each containing a believable representation of many of the challenges felt within the different sorts of people you might encounter within a rundown community of black American New York. At the same time you see the humanity and compassion within the same community pouring out that brings out hope within the tragedy.

This is an important book to read touching on so many themes, although central to the story is very much Black Lives Matter and racism. The story is told through the eyes of the main character Starr, who really makes you empathise with what happens, and feel her day to day struggles while she also tries to fight for justice for the death of her friend. This would be a great book for group discussion. Publisher age recommendation is 14 plus but I think given the content I would suggest Year 10+.

This is one of the best books I have ever Read. It’s so sad how they shot Kahalil for no reason. But i love that by the end of the book Starr found her voice.

So good to read a YA novel from a young, black, female perspective.
Interesting as challenged for it's portrayal of the police and it's profanities - so a good book to introduce to students in September as part of 'Banned Books Week'.
This novel was raw and relevant and a great novel from Angie Thomas which took a challenging topic and tackled the BLM movement head on.

I loved it.
And my students are very intrigued after watching the movie adaptation.
Interesting to see how many of our girls of African and Caribbean descent are drawn to this novel. It's worth its weight in gold for them to read a book in their own voice.

An incredibly emotive book. Although I could not fully relate to issues the main characters were having to deal with, Thomas has written the novel in such an accessible way everyone who read's it is able to gain an insight into the pain black communities go through when one of their own is killed by police. It's a topic that has been spoken about at the dinner table for years and is still as relevant today. It is important to keep these conversations going, and through this book it enables the younger generation to join the discussions and form their own compassionate opinions.

A brilliantly written book - I would recommend!

A realistic portrayal of the code switching that young black people find themselves having to do on a daily basis just to ‘fit in’ with privileged white people in America. I enjoyed the story, which shocked in places, and also enjoyed reading the author’s note about how the story first came about.

It was an amazing and meaningful book. I was overwhelmed yet pleased from the variety of emotions captured in the novel. It has such a powerful message-without a doubt! Yet, towards the end, I was hoping for something bigger. I know in reality, these “stories” or events don’t always have strong endings and therefore I will not put too much shame on it. But, I felt it died down a little too much and there were alternative ways to end such a fantastic book! To make it much more memorable and capturing, for me personally, it needed a unique ending. Whilst I’m saying this, I still believe the book is wonderful and shows the brutality which us, as a society, has to fix.
Thank you :)