August 23

The Hate U Give (2017)
By Angie Thomas

It's hard to imagine a more relevant novel in light of ongoing incidents of police brutality against blacks, race relations, and drug dealers.

Starr Carter is a 16-year-old African-American living in the all-black neighborhood of Garden Heights, where violence between rival gangs threatens everyone's safety.   Her family is very much a part of the neighborhood's fabric, with her father running a convenience store and her mother employed as nurse at the local clinic. Starr and her two brothers, however, have been attending a private school in a tony suburb, where their parents ("Big Mav" [a former drug dealer] and Lisa) enrolled them after Starr witnessed the accidental shooting of her friend six years before the story opens.  At Williamson, the Carters are good students; Starr has 2 close friends, Hailey and Maya, as well as a white boyfriend, Chris (a fact she conceals from her father).

As this story opens, Starr and Kenya (a Garden Heights friend) are attending a party.  Shots are heard and Starr leaves the party with Kahlil, an old friend.  On their way home, a policeman pulls Kahlil's car over and ask for identification and for Kahlil to get out of the car.  As the officer checks the ID, Kahlil leans over to ask Starr, "Are you okay?"  The officer, presuming Kahlil is reaching for a weapon, shoots Kahlil in the back three times, and he dies on the street.  As the only witness, Starr's life is about to change.

Starr can no longer keep her two worlds separate as her prep school friends learn of her involvement in the case.  The media seems to suggest that Kahlil was a drug dealer, and offer little sympathy.  In addition, Starr's Uncle Carlos is a detective and colleague of the officer who shot Kahlil.

This is an important story - and a real eye-opener into the world of drugs, gangs, and police-community relations, especially from the perspective of the black community.  My only concern for young teen readers is that there are a lot of 4-letter words.

I read the audiobook; Bahni Turpin's narration is fabulous.  She brings all the characters to life: caring and sensitive Starr, strict Lisa, street-smart Maverick, barber Mr Lewis, and a cast of many more.