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Radio 2 Book Club: The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give (THUG) by Angie Thomas will be featured on the Radio 2 Book Club on Tuesday 18 April.

We have the chance for you to win 10 copies of this fantastic YA novel for your reading group! Please enter by Friday 21 April.

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We also have an exclusive extract available for you to read as well as a brilliant reader’s guide for your group.

The Hate U Give

Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl’s struggle for justice.

Selection panel review

The book was selected with the help of a panel made up of Reading Agency and library staff from across the UK.

The panel loved The Hate U Give – here are some of their comments:

“This young adult book looks at family, community and race. It is part of the Black Lives Matter campaign and I think it is a book that will spark a useful debate. Starr sees her childhood friend killed by a policeman. The ensuing train of events have a major impact on her and the community, tackling fitting in, complex family relationships and loyalty. This book offers lots of discussion with young people.”

“A powerful story about inequality and justice.”

“Another college YA novel I thought…but not at all. And powerful stuff. Told in the first person by Starr it gave me understanding of her situation and feelings and a strong picture of her family, friends and community – and of the reactions and events triggered by Khalil’s killing. Quickly absorbed by the characters, halfway in to the book I couldn’t put it down, I had to read on and be in the story!”

About the author

Angie Thomas was born, raised, and still lives in Jackson, Mississippi. A former teen rapper, she recently won a Walter Dean Myers Grant, awarded by the We Need Diverse Books campaign. The Hate U Give is her first novel.

Get involved

Tune in to Simon Mayo’s Drivetime show on Tuesday 18 April to hear a live interview with Angie.

Have you read The Hate U Give? You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter using #TheHateUGive and follow author Angie Thomas.

You can also see what other readers thought or add the book to your group’s reading list.

Want to find out more? Take a look at the Radio 2 Book Club Twitter feed or find out more on the Radio 2 Book Club website.

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