“The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas

Speaking up to make a difference.

This book is one of those that are meant to start conversations, raise awareness, and provide food for thought.

It is the story of a young Black woman who finds her voice after experiencing racism, injustice, and corruption firsthand.

She is only sixteen but at her young age she has already lost two of her best friends violently, one of them when they were both ten.

The story starts when Starr Carter witnesses the fatal shooting of her friend Khalil by a police officer. Khalil and Starr had been friends since they were kids, and that night he was driving her home after a party - unarmed. His death soon becomes a national headline and Starr, being the only witness, comes face to face with the importance of finding her voice in a world full of flaws, in which marginalized groups need to fight for equality and their civil rights through courage, strength, and taking risks.

“The Hate U Give” is fiction, but the topics that it covers are heartbreakingly real. As readers, we get to experience these through the eyes of a teenager, with whom we live her grief and fear, but also her bravery as she realizes that speaking up can help make a difference.

 It is a difficult book to read because what is described in its pages is sadly a depiction of a reality that we can't ignore. I picked it up fully aware that reading it wouldn't be easy, but also knowing that books like these are important to be read in the world we live in.  I also found it to be a book about family, love, friendship, and community, and how important these are in building strength, driving empathy, and finding courage and support when we need it most.